1 – West Ham were better than Cardiff in every department;
Teamwork, fitness, strength and organisation. We were tactically superb!
Carlton Cole worked his socks off, was constantly involved and was my man of the match. Well done all the lads & particularly Big Sam!
P.S. Message to Malky Mackay – Jack Collison’s second goal DID take a big deflection but it WAS going in the other corner anyway – your goalie would not have got near it!! TWO-NIL!!
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2 – Treat the second leg like an away game;
Unlike our usual home game scenario, Cardiff will have to take the game to West Ham. There will be opportunities to draw them forward and to hit them on the break. If we can get the first goal their fans will be silenced, it will be all over and could lead to a much bigger win – “Wembley – Wembley here we come!!”
3- If you press the Cardiff midfield they cannot link with their forwards!
Our midfield was superb in closing their their opposition, constantly forcing them to lose possession. Close down Peter Whittingham and they struggle to get any service to Kenny Miller.
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4 – Don’t give away any needless yellow cards – they can lead to RED ones!
There was a spell in the second half where we were giving away bookings every few minutes.. The players need to control their emotions & let the ref get on with his job. One moment of madness could cost us dearly.
5 – Ban all towels from pitch-side!
Cardiff have a very dangerous tactic by using the long-throw of Aron “Delap” Gunnarsson. We dealt superbly with the ones we had to face but let’s not give them too many next time. The safest way to deal with this is to not give away throw-ins deep in our own half, but if we do then let’s not let him dry the ball with a series of well placed beach towels!
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Our best performance of the season by miles. We were well organised, committed, calm and thoroughly professional.
I thought Tomkins, Taylor and Cole were all superb. Tomkins in particular is operating at a level way above any other defender on the pitch and looks so in control you have complete faith in him.
We defended brilliantly, but we also attacked in numbers and with real verve and imagination and could easily have scored more.
Let’s hope for more of the same in the second leg. My fear is for too defensive an outlook and then for panic if they score an early goal.
Maybe our ball boys can have water bottles instead of towels and instead of drying the ball make it wetter!!!
Yeah, there’ll be a pint on me in the Boleyn Monday for anyone who soaks him & gets it shown on TV
IRONS
Bring on the Supersoakers!
IRONS
good to see them play as a team, even under pressure still played the ball around and took the steam out of cardiff. must be the best game collison played,apart from the goals tackled well closed down and passed the ball,along with noble ran the midfield. also demel is now looking good,had so much time on the ball. well played -same again will do. coyi
You are right about Demel, what a strong player he looks!
COYI
Jeff – I appreciate your comment, I’ve seen the replays & Jack Collison’s shot was probably going in but our keeper may have saved it, we’ll never know. Your boys are in for one tough game on Monday as we’ve got a surprise or two in store for them. We believe we’re going back to Wembley!
Kind Regards
Malky
Full credit to you for responding Malky.
If you can beat us from 2-0 down you’d deserve to get there.
Unfortunately I think you’re going to get thumped 4-0 on aggregate!
P.S. Keep up the good Work & we might give you a job in a few years
Hi, Ian here.
You guys are as mad as two crackers fighting over spilt milk if you think you’re being promoted.
My mighty tangerines will make you turn green with envy when we paint the town red and go to the bright lights of the Premier League.
Regards,
Ian.
(Let’s see which other ‘Managers’ check these forums)
Ian , you have got to be having a laugh , I’ve dropped rob green to the bench and I myself am going in goal , no teams ever gonna score past me coz as you all know I’m 12 foot wide , as for you malky , the only thing up your sleeves is 2 saggy arms so leave it out will ya , COYI
Come on you two, we all know I’m the real Special One. West Ham WILL go up and it’s all because of me.
Everyone’s rubbish except me! Especially you Malky! You thought you were being a clever ex-hammer giving it the big one in the papers this week. That’s why I had to send over a real Welshman in a cockney-boy kit to show your lot how to score goals.
I look forward to seeing 2000 more disappointed little Welsh faces on Monday. If you think 2-0 is a dangerous lead, just wait until it’s about 6-1 on aggregate! You might have surprises lined up but so what?! Have you ever heard of The Mighty Sam Baldock? No, of course you haven’t. That’s because I haven’t played him for ages. But just ask Ian Holloway, he knows all about The Fox In The Box.
As for you Ian, you should know better by now. You’ve shipped 8 against us so far this season already! Lansbury’s got his gloves ready, we’re not scared of you!
When you see me, say hello.
Kindest Regards.
Big Sam.
Gents
Leave it oot mon, yer giving our profession a bad name. It’s bad enough with the likes of Wenger & now Mankini shooting their mooth off without you boys getting involved.
Big Sam’s my mon, he stands up for me like Harry (thanks for the Rolex!), Hughesy & Brucey against all the new boys on the block!
My main man Sir Alex Ferguson…..
Thanks again for Ravel. I haven’t forgot about our little bet. In fact, I concede so looks like I owe you that can of coke after all!
Who would’ve thought it’d be completely impossible to get the lad to stop stealing from the dressing room during match day when the players are on the field? Last month I caught him walking out with Gary O’Neil’s ankle support strap for for f**k sake! He’s just taking the p**s so that’s it he’s barred from the The Boleyn and Chadwell Heath.
I know it’s too much to ask you to take him back now but could you put a bug in Chris Hughton’s ear for old times’? They took Marlon King so you never know?
Oh by the way Alex, I want that Dr. Dre cd back please when you get chance, it wasn’t mine to lend. Once again Gary O’Neil’s livid! He’s on the edge….
Big Sam, you the mon! There’ll be a nice warm welcome for ye at O.T whenever yer next up here (whoever yer in charge of!)
Remember, same old arrangement, ye praise ma achievements in the game all week leading up to the match and in turn I’ll big ye up, say I respect yer & that ye’ve got a fine team nay matter how crap they are. If ye boys are doon too fine a job then ma boys in black’ll take over as usual aroond the box & job doon! Bring a briefcase to ma office fer the the usual present!
If ye need me to have a word with the referee Monday give me a call, no matter how late in the game, ah ken do anything!
P.S. Have ye seen Rav kick a ball yet?
Allardyce was a bully as a player and his teams are bullies. Noaln bullied the ref all game and actually called the shots for the ref. Should have been booked in the first half. Noble should have gone. Studs up the rules state and your off. Not in the Sams bood of bullying referrees. Cole plays with his arms all over defenders, strong refs stop him from doing it.
That is why he will never play for England again. Strong continental refs wont allow him to get away with it.
If it wass a strong ref the other night collison would have been booked before his first goal for the cynical and dangerous jump into the back of Taylor. Would he then have scored, we wont know that.
Hand ball, not in the eyes of a linesman who only saw offences when committed by Cardiff.
Oh of course Silly me I forgot, how could the league allow cardiff to be prometed ahead of the Booby Moore academy of football.
We got no chance the one eyed biased officails will make sure it wont happen. Like last year when Mr Webb made sure it was not an all welsh final. I hope if Cardiff fail so do west ham. Keep you whre you belong and get the bigger club up again. Blackpool.