Well ironically this piece was initially going to be full of positives. Right now though, as I write this, it’s half time in the League Cup tie versus Wigan and I’d be much happier starting this piece with the same language that opened ‘Four Weddings And A Funeral’ The only thing that stopped me is the fact that children might be reading this.
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Being a West Ham fan is a strange thing. I think most Hammers are cut from the same cloth. If we were WINNING 3-1 right now we’d be expecting to lose or draw. However, 1-3 down and I imagine we’re thinking ‘A good start and we can turn this around, we’ve got the players!’ That’s not even half of it though.
The first five games of any season gives the slightest of indications as to what we can expect in the months ahead, and with this in mind, this sums up how I currently feel as a West Ham fan, outlined below.
The first is, and always will be, honoured. I feel honoured to be part of the fans’ claret and blue family. I’m unbelievably proud of the way our team have performed so far this season. Fulham was a great performance, yet Swansea aside we should take pride from ALL of our showings in the league thus far. We’ve shown composure, passion, grit and ability thus far. All qualities we need if we want to succeed and stay up. I’m also proud of our board for showing faith in Big Sam and giving him the money to improve where he feels necessary.
Secondly, I have to say excited. We started with a win against Aston Villa, we’ve signed Andy Carroll (when all but us said the deal was dead) and we’re sat in the top half of the table with promising young players not just in our side, but in our squad. If this ISN’T something to get excited about, I don’t know what is.
I follow this with wary. Though we’ve started well, we’ve not played the bigger sides yet. Our start has been good (though as Wigan’s fourth has just gone in I limit this opinion to the league!) Getting the points is one thing, and I know we’ve started well but I’ll still be a touch cautious unless we’ve built a slight cushion before November comes around.
I also think most West Ham fans would say they feel annoyed. The media still portrays West Ham as a long ball team that doesn’t play a passing game or use it’s classy midfielders. Before saying this perhaps our friends in the press should check to see which midfielder had most touches this last weekend in all of the top five leagues in Europe. If you didn’t know it was Mark Noble.
Smug is another feeling that I’m currently experiencing. And it’s lovely! I genuinely thought Nolan would start well for us. I genuinely thought we wouldn’t fear anyone. And I genuinely believe still that we’ll stay up, playing good football and surprising a lot of people whilst doing it. If that makes me smug, I’m more than happy to be that. I’m not the only one either. And when we beat Arsenal in a little over a week, and we’re gloating and blowing bubbles, I’ll happily be smug again!
To be a West Ham fan though also requires mocking behaviour. Whilst the dust settles on a 1-4 home defeat tonight, there will be a tongue in cheek humour going around West Ham fans now. Yes I’m disappointed but ultimately we’re happier it was cup and not league. This is where the mocking and self-aware comedy comes in. We know tonight was a disaster, we know Swansea was a disaster, but we’ve joked about this. The humour we use will be all the sweeter if we use this defeat as a catalyst and win our next game in an impressive manner.
Finally, and as a nice change, we can be trusting in the board. Brown never had our trust (who can blame us?!) The Icelandics came close to destroying our club, and after a period of having to stabilise the club, we now have a board looking after the best interests of our club. They’ve put their hands in their collective pockets, putting their money where their mouths are. They deserve more of a pat on the back than they’re receiving.
So all in all we’ve lost 1-4 in the League Cup tonight, I’ve used language that would make Gordon Ramsay blush and I’m stomping around with a face like a wet weekend in Hull. I’ve tried to establish who West Ham fans are and what they feel. I’ve come up with…
It was terrible last night. O’Neill and Noble were outclassed and Jarvis was totally anonymous. Allardyce played Potts out of position at centre back rather than the vastly more experienced McCartney, and then switched them when it was too late. He then played Fanimo on the right and Jarvis on the left, on their weaker crossing foot. When Taylor came on he did nothing. I’m fed up with these expensive Bolton has beens. Without Carroll we’ll go down and I wouldn’t bet against being in the bottom three by Christmas when it will be bye bye Sam!
I have to agree that it was bad last night but for a change my brother & i moved from the BML to the east upper in the hope of avoiding the prats that only go to these sort of games arrive half drunk & go way before the end.It was such a shame the view was great & we watched senior players o’neil,McCartney have terrible games but i think the reaction to being relegated & Sam being sacked is a bit over ott.I was so happy that carroll joined but very worried that he might be gone in January. with selling Baldock & Maynard that only leaves Cole as the other guy is not a striker in any form or fashion but another Vaz Te (One is enough).I do believe we will not go down but it might be close if Carroll returns to Liverpool. COYI
HAMMER51