west ham down

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has there ever been two teams on so many points, playing such good football, been battling against relegation like this? good to see that jay-jay stays on, but west ham are down despite having the entire england bench in their staring eleven.

― matthew james (matthew james), Sunday, 11 May 2003 16:40 (twenty-three years ago)

Yeah, I watched the West Ham game. They're my local team, and I am disappointed. My guess is lots of sales - Bowyer, Carrick, Cole, Sinclair and Defoe are all fringe England players with ambitions and chances, Kanoute will get a biggish move. They should be able to at least make big money from that lot, which I hope they can at least spend with wisdom, and make a fast return.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Sunday, 11 May 2003 16:52 (twenty-three years ago)

I think Cole will stay at West Ham, for at least next season.

(What I really want is Venables/Sheringham in charge at Spurs)

― jel -- (jel), Sunday, 11 May 2003 17:37 (twenty-three years ago)

Let's hope Harry "the Bargain Vulture" Redknapp - will swoop and get some signings for Pompey!

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Sunday, 11 May 2003 17:48 (twenty-three years ago)

There's talk of Arsenal buying Cole. I guess he might resist that if he isn't confident of being a regular there.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Sunday, 11 May 2003 17:50 (twenty-three years ago)

what about Di Canio? how much could they get for him? wasn't Alex Ferguson interested in buying him at one point? oooh just think of the fireworks...

― stevem (blueski), Sunday, 11 May 2003 17:51 (twenty-three years ago)

As for 'Arry, he might buy Lomas and Dailly - he can't afford the good players. Di Canio is out of contract, and likely to leave the UK I think.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Sunday, 11 May 2003 17:51 (twenty-three years ago)

Yeah, Di Canio will definetely be going back to mainland Europe, I mean is anyone gonna pay him to be occasionally brilliant but mostly stroppy?

― jel -- (jel), Sunday, 11 May 2003 17:54 (twenty-three years ago)

I still dream of diCanio returning to Celtic, but I doubt it will happen...

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 11 May 2003 17:55 (twenty-three years ago)

What happens to poor old Glenn Roeder?

― jel -- (jel), Sunday, 11 May 2003 17:56 (twenty-three years ago)

he'll end up with a promoted club, i think. i really hope that the ham can't sell bowyer and he has to stick it around the first division for a few seasons.

glenn roeder gets a nice cup of tea and a warm blanket now, i think. poor fella.

― matthew james (matthew james), Sunday, 11 May 2003 17:56 (twenty-three years ago)

Strong rumour has it that Cole is off to Liverpool, set as they are for another glorious BBC-backed UEFA cup campaign (heh, heh), though he is of course an Islington boy at heart. Theatre of Prawns insiders tell me that Defoe has only to sign on the dotted line to became a Man U bench-warmer next season. Sinclair I can see moving back north if anywhere, poss to boyhood faves Man City where he almost went in 90whatever before QPR stepped in with a higher offer. Carrick will stay I reckon as he needs time to get fit again, and Newcastle, the obvious choice, don't really need him.

I hope they stay and the Hammers stroll through Div One, though they won't do it with Pearce, Dailly etc.

― darren (darren), Sunday, 11 May 2003 18:57 (twenty-three years ago)

Ha! No one rates David James do they? I reckon he'll go to Everton.

― jel -- (jel), Sunday, 11 May 2003 19:05 (twenty-three years ago)

I dearly hope Spurs get one of the Hammers boys - Defoe or Carrick would be great - but I can't see many people wanting to go to the Lane while Glenda is still the boss.

― darren (darren), Sunday, 11 May 2003 19:17 (twenty-three years ago)

darling i love you....i'll always neeeeeeed you...

― stevem (blueski), Sunday, 11 May 2003 19:29 (twenty-three years ago)

i was disappointed to see them go down,they've actually played some great football this season
i mean,i haven't seen a single good thing from charlton,for example,but they finished mid table...
still,i'm glad okocha will be staying in the premiership

― robin (robin), Sunday, 11 May 2003 19:49 (twenty-three years ago)

yeah i'd have preferred if, say, villa went down (sorry villa fans). so many great players in west ham, and yes, the premiership would not be the same without okocha and djorkaeff either.

kanoute to liverpool
di canio to foreign team.
cole to arsenal
defoe to man u

at least one of james, carrick and sinclair will stay, i reckon.

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Sunday, 11 May 2003 20:15 (twenty-three years ago)

I really hope Liverpool don't buy Kanoute, maybe we need a striker but for christ's sake sort out the midfield first.

― Ronan (Ronan), Sunday, 11 May 2003 20:17 (twenty-three years ago)

ok how about cole, carrick and kanoute all go to liverpool? i heard heskey will be sold to spurs and kanoute will replace him...

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Sunday, 11 May 2003 20:20 (twenty-three years ago)

lol,i support villa,probably the only reason i didn't mention them instead of charlton
i would have liked to see leeds go down as well

― robin (robin), Sunday, 11 May 2003 20:21 (twenty-three years ago)

di canio is out of contract. harry redkanpp has already claimed interest. bowyer was only on loan from leeds and will not stay despite £1m payoff. is a free agent this summer. carrick is just the kind of perfectly skilful but totally ineffective player that tottenham are legendary for!

― Chip Morningstar (bob), Sunday, 11 May 2003 22:00 (twenty-three years ago)

everyone would have liked to see leeds go down, surely

― Matt (Matt), Sunday, 11 May 2003 23:43 (twenty-three years ago)

no, matt, they wouldn't.

― matthew james (matthew james), Sunday, 11 May 2003 23:53 (twenty-three years ago)

My mate G flew back early from 4 months in Central Azmerica especially so that he could see his beloved Hammers try and survive. He was inconsolable last night.

― chris (chris), Monday, 12 May 2003 07:56 (twenty-three years ago)

Every time I read that David James is heading to Manchester I break out in a cold sweat. Please God let it be city.

Would've marginally preferred West Ham to stay up than Bolton, but obviously it should've been Leeds.

― James Ball (James Ball), Monday, 12 May 2003 08:16 (twenty-three years ago)

David James at City is a pretty good shout actually, what with Schmeicel's departure and all that.

Can we please, please stop all this Heskey to Spurs rubbish?

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Monday, 12 May 2003 08:24 (twenty-three years ago)

< /denial>

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Monday, 12 May 2003 08:24 (twenty-three years ago)

hey i'm just quoting what i read in the press! i don't think it's that bad anyway, he's not good enough to be england's first choice, but he's not as rubbish as people make out. he could weigh in with a healthy 4-goal tally at spurs

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Monday, 12 May 2003 09:29 (twenty-three years ago)

earning himself top scorer status then probably!

james to City has been bandied around for a while, they were going to go after him or Jaaskellainen, depending on who got relegated.

I think Carrick to Everton is a good shout too.

― chris (chris), Monday, 12 May 2003 09:36 (twenty-three years ago)

I havent been folowing this season at all. I dont know what shocks me more; hearing this news or realising Martin and I have something in common. Wow.

― Kiwi, Monday, 12 May 2003 09:44 (twenty-three years ago)

and Jermain defoe asks for a transfer already, quite sad really.

― chris (chris), Monday, 12 May 2003 15:10 (twenty-three years ago)

What are the chances Di Canio gets the managers job? Venables has blotted his copybook in the past couple of years so I doubt if he'd be considered (assuming of course that Roeder doesn't return).

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Monday, 12 May 2003 15:12 (twenty-three years ago)

Virtually zilch, I expect.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Monday, 12 May 2003 15:17 (twenty-three years ago)

no chance whatsoever I'd say. Paolo is a footballing genius and a wonderful man but as a coach? Ossie Ardiles to the nth power most likely.

― chris (chris), Monday, 12 May 2003 15:19 (twenty-three years ago)

I think Trevor will stay as manager.

― jel -- (jel), Monday, 12 May 2003 15:22 (twenty-three years ago)

I really really really doubt that, jel

― robin carmody (robin carmody), Monday, 12 May 2003 18:34 (twenty-three years ago)

if man u don't go for him defoe is fucked surely? no one else really needs or can afford him... unless spurs go crazy

― Chip Morningstar (bob), Monday, 12 May 2003 19:33 (twenty-three years ago)

I think they will find it rather difficult in the Nationwide. Much is made of the gulf in quality between the Nationwide and Premier, and the step-up that clubs need to make to compete with the big teams. Little is mentioned of how poorly many relegated teams do in the first division, particularily for the first season.

A lot of teams use a physical, stiffling game against the more skillful clubs. Leicester managed to escape on the first try, but this was at the expense of watchable football in favour of physically overpowering the opposition. Compare this with my team, Ipswich, who play football very much in a similar passing style to West Ham. Although arguably on paper Ipswich had one of the strongest squads at the beginning of the season, too many players seemed to expect opponents to watch in awe as we skipped through their "lesser talented" defence and scored for fun. In reality we have found it rather hard to score enough goals as teams have very usefully sat back content to stiffle our play as we push more and more people up to pass the ball to each other, and have left shocking holes at the back which teams have easily been able to counter attack into.

Now, you could argue that West Ham have more skillfull players than Ipswich, but they all seem rather lightweight and possibly have even less commitment. A lot will depend on the motivational powers of their manager at the beginning of the season. Get a few good wins in early and they should do well. Find themselves in the bottom half come November and they should be very worried indeed. Two seasons in the Nationwide will almost certainly mean administration (if it takes that long) and the subsequent docking of points which could be very costly indeed.

Incidently the propsed new ruling which will mean docking points for teams in administration is completely mad.

― Chewshabadoo (Chewshabadoo), Monday, 12 May 2003 20:05 (twenty-three years ago)

the succcess for pompey this season was built on a tall goalkeeper, solid 3 central defence, fast attacking wing backs that supplied goal ammunition, creativity in midfield with Merson as the fulcrum and 2 fast strikers.

if West Ham want a swift return they should definately play 3 central defenders - pompey crushed most of the opposition due to playing this different formation, the few times we came unstuck were often playing 4-4-2 due to circumstances or injuries during a game.

of course West Ham supplied todorov, shaka, and foxe for bargains, and to think only 2 years ago - Pompey survived relegation to the 2nd on the last day of the season, Harry R was still manager at West Ham after a mid table finish, and Ipswich qualified for Europe in 6th place.

How quickly things change around in football !

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Monday, 12 May 2003 20:20 (twenty-three years ago)

5th place actually! Still feels good despite our problems since then, and to think we were challenging with Liverpool and Leeds for Champions League placing on the final game. That season we beat Liverpool at Anfield and they came to our place with negative tatics and only just secured a draw. The next season we let Livepool score 11 league goals past us without reply, including a 6-0 drubbing at home, our worst ever result, and 5-0 in a must win game which would have seen us leap frog Bolton, and Liverpool weren't very good in either game. Football is indeed a fickle beast.

― Chewshabadoo (Chewshabadoo), Monday, 12 May 2003 21:53 (twenty-three years ago)

i don't think spurs would go for defoe,he's too similar to keane

― robin (robin), Monday, 12 May 2003 22:52 (twenty-three years ago)

Chris said:

Paolo is a footballing genius and a wonderful man...

Of the former - undoubtedly - I just wish he'd played for England as he was eligible...

Of the latter - he's a fan of bloody Mussolini!

― Dave B (daveb), Tuesday, 13 May 2003 10:01 (twenty-three years ago)

I was thinking more of the emotional tears and what have you that came after the scoring of that goal the other week, and the fact that when he's in the mood he seems to be capable of anything, plus he gave one of the best interviews I've ever seen which ended with him standing on a sink, singing

I didn't think it was him with the off-colour remarks, I thought it was Buffon or Toldo.

― chris (chris), Tuesday, 13 May 2003 10:12 (twenty-three years ago)

"What I really want is Venables/Sheringham in charge at Spurs"

what have you got against tottenham??

venables is the devil incarnate....

― ambrose (ambrose), Tuesday, 13 May 2003 14:14 (twenty-three years ago)

ambrose yr crystal palace right? wait til robson takes over, thar's the devil right there

― Chip Morningstar (bob), Tuesday, 13 May 2003 17:11 (twenty-three years ago)

Gianluigi Buffon - ace as goalkeeper, fucking nutter (at best) as person ...

― robin carmody (robin carmody), Wednesday, 14 May 2003 01:57 (twenty-three years ago)

Gianluigi Buffoon.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Wednesday, 14 May 2003 11:22 (twenty-three years ago)

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