The new season is nearly upon us with most competitions getting under way in the next two weeks, I thought we would start a new thread to rave about our successes or moan about the defeats.
Whatever we discuss I wish every supporter and fan of the game all the best for the new term.
Good luck to everyone.
The same to you Hammer and hopefully your lads will get back up to the Premiership at the first time of asking. All the best.
I am not a football fan myself but my Dad was a lifetime Derby County supporter and got great enjoyment from following the game :-). Perhaps if I had been a boy I might have shared his passion.
When Dad died and I was clearing out the house I found many old programmes and on top of the wardrobe an ancient chart, a sort of league table with little pieces that could be moved up and down. I think he may have had it since he was a boy.
Enjoy your football this year chaps and may the best team win :-p
Thanks Meg, hopefully it is going to be a season to savour for all the right things.
I see Derby County beat Birmingham City today:cool:
yes Bob and Scotland beat the Irish after all my bragging!
Just shows you Annie, you can’t win them all :-p
I watched Liverpool playing in their last pre season match and they beat a very useful Valencia side 2-0 at Anfield, Andy Carrol and Dirk Kuyt netting the goals in a much improved display from the men in Red, unfortunately Glen Johnson again only managed a few minutes, he is really struggling with injuries, so fortunate to, have the likes of youngsters Kelly and Flanagan who can step in and do a decent job. Now it’s look forward to next Saturday and the first game of the Premiership versus Sunderland at Anfield.
In the meantime I shall have a look at your lads Hammer, playing Cardiff City in the Championship tomorrow at Upton Park, kick off 1pm and it’s on BBC1 but I guess you know that 
He may do but I didnt, thanks.
After todays game It would be all too easy to fall once again into the trap of ‘same old, same old’ so I will try and put a positive spin on the proceedings.
We started bright enough and played some decent stuff in patches but as Cardiff gained belief our patches became sticking plasters to hide some pretty woeful shortcomings.
We just did not seem to have the nouse to unpick a good but not brilliant defence, we still do not have a striker who can score goals.
Bob Green pulled off a few decent saves, but made a ricket with the goal. I have always admired him but am beginning to think he should move on for his sake as well as ours.
Tomkins had a good game both in attack and defence and young Reid did well. Mr Illunga had a decent first half but a mare of the second but he needs to be told how to clear his lines.
Mark Noble seems to have found his niche, solid, dependable without being flash, good distribution. Scott Parker was well off and seemed a bit bemused, perhaps looking toward north London.
Sadly Freddie Sears, a kid I think who could make it with some coaching, never got into the game today at all and should have been replaced at half time. Piquionne started ok but got fed up and did little.
Of the new boys, Nolan, nothing special, missed a sitter but we can but hope for better.
Matt Taylor was a revelation and our best player by far. He looked interested and was really the only player who created anything.
The subs? fumble feet Cole; Did he really come on? well yes he did and stood on the ball from the off, no change there then. Collison, made no impact at all.
Barrera on the other hand Might’ve done if he had got on for Sears earlier.
Oh and before I forget, Cardiff City? They were allowed to play as well as they did and that is to take nothing from them, they nicked a winner at the death and good luck to them.
Same old, same old for our lot?, a horrible feeling of deja vu has decended over Hammer Towers.
A lot of work to do Sam, and all of it uphill.
Despite long periods of superiority, especially in the first half, the Hammers were left pointless at the start of their new season as Cardiff came up with a stoppage time winner to prevail 1-0. Some good football by both sides and I got the feeling that these two will be somewhere around the play offs at least as the season eventually closes, a long long way to go I know but it’s just a personal hunch.
Did you watch it at all Annie?
In the clash of the Manchester clubs, United came back from 0-2 down at half time to seal a dramatic victory 3-2 in the Community Shield at Wembley, the champions serve notice!
In the clash of the Manchester clubs, United came back from 0-2 down at half time to seal a dramatic victory 3-2 in the Community Shield at Wembley, the champions serve notice!
Yes indeed Bob they do serve notice, I am a bit relieved we are not in the prem after seeing them perform today.
I only saw the highlights but that was enough to see how much strength in depth they have.
They seem to have set yet another benchmark, should be a good season.
I also watched a little showing of one Paulo Di Canio’s first run out as Swindons manager. Interesting.
I am not a huge football fan but do follow the teams I am interested in. My dearly departed partner was a huge fan of Liverpool and we played You’ll Never Walk Alone at his funeral as per his request. I will therefore follow their progress this season and hope they have a better time than last year under Kenny.
How pleased he would have been with the performance by Liverpool in their last pre season game, I know I was very relieved to see the much improved display by the Reds, especially Andy Carrol, looks like he is quickly getting rid of his injury woes thank goodness and the whole team seemed to be more confident plus the fact that they didn’t leak a single goal, let alone three which they have done in five games, just hope that bodes well for the opening league game when Sunderland are the visitors.
I have had the privilege of getting to Anfield a few times over the years. The singing of the anthem is always a remarkable event. You never quite get the atmosphere on the TV as invariably some presenter is yacking as they do for ours.
The staff there are always very helpful for those of us not so mobile folks.
I am sure Kenny will whip the reds up for an assault on the Prem, in any event the pies are good.
Well I shall be watching Tottenham this year as I am quite drawn to Harry Rednall(Wish I could spell his name)Rednapp? never mind, yes I think I may be practising the saying’ arry for England’ oh thats a bit of history isnt.Fed up with the Italian now.
Tottenham Annie?? You’re having a larf! I did read that Harry Rednapp says you’d have to be barmy to manage the England football team. So that’s why Capello got the job!:-D:-D:-D
I think that Harry Rednapp would make a great manager for England but he won’t be offered it I bet. Its the same as years gone by when Brian Clough should have got it but the FA don’t want someone who is too outspoken and will rock the boat.
While the tax evasion charges are hanging over H, he will not get a look in.
I saw him play as a young lad, a sight not to have been missed.
and of course he was one of the best managers our club ever had. In fairness he should have had the England job before Postman Pat Capello.
I agree about Cloughie, his problem was that he would have wanted total control and the FA back then and still now would have had a thrombie rather than relinquish power.
There have been some awful Managers,glad we had a gent once, Bobby Robson, Wa Bobby.
The Irons will have to be on their mettle tomorrow for the trip to Doncaster Rovers.
We need some results and now would be a good time to start.
I see you have Sunderland tomorrow Bob, and was reading on the Reds site that Charlie Adam, Stewart Downing and Jordan Henderson are set to make their debuts.
With the addition of Jose Enrique I am hoping of great things this season, not least to dent the crowns of that lot in Manchester who play in red also.
Good to see Steve Clarke is officially 1st team coach, he is a good coach with a lot of experience, I wish we still had him at the Boleyn.
Good luck to all clubs but mostly mine as we need everything we can get.
Now then Hammer, onwards and upwards! Maybe you will be pleasantly surprised as the new season unfolds, I sincerely hope West Ham do have a very successful campaign.
So far as Liverpool are concerned, Steve Clarke has a very good coaching record so his addition should be a big plus for us and I await with great interest to see the likes of Suarez, Carrol, Adam, Enrique, Henderson and Gerrard all playing as a unit, mouth watering to say the least.
All the very best of luck to your team for the new season, whoever you support.
