Wednesday, May 31, 2006
England 3-1 Hungary
Theo Walcott got his first cap and became the youngest ever England international during England's 3-1 friendly defeat of Hungary.
The young lad did have his moments, although I don't see what he's offering that other strikers don't. It's a big load for such young shoulders in a squad with only three fit strikers - four if you include Gerrard.
The formation early on was 4-1-4-1, with Carragher in the holding position and Owen up front on his own. Gerrard was nominally working off Owen although he tended to play his normal role as roaming midfielder more than support striker.
Carragher - for the quality player he is - added nothing to the squad, particularly in the first half when he played within a tight zone just in front of the two centre backs. Here he did not really break up any Hungarian attacks, and acted mostly as a resting place for the ball when England were in possession. Whether Eriksson ordered this or not, it just didn't work and I'd rather see Carrick or even King there.
Owen looked lonely up front in the first half, through no fault of his own. Those long balls were somehow reaching him but even if he managed to win the ball, what was he to do with nobody to give it to? Later, when the midfield started pushing up (and particularly as Gerrard moved into more of a striker's role) England looked far more balanced.
Player Ratings
Robinson 6 - Nothing to do.
Neville 7 - Surprisingly (for me) did most things well, although the quality of his crossing could do with improvement.
Ferdinand 7 - Read the game and broke up many attacks.
Terry 8 - Reliable in defence, and got a goal.
A. Cole 5 - Barely got forward, and found too many dead ends. Average defending.
Carragher 6 - Immobile in midfield, although his skill and experienced helped him retain possession. Adequate at right back.
J. Cole 8 - Found lots of space in the first half but had no end product. Strangely enough, in the second half when Hungary started to pressure him a little more, he seemed to really enjoy the game and became a real danger.
Lampard 7 - Did his usual job.
Beckham 7 - Plenty of good crosses and dead ball work.
Gerrard 7 - Worked hard, and looked better up front than in midfield. A nice header for his goal.
Owen 6 - Could barely get involved, and somewhat out of sorts when he did. But given little opportunity to prove himself.
Hargreaves 5 - For a while I thought he was Dailly in disguise. But that's harsh on Dailly.
Campbell 6 - Don't remember much about him playing.
Crouch 7 - Good awareness and finish for the goal.
Walcott 6 - Made a couple of good runs and seemed to have a good sense of positioning, but will need more time with the team before it all clicks.
whubris said...Some links:
Fat Frank funnies
Yossi gets Premiership Newcomer of the Year
Graham Arnold on Australia's tactics against Brasil
beggers said...Thanks for the post match report.
I just don't get a good feeling from the England side. Hope I'm wrong but can't see them winning it really. Won't stop me from belting out a few songs at the pub mind.
whubris said...Not with fucking Sven in charge. Honestly, the England squad should all take out restraining orders against him.
Since he's been in charge England have got by solely on the quality of the team. He hasn't got a clue. The game this morning stank like a meaningless middle-of-season friendly rather than a World Cup preparation match. He has no idea how to play to players' strengths.
If England had got Scolari, Hiddink, or any other half decent manager, I reckon they'd have been in with a real shout of winning it, Rooney or no. But now, they're just going to be knocked out of the semi finals - talent will get you that far but no further without managerial nous.
said...IMPORTANT MEDIA NOTICE FOR ASSOCIATIONS AND CLUBS
It has become evident that there are numerous media outlets currently battling each other to obtain “bad news soccer stories”.
A number of clubs, associations and branches have been contacted recently seeking information on rumours and incidents in soccer.
Soccer NSW requests that:
1. Associations notify your clubs of this situation
2. If any club or association is contacted by a print or TV media outlet that they do not respond to their enquiries
3. That all media enquiries be directed to contact:
Mr. Robert Grasso
Soccer NSW Media Manager
Phone: 8814 4416 or 8814 4400
Thank you for your assistance in this matter.
beggers said...I agree whubris. Unfortunately Sven has never been able to bring the best out of, what is and has been , a very talented squad over the years. We all know he's had a crack at European and World Cups in the past, but in both tournaments England never looked the business. As for that Semi against Brazil, I know we're losing the game so I'll bring on Gary Neville, that'll shake things up. Do me a favour!
whubris said...Anon, thanks for the post. Those scheming media bastards!
Beggers, you're dredging up some painful memories. As well as the Brasil game, managing to lose against 10 men (when Ronaldinho was sent off - what a gift!), there was the Sweden game where they were 1-0 up and defended in the box for the final 30 minutes. Of course, Sweden levelled. Unbelievable.
Beex, mate, I'll never trust you again :-) For me it's gonna be a classic Argies vs Brasil in the final, 3-2 to the golden boys. Argies will beat Mexico, Germany, and Italy to get there, and Brasil will beat Czech, Spain, and either England or Holland in the semi(probably Holland being realistic).
said...Eriksson juggles formations and players and invites all of English football to play a fool's game of unfathomable calculation.
Exactly which stage of the Eriksson masterplan have they reached?
Hadyan Mardhi Fadlillah said...Nice Info, I like your blog.
keep update !!
visit this site: http://wartawarga.gunadarma.ac.id
Monday, May 29, 2006
Welsh boys defeat World Cup newcomers
I know it's late to report, but Hammers Danny Gabbidon, James Collins and Carl Fletcher all played in Wales' 2-1 victory over Trinidad & Tobago in a friendly on the weekend.
Collins and Gabbidon were two of only four Welshmen who played the entire game, while Fletcher played for the first half. Collins set up Wales' first goal.
Shaka Hislop did not appear for T&T.
Sunday, May 28, 2006
World Cup Fever!
Bring the Internationals to QLD
Queensland residents draws to the attention of the House that the reluctance of the Queensland Events Corporation to help bring the Australian Football (Soccer) team to Queensland is a major disappointment to a significant number of residents. Football (Soccer) has the highest participation and support base rates of any sport in the world and this is reflected by the facts.
• Bureau of Statistics figures show that more children aged 5-14 are playing Football (Soccer) than Australian Rules and Rugby League combined.
• 98,000 people are expected to pack the MCG for Australia’s next international friendly.
• In the 1997 NSL Grand Final, over 40,000 attended Suncorp Stadium to watch the Brisbane Strikers defeat Sydney United.
• The Queensland Roar boasts the second best attendance figures in the Hyundai A-League national competition.
Those attendance figures are equal to any sport in Australia or anywhere in the world, and would give great exposure to our state both nationally and internationally without even factoring in the associated economic benefits.
Your petitioners therefore request the House to (through Queensland Events corporation) reassess its current position on attracting International Football (Soccer) matches to Queensland. This change will in effect see this Government Portfolio incorporate a pro-active stance on obtaining competitive international matches as per its long-term strategy of bringing major sporting events to the state of Queensland.
Sign petition here
Friday, May 26, 2006
Australia: Lucky strike beats woeful Greece
Josip Skoko's volley from 25 yards gave the Socceroos a 1-0 win against a lacklastre Greece side last night, in front of a massive 95,103 crowd.
The lads played all right, and were tactically better than I've seen them for a while, but I just couldn't share Fozzie's enthusiasm. Greece were awful, a pale imitation of the European champions we saw two years ago, and Australia could put no more than one spectacular (and, I believe, slightly mis-hit) volley into their net despite a wealth of opportunities. The buildup play was there but the killer blow was not.
In addition, a tougher side would punish us for the mistakes we made, and would not gift us possession so easily. Our upcoming match against Holland should be a more reliable yardstick.
Having said that, there were some positives to take out, namely, the excellent buildup play and the emergence of Sterjovski as a real contender for a starting place in the big matches. Culina and Neill also both played very well, and Skoko showed that he is still in form.
Player ratings:
Kalac 5 - A clean sheet but not a save to make and did not look convincing or decisive. Capable of better, but on the strength of this performance I'd be sticking with Schwartzer.
Chipperfield 6 - Adequate
Neill 7 - Strong and reliable, good forward support as well. My MoM.
Moore 6 - Good to see him back.
Grella 6 - Cleaned up well but passing was below par.
Culina 7 - Excellent vision and worked hard.
Skoko 7 - Heavily involved and was the starting point for many attacks. Got the official MoM.
Emerton 6 - I really don't know why he plays. Really looks average. Indecisive and slow.
Sterjovski 7 - A great outlet. Pushing hard for a start in Germany.
Bresciano 7 - Buzzed about energetically.
Viduka 6 - Held up the ball well and kept the Greek defence on their toes. As usual did a lot of off-the-ball work.
Popovic 6 - Did well when he came on to allow Neill to push up.
Thompson 6 - Poor decision making spoiled a hardworking performance. Has the skill to do well.
Wilkshire 6 - Had a decent pop from a long way out.
Lazaridis 6 - The ex-Hammer can still get forward and cross the ball, and will be good for the bench to solidify the field late on.
*******
In other news, reports say Alan Pardew is looking at Deportivo La Coruna hardman Aldo Duscher. The 27-year-old Argentinian midfielder is priced at around £4 million and has previously been linked with Manchester United.
beggers said...Rumour has it Pards is also after Lee Bowyer? Not that fussed on him really, think he's had his day. And I'm not sure he'll fit in with the squad. I think a lot of success this year was down to the team spirit, hate to see that eroded.
Dave said...Yes Greece were shocking but what a great goal. Also I've heard a lot of praise for sterjovski, I honestly thought he looked very average. Viduka was screaming at him a couple of times for playing a couple of crap balls and I thought when he had one good chance to go forward with the ball he made a mess of it and got the ball tangled in his feet.
said...E-Petitions Petition - Bring Aus football team to QLD
TO: The Honourable the Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland
Queensland residents draws to the attention of the House that the reluctance of the Queensland Events Corporation to
help bring the Australian Football (Soccer) team to Queensland is a major disappointment to a significant number of
residents. Football (Soccer) has the highest participation and support base rates of any sport in the world and this is
reflected by the facts.
• Bureau of Statistics figures show that more children aged 5-14 are playing Football (Soccer) than Australian Rules and
Rugby League combined.
• 98,000 people are expected to pack the MCG for Australia’s next international friendly.
• In the 1997 NSL Grand Final, over 40,000 attended Suncorp Stadium to watch the Brisbane Strikers defeat Sydney United.
• The Queensland Roar boasts the second best attendance figures in the Hyundai A-League national competition.
Those attendance figures are equal to any sport in Australia or anywhere in the world, and would give great exposure to our
state both nationally and internationally without even factoring in the associated economic benefits.
Your petitioners therefore request the House to (through Queensland Events corporation) reassess its current position on
attracting International Football (Soccer) matches to Queensland. This change will in effect see this Government Portfolio
incorporate a pro-active stance on obtaining competitive international matches as per its long-term strategy of bringing
major sporting events to the state of Queensland.
whubris said...Don't want Bowyer as I've said here before, and for the same reasons.
Dave, interesting that you didn't think Sterjovski was that good. I'll look more closely against the Netherlands. I didn't notice Dukes yelling at him although I did see him play a couple of crap balls.
Anon, I'm gonna post that..
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Scaloni & fringe dwellers released
Other professionals who have been released by the club are fringe dwellers Darren Blewitt, Petr Mikolanda, Sekou Baradji, Matthew Reed, and Aussie defender Trent McClenahan.
The Club has also shifted out some Academy players, namely third-years Darren Behcet and Jemal Henry, and second-years Ryan Andrews, David Cowley, Liam White, Ishmael Welsh, Densal Davidson, and Eren Kemal.
To replace them the Club has named 10 youngsters who will be inducted to the Academy: Tom Harvey, Jordan Spence, Bondz Ngala, Robbie Blackwell, Ben Hunt, Ashley Miller, Ryan O'Neill, Junior Stanislas, Fred Sears, and Gary Bowes.
beggers said...Not surprised about Scaloni. Don't know much, if anything, about the others. Gonna be very interesting to see what happens in the transefr market after the World Cup.
Sunday, May 21, 2006
Good enough for Argentina!
"There is a permament evolution with footballers." said Pekerman.
Zanetti fumed, "Nobody told me what I did wrong to not be in the World Cup squad. I'm calm because I think I did my best to be on the list and I've been always available for the national team when they needed me. We'll never know if I've been excluded because of football reasons or not."
In a brief interview with reporters Scaloni said, "WOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO"
beggers said...I was slating Scaloni not that long ago, but to be fair he did OK towards the end of the season.
I'd be lying though if I thought he was the long term answer to our RB problems. Don't know much about Zanetti, but if Scaloni beat him for the spot, he must be average.
By the way well done whubris, dave and novern monkey for the seasons articles, really enjoy the read and your comments.
whubris said...Yeah, he did show a lot of improvement. Interesting how he'll go in the WC. He should learn a lot at any rate.
Zanetti's good, but getting old.
ta for your comments Beggers. Ta also to everyone who contributed. What a marvellous season it's been. I was just watching some youtube movies of our season and am nearly a blubbering wreck. *sniff*
beggers said...Chin up big fella.
Huge year ahead of us! Lots of expectation. And will no doubt have a lot of West Hamness (ups/downs) about it.
Hopefully we'll all be meeting up for a european game or two at the 'PIG'! Europe, how good is that!
Newmarket Hotel shafts FA Cup fans!
"A dyed-in-the-wool Liverpool fan and a bunch of soccer tragics were imbibing freely at Newmarket Hotel watching the FA Cup last Sunday morning when the staff called time at 2.15. Only trouble was the Reds and West Ham were locked at 3-3 and in extra-time. Our fan managed to flag down a cab and make it home to Red Hill, missing only a few minutes of the action. One of his mates ran home to Wilston and just caught the penalty shoot-out."
said...I really enjoyed looking at your site, I found it very helpful indeed, keep up the good work.
»
Friday, May 19, 2006
WHU-AU Cardiff Report
Just a quick report on the day out in Cardiff...the whole city was bubbling (pun intended). We (DPL's tour party) stayed in Cheltenham the night before and got to Cardiff about 10am cause DPL had to do a couple of radio spots - the Five Live one had a spiel about my 3 month old Ben and the FA trying to charge him full adult price at the last minute! (As it turned out we didn't take him to the game anyway - we got someone to look after him which was a good move).
Arriving so early gave us heaps of time to soak up the atmosphere - amazing. Just on our way to Cardiff in the coach was incredible, seeing all of the cars decorated with flags and scarves and stuff. At the toll plaza there were about 200 cars all festooned in claret and blue.
We ran in to our mate Rick outside the ground who flew there and back from OZ a day either side of the game - a mighty effort.
No hassles getting in my camera & 400mm lens. I have some good photos that I will probably not get to post till we get back to Brisbane in mid June.
We had seats in the next section to the press gallery, about 30 feet from the sideline, deep in the WHU area. From the moment you walked in the atmosphere was amazing. The noise was off the dial and everyone just had this great sense of anticipation. Bubbles were blowing and people were singing.
The teams were announced and Matty & Deano were in (excellent) as was Scaloni (hmmmm).
Its a cliche but the game *was* a roller coaster ride of emotions. Its hard to put into words what happened when we scored so I won't try, suffice to say it went off....then a 2nd and we dared to hope. As we found out later, not since 1966 has a team led by 2 goals in the cup final and been beaten :( . We thought we were gone when they got both goals back but then Konchy's flukey cross had us thinking this was gonna be the fairytale ending.
Ant then just as the time added on was announced our hearts were ripped out. Ashton was off, Marlon was completley hobbled...deep down we knew what was to come..fading and dying :(
The scenes at the end showed what it meant to the players.....
I hafta get off this puter so I'll finish off in a comment later...
Tony
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Messages of Support for WHU
Email yourcomments@westhamunited.co.uk - they deserve it.
beggers said...Did this earlier today. Thanking them all for the great season we had made me feel a little better, only a little mind.
said...BBC World Cup Guidelines for commentary team.
1 -Within 1 minute of kick off in the opening match (Germany v Costa Rica), the commentator must mention England.
2 - Regardless of what two teams are contesting the final, England have to be mentioned within the first minute.
3 - The commentator shall refer to the Falkland Isles in passing at some point in the match if England play Argentina.
4 - Whenever a hat trick is scored, comparisons with Geoff Hurst will be made within seconds of the third goal hitting the net.
5 - Should England wear their red jerseys, then '1966' should be mentioned approximately 20 times.
6 - 1966 will be mentioned approximately 10 times a match, or only on 4 or 5 occasions for matches not involving England.
7 - Prior to the captain of the winning team lifting the trophy, the commentator will mention Bobby Moore. And 1966.
8 - When Germany are playing, they must be referred to as being arrogant by the commentator on at least 14 occasions. This must refer to their style, their passing, their haircuts and their general footballing ability.
9 - Should England play Germany, mentions of Winston Churchill, Dambusters, The Luftwaffe and Adolf Hitler will be compulsory. And 1966.
10 - All Scottish members of our commentary team must continue to refer to England as "we" and "us".
11 - We must ensure that nationlistic stereotypes are adhered to. Of course, the Germans are arrogant. The Spanish are bottlers, The Ivory Coast are fast but bad at defending, The Angolans are disorganised, The Argentinians are cheats and the French are only good because their best players play in England.
12 - For matches not involving England, we must only discuss the players that are playing in England. (eg – Holland v Argentina should be referred to as Van Nistelroy v Crespo).
13 - The mythical "bulldog spirit" phrase should be used as often as possible.
14 - Each match involving England should begin with the phrase "England Expects."
15 - Should any player be involved in an injury that involves the loss of teeth, then references to Nobby Stiles and 1966 are compulsory.
16 - If in doubt, mention 1966.
17 - Praise all of the stunning new stadiums in Germany but emphasise that they lack the presence of Wembley, the spiritual home of football since 1966.
18 - Commentators should feel free to imitate the style of Kenneth Wolstenholme, the hero of 1966.
19 - Should any team feature brothers playing together, then Jackie and Bobby Charlton should be mentioned.
20 - When England bow out after the first stage, we must emphasise that it is a massive blow to football and a serious loss to the World Cup.
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
And the award goes to...
Well, the scores are tallied and the results are in for the inaugural and unprestigious Aussie TV Hammer of the Year awards. These awards take an average of all the ratings we have given the players over the season based on the TV coverage in Australia. Players must have played more than a third of the televised matches (that is, 9 or more matches over the 25 that were covered) to be eligible.
Astonishingly, we have joint winners for the major award. Marlon Harewood and Nigel Reo-Coker have both achieved an incredible 7.00 average rating for their performances over the year and so will share the award, although Harewood has been rated in more games (24, versus 20 for Reo-Coker). Matty Etherington scoops the runner-up award with an impressive average of 6.91 over 22 matches.
Aussie TV Young Hammer of the Year goes to the supremely talented defender Anton Ferdinand with an average rating of 6.63 over 20 matches - although this rating is hardly indicative of his superbly consistent performance throughout the season. Fear not, the match reporters are being ruthlessly tortured as we speak. (NRC of course was eligible for Aussie TV Young Hammer of the Year, but you can't win both...)
Israeli playmaker Yossi Benayoun picks up the Best Signing award with an average rating of 6.79 in 24 matches, just pipping Roy Carroll who averaged 6.78 over 9 matches.
The Worst Signing goes to Lionel Scaloni with a dismal average of 5.67 in 12 matches.
The Encouragement award (highest average rated player with insufficient matches to qualify for Hammer of the Year) goes to Carl Fletcher, who averaged an excellent 7.14 rating over 7 matches. Eternal Hammers hero Jimmy Walker only played a single match but received an 8 rating for it, although you could hardly call that an average!
Interestingly, official Hammer of the Year Danny Gabbidon only averaged 6.48, demonstrating either the difficulty of rating players based on what you see on TV, or the utter incompetence of our match reporters. (Probably a bit of both.) Frankly I'm surprised Danny G and Anton were so far down the list, but there you have it.
Complete results:
Average, Appearances, Name
7.00, 24, Marlon Harewood (joint Aussie TV Hammer of the Year)
7.00, 20, Nigel Reo-Coker (joint Aussie TV Hammer of the Year)
6.91, 22, Matty Etherington (runner-up Aussie TV Hammer of the Year)
6.79, 24, Yossi Benayoun (Best Signing)
6.78, 9, Roy Carroll
6.72, 25, Paul Konchesky
6.67, 9, James Collins
6.64, 22, Bobby Zamora
6.63, 20, Anton Ferdinand (Aussie TV Young Hammer of the Year)
6.50, 16, Teddy Sheringham
6.48, 24, Danny Gabbidon
6.39, 23, Hayden Mullins
6.31, 16, Shaun Newton
6.25, 12, Christian Dailly
6.25, 12, Dean Ashton
6.20, 15, Shaka Hislop
5.67, 12, Lionel Scaloni (Worst Signing)
*7.14, 7, Carl Fletcher (Encouragement award)
* Ineligible for full award due to insufficient appearances.
whubris said...No, it's a bit dead :-)
Incidentally, there are some aussie fan club details under the "Contacts" menu now. If anyone has further details (especially from other cities) please leave a comment or email me.
Sunday, May 14, 2006
So many emotions...
We were heading for a glorious victory as the clock ticked down. We (in the pub) had just finished a song - honestly, I can't recall what it was for certain but I think it was "Bubbles" - a moment of silence followed, and then Gerrard scored his cracking equaliser. You can't buy that sort of thing. Gerrard is the model professional and a true club player, few of whom any club can boast, but West Ham and Liverpool both can point out a number of greats in their illustrious history. If anyone was going to score in the 90th minute to deny West Ham their glory, then I'm glad it was Steven Gerrard.
To see so many players (on both sides) go down with cramp or injury, and especially to see Marlon Harewood attempt to shoot at goal with his injured foot, was gut-wrenching.
That save by Reina is indelibly etched into my memory as the moment when West Ham United came within a hair's breadth of lifting the FA Cup at the finale of a fantastic season.
Our goals may be partially attributed to luck, but West Ham showed the sort of guts and honour worthy of the scoreline. A proud day, indeed.
As for our little gathering at midnight in Brisbane, the atmosphere was incredible. The Liverpool fans showed up in droves and I think outnumbered the Hammers, but not by much. They sang well, and we matched them. There were moments when the hair stood up on the back of my neck as the fans sang "Come on you Irons" - the determination and love for the club that the fans showed was second to none. And the mood between both opposing sets of fans was that of friendly rivalry and good sportsmanship. Both sets of fans were superb. It was a fabulous, unforgettable night, despite the result.
I still don't really know what to think of it - gutted, but proud, I guess to sum it up.
Congratulations to Liverpool and their amazing fans.
Thank you so much to Alan Pardew, all the players, and all the West Ham United fans who have made this season such a great one.
Let's do it again.
whubris said...This is a good article. Final recalls Cup's magic days
I'll post player ratings later.
said...Your right full-back, Scaloni, was appalling. He looked like an amateur plucked from the second division and was directly responsible for the first (ball watching) and third (couldn’t clear it properly and Gerrard hit a cracker) goals. Also, nearly all of West Ham’s corners and set piece deliveries were shit. Still, they were brave, played some cavalier football and really just went for it, unlike Arsenal last year. Gerrard’s first was a typical Gerrard goal – the result of ball watching again.
There was plenty to be pleased with and they will be better for the experience. Next year should be even better.
And thank God Middlesbrough didn’t make the final.
Allan.
(Liverpool - jammy fcuking bastards)
beggers said...What a game, felt sick watching the last 20mins , was so nervous. We had it, we had it. We were not beaten in 120 mins of football, on the contrary I think their keeper was busier than ours. Penalties, well!!! Can anybody say were we truly beaten, don't think so. Shed a tear, couldn't believe we lost it in the 92min and still can't but what can you do. After a display like that I reckon other clubs will be circling for some of our lads.
Anyway it was a great game, truly superb.
whubris, any trouble at the Pig?
said...Good to catch up with you Dave and lead the singing. We were unlucky. Their keeper was moving off the line for the penalties and should have been pulled up.
As for the mickey's post here, which game were you watching? West Ham were the better side and that's what I'll take away from the game. Up until the penalties, at no stage in teh game were you winning.
As for the average Liverpool fan here in Brisbane, most of them seem to be people that jumped on the red bandwagon in the 80s. Most West Ham fans here seem to be ex poms who actually used to go to games when they lived in London.
Brisbane Hammer
whubris said...beggers, no, no trouble at the p&w that I'm aware of, although there was a couple of dickheads (among both sets of supporters). The Scousers expressed their commiserations genuinely and without being patronising. A good night, except the result of course, which as Dave said is quite sickening.
London Hammer.... well said.
whubris said...Am I the only one who thinks NRC should have taken that last penalty? I thought that as a captain it should be up to him to shoulder the responsibility, unless there was some good reason why he couldn't take it.
beggers said...Gald there was no trouble, no need for it.
NRC taking a penalty, probably but, to me, it really didn't matter we were never gonna win a shootout. Reina is a penalty specialist and they had loads of internationals with heaps of big game experience who can all score. We had Teddy, then a bunch of young lads who had the weight of the world on their shoulders. Couldn't imagine stepping up to take a penalty in an FA Cup final, sphincter would be well and truly puckered.
I mentioned other clubs circling after our performance, I see on the KUMB site that Liverpool apparently are interested in Yossi. And didn't that boy have a monster game, he was frightning! Peter Crouch looks like he's England hope, you're having a laugh! You would never now he even played. He will always be a very average striker. Now Ashton and Harewood! Bet Sven's giving himself an uppercut as we speak. If he isn't I'd gladly do it for him.
said...joke from a GU article.
"If the Scousers had lost like that, they would already have opened a book of condolence."
said...West Ham were brilliant - but man we were unlucky. *sobs*
I'm so proud of my team and Alan Pardew.
Off topic, is it just me, or is Alan Pardew the best looking man in the world??
said...Its moments like these that makes you mighty proud to be a Hammer Fan.
WestHam showed on Saturday what I hold dear to my heart in life, Passion commitment and respect.
Come on You Hammers
whubris said...Player ratings: I haven't watched it again yet but from memory...
Shaka Hislop 7 not much to do, possibly could have gotten to the third but you could hardly blame him.
Paul Konchesky 7 Excellent, balanced play.
Danny Gabbidon 8 Superb.
Anton Ferdinand 7 Very good. Gutted for him.
Lionel Scaloni 7 Solid.
Yossi Benayoun 8 Creative.
Matty Etherington 7 Excellent.
Nigel Reo-Coker 8 Worked hard.
Marlon Harewood 7 Unlucky.
Dean Ashton 8 Influential.
Carl Fletcher 7 Reliable.
Christian Dailly 7 Good.
Bobby Zamora 8 Went on a brilliant run that nearly ended in a penalty.
Teddy Sheringham 7 Good.
whubris said...The Mirror
15 May 2006
BEATEN ONLY ON PENALTIES, DON'T EVER SAY THESE HEROIC HAMMERS ARE JUST LOSERS
THE GERRARD FINAL 2006
Oliver Holt
SINCE his missed penalty was West Ham's final contribution to an FA Cup Final that was one for the ages, let's start with Anton Ferdinand.
Anton Ferdinand, who booted the ball away in disgust when Pepe Reina saved it and then sank to his knees in despair in front of his own fans.
A man who epitomised the tenacity and the brilliance of West Ham on Saturday, a defender who made one superb intervention after another to deny Liverpool.
A player who thwarted Fernando Morientes with a last-ditch tackle late in the game when so many of his team-mates had already succumbed to fatigue.
And more than all that, a player who has fought to emerge from the shadow of a lavishly gifted elder brother.
On Saturday, he achieved that. On Saturday, he was not a loser.
Then there was Yossi Benayoun. How good was he in the 125th Final? One dummy he sold Xabi Alonso will live long in the memory.
He held everything together in midfield. He ran the game for West Ham. In his own way, he was a match for the superhuman Steven Gerrard.
On Saturday, he was not a loser. And how about Lionel Scaloni. I heard West Ham fans groan when they saw his name on the teamsheet. But he was an inspiration.
His run for the first goal was beautifully timed, his cross so venomous and well placed that Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher tripped over it and diverted it into his own net.
Later in the first half, Scaloni produced a cruncher of a tackle on Gerrard. He was a constant danger on the overlap. On Saturday, he played better than I've seen him play before. He was not a loser.
Paul Konchesky was a dynamo at left-back. And he came within a couple of minutes of winning the Final for his club.
His goal may have been meant as a cross but he deserved that moment. After an early foul on Gerrard, he didn't put a foot wrong.
He is a player who has grown up very, very quickly since he left Charlton.
He was not a loser at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.
Dean Ashton played like a striker who should have been in Sven Goran Eriksson's World Cup squad.
Even though he wasn't fully fit, he was the best striker on the pitch. His pass to release Scaloni for the first goal was sublime.
He was intuitive enough and brave enough to suggest he can become as influential a player as Teddy Sheringham once was. Ashton was not a loser on Saturday.
Matthew Etherington was carrying an injury, too, but you would not have known it. He was a constant threat on the left.
He eluded three Liverpool defenders to set up the second West Ham goal for Ashton. He's unlucky not to be going to Germany, too. He was not a loser on Saturday.
On a day when many men ran themselves into the ground, Nigel Reo-Coker ran further and worked harder than any of them. He was absolutely magnificent in the heart of Alan Pardew's team.
No wonder he's club captain at 21. He's a player and a man to be admired. He was not a loser on Saturday.
Then there was Marlon Harewood, heroic in his attempt to defy the pain from a foot injury that hobbled him in extra-time.
He was a hell of a handful on Saturday afternoon. He made Carragher look uncomfortable. It takes a world-class centre-forward to do that these days.
There was no shame for him in missing a late, late chance, slicing it wide with his left foot. It was a wonder he was still standing. He was not a loser on Saturday.
Danny Gabbidon was cool and meticulous at the back. He was defiant to the end. He was not a loser. Carl Fletcher did his utmost to contain Gerrard, Teddy Sheringham scored his penalty in the shoot-out and did all he could to rally the troops for one last effort.
As for Shaka Hislop, there was nothing any goalkeeper could have done to stop any of the three goals that whistled past him. None of them were losers on Saturday.
There are two final citations, too. Roy Carroll, the goalkeeper who missed out through injury, raced on to the pitch in his suit and dragged Ferdinand to his feet.
It was an act of compassion and camaraderie that said everything about the spirit Pardew has built at Upton Park.
And last of all, there was Pardew himself. The West Ham boss must have been bitterly disappointed but he hid it beautifully.
He did not cast around for people to blame.
He did not criticise the referee or attack any of the Liverpool players.
He just said it had been a great Final and that he was proud of his team for the part they had played in it.
His dignity in that moment and the heroic performance he had brought from his team suggested he is a manager destined for big things.
I hope none of them, manager or players, discard their losers' medals from the 125th FA Cup Final.
On this occasion, those shining pieces of metal were not mementoes of failure but tributes to the spirit of men who reminded us of something we thought we had lost.
West Ham United v Liverpool FA Cup Final LIVE in Australia and NZ
*** UPDATED 5 MAY 06 ***
We have OZ Hammers venues all over Australia and NZ - Please email me if you know of any other Hammers venues.
Many thanks to David Lewis and all the other Hammers who worked hard to make this a possibility... Get on down and support the boys in Claret & Blue!
Sydney
The Hakoah Club, 61-67 Hall Street, BONDI NSW 2026
Tel: 02 9130 3344
http://www.hakoah.com.au
Children Welcome!
The Hakoah Club serves dinner until at least 9.30pm and we are negotiating to keep the restaurant open longer. The Bar will be fully stocked and more food will be available at midnight.
Brisbane
(major venue - no children)
Pig 'N' Whistle, 123 Eagle Street, Brisbane
Tel: 07 3832 9099
http://whu-au.blogspot.com/
(***NEW*** secondary venue - children welcome)
Pig 'N' Whistle, Indooroopilly Shopping Centre, Indooroopilly
Tel: 07 3878 8899
http://whu-au.blogspot.com
Melbourne
The Celtic Club, 320 Queens Street, Melbourne.
Tel: 03 9691 7444
http://celticclub.com.au
Adelaide
Rosemont Hotel, cnr Morphett & Hindley Street, Adelaide
Tel: 08 8221 5156
Email: manager@rosemonthotel.com.au
Web: http://www.rosemonthotel.com.au
Children Welcome!
Contact: David Sosnowski davidsos@chariot.net.au
***NEW*** Canberra
The City Club, Lower Level Garema Centre, Garema Place, Civic
tel: 6248 8917
Coverage starts at 11.00pm with kick off at 12.00
Entry will cost $3.00.
Canberra Hammers have been invited to this venue as part of the Canberra City Soccer Clubs annual FA CUP night. The invitation was extended by Club president Mr Arthur Huggins.
Cairns
PJ O'Brien's, 87 Lake Street, Cairns 4870
Tel: 07 4031 5333
http://www.pjobriens.com.au
***NEW*** Perth
Floreat Athena Football Club (Litis Stadium), Brittania Road, Mt. Hawthorn.
Saturday 13th May 2006. Doors Open from 7:30pm onwards.
Children welcome!
Sausage sizzle, banners, balloons, (we have an invitation to decorate the place how we like). TV coverage is on SBS starting from 8:30 pm Perth Time.
Contact: Peter Hamersley - "West Ham WA"
***NEW*** Auckland, NZ
Shakespeare Hotel and Brewery
Late night & early morning food menu will be (most probably); Hot pies & bread, Scotch Eggs, & Ham & Cheese rolls, this is after the Kitchen proper closes, but the chef will be on call. 10 beers brewed on site from 4% to 11.1%
See http://www.shakespearehotel.co.nz/
Plenty of room and the brewer is definately West Ham friendly.
More info closer to the time, however please spread the word and help to get a good WEST HAM crowd at all venues so we can sing a few songs and celebrate our entry to Europe in 2006/2007. Wear your colours, bring your voice and support this club that is supporting us!
said...Very informative blog. I found everything I needed here. Great content! golf equipment supply
said...You know, I was just thinking about buying some golf equipment. Thanks for the link. I hope you can make my penis bigger too. Maybe you could turn my penis into a golf club, then I could kill two birds with one stone. Pardon the pun.
whubris said...Hey Fazeli, you'll be pleased to hear that half the Tottenham team have got food poisoning! Maybe that will cheer your mum up a bit. Is she looking after the orphans?
Clever doctors you must have, treating an unidentified illness with such an expensive "chemical".
C*nt.
said...Hi there
As I'm from the north I nearly always support northern teams against southern teams.
However look at the number of British / Irish players in the starting lineups for the last 5 Premiership games (in reverse order):
West Ham 9, 10, 9, 10, 9
Liverpool 4, 3, 5, 4, 4
That's all,
thanks
www.boycott-football.tk
Monday, May 08, 2006
Spurs win caps off a fine league season... and there's still the FA Cup to go!
A cracking good game, at least if you're a Hammer. It was great to deny the Spuds their champions league slot, although I'd rather it didn't go to Arsenal. At any rate the Irons played very well with a good shape and plenty of hunger. Just the way we should be against our biggest top-flight rivals (can I remind everyone that Millwall were relegated to League One?). It capped off a brilliant season and, come what may at Cardiff, I'll be very happy.
Player ratings
Shaka 7 - didn't have much to do.
Konchesky 7 - looking like his old self, maybe he just needed a rest.
Gabbers 7 - very good reading of the game.
Anton 7 - played well apart from the goal.
Scaloni 6 - decent.
Yossi 8 - harried Spurs like nothing else and got a nice goal. Could have had four if he'd found his shooting boots early.
NRC 7 - tireless.
Fletcher 9 - Outstanding. Involved in everything in attack or defence. Put in some brilliant tackles and incisive passes. Well done Fletch, I reckon you've earned yourself a start against the Scousers.
Newton 7 - saw a side of him that I haven't seen before, reminded me vaguely of Trevor Sinclair. 10K is improving and it wouldn't surprise me if he came really good on the basis of this performance.
Sheringham 6 - Poor but did have his moments.
Zamora 8 - worked very hard and, once again, excellent support play although he really has to make the most of his chances. Should start with Marlon next week.
Harewood 7 - hassled well when he came on.
Reid 6 - No chance to impress.
said...Do you think the food preperation staff at the London Marriott all wacked off in Spurs' chicken sauce?
whubris said...Thanks for the visit Marcus. No, frankly I'd rather Arsenal than Spurs, but not by much!
Saturday, May 06, 2006
Massive Etherington Blow - & Paolo di Canio to Australia?
West Ham have suffered another major injury blow ahead of the FA Cup final after Matthew Etherington went to hospital for an x-ray on an ankle.
Etherington went over on the ankle in a training session at Upton Park and is unlikely to be fit for Sunday's Premiership clash with Tottenham.
The Hammers are already without suspended midfielder Hayden Mullins and there is a doubt over striker Dean Ashton, who is recovering from a hamstring injury.
"Unfortunately Matty has taken a really bad knock and I think he is doubtful, not just for Sunday but for the cup final," said Pardew.
"That is really bad blow. The whole squad is disappointed that Matty has this injury."
Ashton, meanwhile, limped out of West Ham's 1-0 win over West Brom on Monday night but Pardew believes there is a "strong chance" he will be fit for the final.
He will use an oxygen tent this week to aid his recovery.
************
Di Canio Aussie bound? (AAP)
Controversial Italian star Paolo di Canio has confirmed he is considering contract offers from the A-League.
Di Canio says Australia is an option for him due to a contract dispute with Serie A club Lazio.
The 37-year-old has previously been linked with a move to Sydney FC.
"Enough is enough," Di Canio said about his Lazio dispute. "They want me in Australia."
"If any club treated me like this, I would have told them to stick it up their arse."
norven munky said...I'd actually go and see the Roar play if PDC was playing...altogether now [to the tune of donna il mobile] "Pau-lo Di-Can-i-o, Pau-lo-Di canio...."
said...Unlikely rise of part-time pro who came close to quitting the game
West Ham's manager may have remained a construction-site worker had he not accepted Ron Noades' offer of 'rubbish money' to play for Crystal Palace
said...www.tvnettet.com
Hi we at www.tvnettet.com would like to have you as a member. Come on over and try some
of our 15 streams running 24/7. Hook me (fantasykasia) up as a referer when you sign up and send
a PM to MrOnline and you'll get 3 days free trial. The price for a PPV membership are realy low
and you also get 6 months offers for a nice price.
P.S: IF YOU PUT fantasykasia in the referral box and then you PM MrOnline and fantasykasia saying you registered using fantasykasia as a referral you will get a free 3 day trial
World Cup 2006
1 June 9th Germany vs Costa Rica 18:00
2 June 9th Poland vs Eucador 21:00
3 June 10th England vs Paraguay 15:00
4 June 10th Trinidad & Tobago vs Sweden 18:00
5 June 10th Argentina vs Ivory Coast 15:00
6 June 11th Serbia & Montenegro vs Netherlands 18:00
7 June 11th Mexico vs Iran 18:00
8 June 11th Angola vs Portugal 21:00
9 June 12th Italia vs Ghana 21:00
10 June 12th USA vs Czech Republic 18:00
12 June 12th Australia vs Japan 15:00
11 June 13th Brazil vs Coatia
13 June 13th France Switzerland 18:00
14 June 13th Korea Republic vs Togo 15:00
15 June 14th Spain vs Ukraine 15:00
16 June 14th Tunisia vs Saudi Arabia 18:00
17 June 14th Germany vs Poland 21:00
18 June 15th Ecuador vs Costa Rica 15:00
19 June 15th England vs Trinidad & Tobago 21:00
20 June 15th Sweden vs Paraguay 21:00
21 June 16th Argentina vs Serbia & Montenegro 18:00
22 June 16th Netherlands vs Ivory Coast 21:00
23 June 16th Mexico vs Angola 21:00
24 June 17th Portugal vs Iran 15:00
25 June 17th Italia vs USA 21:00
26 June 17th Czech Republic vs Ghana 18:00
27 June 18th Brazil vs Australia 18:00
28 June 18th Japan vs Coatia 15:00
29 June 18th France vs Korea Republic 21:00
30 June 19th Togo vs Switzerland 15:00
31 June 19th Spain vs Tunisia 21:00
32 June 19th Saudi Arabia vs Ukraine 18:00
33 June 20th Ecuador vs Germany 16:00
34 June 20th Costa rica vs Poland 16:00
35 June 20th Sweden vs Enland 21:00
36 June 20th Paraguay vs Trinidad & Tobago 21:00
37 June 21st Netherlands vs Argentina 21:00
38 June 21st Ivory Coast vs Serbia & Montenegro 21:00
39 June 21st Portugal vs Mexico 16:00
40 June 21st Iran vs Angola 16:00
41 June 22nd Czech Republic vs Italia 16:00
42 June 22nd Ghana vs USA 16:00
43 June 22nd Japan vs Brazil 21:00
44 June 22nd Coatia vs Australia 21:00
45 June 23rd Togo vs France 21:00
46 June 23rd Switzerland vs Korea Republic 21:00
47 June 23rd Saudi arabia vs Spain 16:00
48 June 23rd Ukrain vs Tunisia 16:00
And ofcourse all the rest :-D
Cricket
June 2 England v Sri Lanka 11.30 3rd Test
June 3 England v Sri Lanka 11.30 3rd Test
June 4 England v Sri Lanka 11.30 3rd Test
June 5 England v Sri Lanka 11.30 3rd Test
June 6 England v Sri Lanka 11.30 3rd Test
June 7 Hampshire v Notts 11.30 CC1
June 8 Hampshire v Notts 11.30 CC1
June 9 Hampshire v Notts 11.30 CC1
June 10 Hampshire v Notts 11.30 CC1
June 10 West Indies v India 16:00 2nd Test
June 11 Essex v Gloucestershire 11.30 C&G
June 11 West Indies v India 16:00 2nd Test
June 12 West Indies v India 16:00 2nd Test
June 13 West Indies v India 16:00 2nd Test
June 14 West Indies v India 16:00 2nd Test
June 17 England v Sri Lanka 11.30 1st ODI
June 18 tbc 11.30am C&G
June 20 England v Sri Lanka 11.30 2nd ODI
June 22 West Indies v India 16:00 3rd Test
June 23 West Indies v India 16:00 3rd Test
June 24 England v Sri Lanka 10.30 3rd ODI
June 24 West Indies v India 20:00 (Interactive from 16:00) 3rd Test
Jun 25 tbc 11.30 C&G
Jun 25 West Indies v India SS1 19:30 (Interactive from 16:00) 3rd Test
Jun 26 West Indies v India 16:00 3rd Test
Jun 28 England v Sri Lanka 11.30 4th ODI
Jun 29 Leicestershire v Lancashire SS1 18:30 20/20
Jun 30 West Indies v India 17:00 4th Test
Jun 30 Essex v Hampshire 20:00 20/20
F1 Grand Prix
Yes we do show them all
1,2,3 practise
Qualify and the Race all Live
we also stream live nba..tennis..cricket..rugby..tv shows...and aything else you request..
400kbps-900kbps
Thursday, May 04, 2006
Danny G scoops HOTY
Danny G has been a key factor in West Ham's incredible success this season so it's good to see him get the recognition.
Runner-up was hardworking striker Marlon Harewood, possibly among the league's most underrated players.
WHU-AU will publish the inaugural unofficial Aussie TV Hammer of the Year awards after the FA Cup final. These awards will be based on the televised coverage of the season as seen by our resident Aussie pundits. Of course, these awards aren't held in very high esteem, but we'll see how it goes nonetheless... If you'd like to vote for your Aussie TV Hammer of the Year in one of the following categories please do so by leaving a comment:
People's Choice Aussie TV Hammer of the Year
People's Choice Aussie TV Young Hammer of the Year
Best Signing
Worst Signing
Claret & Blue Through & Through (the player most dedicated to the West Ham cause)
Young Hotshot (young up & coming players)
Of course, this website is SO POPULAR that there will probably be at least 2 votes, so get cracking and make your vote count!
I will be summing up all the player ratings we've given over the year to see who comes out top for the ATVHOTY and ATVYHOTY awards (how catchy!)
Ashton to be fit for final?
It's looking like Deano might be available for May 13th after a scan on his hamstring showed that the strain was only slight. They reckon it'll only take him 10 days to recover, so it'll be close but he might make it.
In other news, Alan Pardew, like all West Ham fans, still wants the Irons to beat the Yids this weekend and confirm a top-10 Premiership finish. "We have been up there all year so to fall out of it right at the end because of the pressure of the Cup final would [be] disappointing. We have now almost secured that place in the top 10 but I know how important it is to our fans to put in a good performance against Tottenham."
Doing so would also give Arsenal a second chance - aside from beating Barcelona - to steal the final Champions League slot from their rivals.
As our resident prophet Beex said, prior to the start of the season, "Got a funny feeling that we're gonna be ok this year (finishing 8th)". He may well be proved exactly right if we beat Spurs and Bolton lose to Birmingham.
On the other hand if we beat Spurs 8-0 and both Bolton and Newcastle lose, we'll end up seventh... A hat-trick each for Marlon and Zamora, and one each for Anton and Yossi should do it!
P GD PTS
1 Chelsea 37 51 91
2 Man Utd 37 34 80
3 Liverpool 37 30 79
4 Tottenham 37 16 65
5 Arsenal 36 33 61
6 Blackburn 37 7 60
7 Newcastle 37 4 55
8 Bolton 37 7 53
9 WEST HAM 37 -4 52
10 Wigan 37 -5 51
11 Everton 37 -15 49
12 Charlton 37 -10 47
13 M'boro 37 -9 45
14 Fulham 36 -10 45
15 Man City 36 -1 43
16 Aston Villa 37 -14 39
17 Portsmouth 37 -23 38
18 Birmingham 37 -21 34
19 West Brom 37 -27 29
20 Sunderland 36 -43 12
whubris said...Word on the street is that Matty's injury was just a slight knock and that he should be fine for the Spurs game.
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Baggies defeated but injury worries to Deano and Matty
Dean Ashton and Matty Etherington both picked up injuries against West Brom, Ashton after 20 minutes and Etherington in the warmup. Ashton had a hammie - not sure about Ethers. Hopefully they'll both be 100% fit for the final.
Thankfully the Irons ran out 1-0 winners thanks to a Nigel Reo-Coker goal before half time. According to the Guardian, "the goal was simply constructed and owed much to the pace of Zamora. The West Ham forward outstripped Steve Watson on the Albion left flank before stepping inside Davies and teeing up the West Ham captain. From around 12 yards Reo-Coker made no mistake, sweeping a right-foot shot emphatically beyond Tomasz Kuszczak's despairing dive for his fifth goal of an impressive first Premiership season."
Once again, Zamora has proven himself to be a great support striker. His link up play is superb. He has been pushing very hard for a start against Liverpool and is becoming quite an accomplished player; if only he could find a little more consistency. Reo-Coker is also clearly coming back to his best. Just in time...
*****
This reader (peter101) of TEAMtalk had a good idea about the team shape for the coming matches (including the final): "I would be tempted to try a 3-5-2 over the next two league games. Konch (or Ethers) and Newton as wing-backs with Reo-Coker, Fletch, and Yossi as the 3 midfielders. At least Gabbs, Ginge, and Ferdy can all play in their best positions then, and Yossi can start in a central position. I know...this means dropping Ethers or Konch, but I think Konch wastes far too many crosses anyway."
This is definitely a good idea. Fletch can allow the other midfielders to play, and Konchy and Newton are natural wing-backs anyway IMO. We can bring Ethers in off the bench for 10K, and shift Yossi and Anton to the right to bring it back to 4-4-2 if required. Worth a thought IMO especially if Etherington is injured.
*****
In other news Alan Pardew has said that he will be targeting world-class players by offering a footballing challenge rather than a fat paycheque.
The West Ham gaffer said: "Some of these world-class players are so financially secure that you think maybe the challenge of coming to West Ham would be greater for them. That is what I want. I don't want to tap into a player who we have to put ourselves at financial risk for. I want to tap into a world-class player who fancies the challenge of coming and inspiring some young players and taking us to another level. That is something completely different. We are not going into the UEFA Cup for the experience and to come out saying 'well, that was fun'. We are in it to win it. A lot of European teams would not fancy drawing us."
