And just when you thought things couldn’t get any worse folks, cue brain of Britain Kevin Nolan for yet another sending off that almost has to be seen, to be believed.
Picture the scene; an under strength Hammers make the short journey across London to Craven Cottage for a six-pointer…no make that a ten-pointer against our relegation rivals. Spanked by six clear goals at Hull City, surely there was every chance that we could at least nick a point against a team that must have dreaded appearing in front of their own fans after their apocalyptic performance from the previous week.
After a shaky start with a strange line up of three central defenders, slowly but surely we started to play our way into the game. We should have been 2-0 up, and with 11 men on the field, even the one goal advantage would have given us something to fight for, even with a weakened team.
Then two things happened in quick succession; the loss to injury of the Hammers heartbeat and real skipper Mark Noble, and the loss of the eternal disappointment who has been masquerading as both player and captain for months and months, Kevin Nolan. The former was just plain cruel, the latter just plain, well what can I say. I don’t think that mere words can really make any sense of the actions of Nolan, even a day after the event.
Was ever there a more senseless, pathetic, cowardly red card in West Ham’s? Oh yes, there was one…also Kevin Nolan from a few weeks back who raked his studs down the back of an unsuspecting Liverpool player and achieved yet another free Christmas and left his mates to hold the fort against a now rampant opposition, keen to rack up the goal difference. A 4-1 mauling did nothing for morale, and the captains baffling, no make that psychotic, out-of-the-blue challenge left us both angry and bemused.
To have seen Noble limp off would have stirred most true, worthy skippers into action. Socks and sleeves rolled up, chest pushed out, and fire coursing through the veins in preparation for the fight would have been the reaction of John Terry, Steven Gerrard and Vincent Kompany. They would have upped their games and made sure everyone around them did the same. No room for error, and certainly no place for slackers or shirkers. Every single player was in a fight, and it was one for all and all for one. Except one.
The captain. Our captain. The Irons skipper, who should have been ever mindful, thankful and honoured that he had been allowed to follow in the hallowed footsteps of Bobby Moore, Billy Bonds and Alvin Martin. The one man who above all was responsible for making sure the team came home, battered, bruised, physically shattered and if not triumphant, at least able to sleep soundly that night in the knowledge that everything the players had was left on the pitch.
So what was the brilliant, heroic and thoughtfully executed action of the West Ham captain? He threw what can only be described as a ‘hissy-fit’ because someone had dared to run across his line. He lashed out from behind and simply stood their hands on hips, and waited for the inevitable and deserved red card to be produced. Pure class Kevin. A true master class in combined thuggery and stupidity.
The remaining ten battled as well as they could but the die was cast, the result almost inevitable. Short of grafting bodies the ball was moved around us and the casual, almost coma-like Dimitar Berbatov was left enough space for a simple tap in. 2-1. Defeat. Defeat in wretched circumstances. How much more angry could I get about Nolan’s treachery? Not much. I was at boiling point and from there, well, you can only go two ways: start to cool down or blow off steam until the emotional kettle runs dry. My kettle exploded.
The arm band must never again be wasted on Kevin Nolan, because quite simply he has sullied its meaning and its magic. The Liverpool red card was bad enough, but to do it again, weeks later, in a crucial, winnable game and at a critical point was for me the final straw. There was nobody connected with West Ham United who wasn’t badly let down, and Sam Allardyce, faithful to Nolan to a laughable degree, must feel devastated by his right hand mans actions. Actions that could well be instrumental in the impending arrival of a removal van at the residence of Sam Allardyce. Some mate Kevin, some mate.
Kevin Nolan you are an absolute disgrace. Your work contract with West Ham should be terminated immediately and you should be sacked on the spot. The same goes for your buddy in crime Sam Allardyce. Mr. Allardyce has wrongfully supported you when you should have been shafted long ago. You no longer deserve to wear a West Ham shirt. I have never ever heard of any player, let alone a West Ham player being sent off in a match twice within 1 month. You can get out, Sam can get out, and he can take that load of rubbish that he has signed with him. West Ham need a new manager now. If they don’t sack Allardyce now, then I am going to stop following West Ham. I was born in Forest Gate, East London and only started an interest in soccer in the 1960s because the local team being West Ham were doing so well with 3 world cup winning stars in the team. I emigrated to Australia 37 years ago but always kept my interest in West Ham going, but I think I’ll focus more on my Rugby League team in Australia being the Brisbane Broncos in the future instead of West Ham & soccer in general from now on. I am currently on business in Thailand and was following West Ham’s transmissions at the local café that I frequent. I cannot comment on yesterday’s match because I can no longer watch West Ham, because after many disappointing West Ham displays, with the debacle of the game at Old Trafford being the game that finally persuaded the management of the café broadcasting EPL games to avoid showing West Ham games altogether, unless West ham are playing a big team of which everyone always expects West Ham to get beaten. West Ham let in 2 soft goals at Old Trafford before half time, the owner of the establishment changed the channel to watch a different game. He asked me 1st. I said go ahead, as West Ham are a total embarrassment in front of the good local people here, who have really taken to English Premier League soccer, but do not want to watch West Ham as West Ham are no longer enjoyable to watch because they appear to be totally out of their depth and don’t belong in the English Premier League. I was able to watch the game with West Brom, only because it was an early game & the only game being broadcast on it’s own, otherwise people always chose other games to watch, other than West Ham, if available. I don’t even want to top up my high speed internet to watch them on-line, let alone purchase pay TV. I’d encourage all loyal fans that pay to watch the games to demand a refund on the 9 home matches that remain on their Premier League season tickets, and why should West Ham’s fans even think about purchasing League Cup semi final tickets, unless they sack Sam, sack Nolan & Sam buys some decent players & gives fans value for money for what they have paid for now. If they can’t do that, then they should sell the club. The owners keep on saying they have no money, well why are they in the football business then? As West Ham’s attendances are currently only 1,000 people down on Spurs matches. West Ham reportedly pay the players low wages, but even the 20th placed club will receive £60,000,000 for being in the Premier League this year. West Ham are headed for the Championship. The club need to put a halt on the Stadium deal and hang onto their Boleyn ground, otherwise they’ll remain in the Championship sharing a Stadium that are they are not allowed to own. They’ll own nothing & may even get liquidated. I’ll tip 3 London clubs to be relegated this season and West Ham are one of them, along with Crystal Palace & Fulham. I suspect that is what the financier’s want, just a big 3 of London clubs being Arsenal, Chelsea & Tottenham. Nolan. You have let the club down. You have let everyone down. West Ham needed those 3 points against a Fulham side who have a negative goal difference of -21 & we couldn’t even beat them. Goodbye!
“…because the local team being West Ham were doing so well with 3 world cup winning stars in the team.”
Glory hunter anyone? We won’t miss your support.
West Ham need strikers more than they need defenders. This manager has obviously got rocks in his head. The reason why West Ham have only won 3 games out of 20 is their lack of strike force. Sam stated last season, after we were pulled back to a 2-2 draw at home to Man Utd during a Premier League game, that ”West Ham do not have the strike force that Manchester United have” well make an effort to sign some strikers then. I have been a West Ham fan, for over 45 years. Sam’s been our manager for only 2 & ½ years. I’ve supported them because I have always enjoyed their attacking style of football. West Ham’s way is not Sam Allardyce’s way. I don’t like Sam Allardyce’s boring defensive style of gridlocking games. If Tony Pulis was our manager? I’d feel exactly the same. I don’t like their style of locking games up. I mean it’s better to lock the defense after you have scored a couple of goals. West ham always used to try & score before shutting up shop. It’s a bit unfair on the defense expecting the defense to defend a 1 goal lead, & more often than not a no goal lead. Strikers take the pressure off of the defense by scoring. That’s the way West ham have always worked until Sam came along. Sam’s not out, but maybe if Harry Redknapp or Alan Pardew returned things would be better, and just relying on one injury prone Newcastle & Liverpool reject named Andy Carroll to get goals is not going to keep us out of trouble either. No, Andy will just jump off if West Ham get relegated. Maybe Sam will leave then as well and we can have our club back! Reports say that Carroll will be back playing soon, so what does Sam try & do, sign Heitinga, a defender from Everton. Please, we need strikers!!!
Sorry, I left out the “OR”. The above should have read “why should West Ham’s fans even think about purchasing League Cup semi final tickets, unless they sack Sam, sack Nolan, “OR”, Sam buys some decent players & gives fans value for money for what they have paid for”
So unless there are changes you will no longer follow West Ham …… From you armchair!
We’ll that should swing it.
How quickly they forget all the times when Nolan was the only player scoring goals for the team. When Nolan dropped a division to skipper us back to the prem. agreed he is a disgrace at present. So was beck ham getting sent off in the World Cup there was people who wanted to lynch him. I say take a look at yourself. Are you whiter than white. Have you never made a mistake regretted your actions when angry or frustrated
Conked. This wasn’t some over excited 19 year old kid, this was a so called experienced CAPTAIN in a critical relegation battle, that’s what makes it so bad mate. And its his second time in 5 weeks !!! How much slack do you cut someone like this who has let us all down so badly ?
Hammer, don’t you realise, that the only reason that the Premier League can up the cash they give out to all Premier League clubs from now on, is that because, yes wait for it, the Premier Laegue is broadcast in over 200 countries around the world. Whether you are in the jungles of Burma or in the desert of Saudi Arabia, Premier League soccer is broadcast live, and that is why people like Vincent Tan of Cardiff can do whatever they like with their clubs whatever the fans at the turnstyle think, as they know that they they don’t really need fans locally, the revenue is now from a world-wide source, so don’t put me down because I no longer live in the pollution of East London. It’s only because of growth in world-wide media coverage, that the clubs can keep up with Europe in paying the players world class wages. West Ham can ignore the world-wide media at their peril if they want, because if they choose not to realise just what a joke & laughing stock they have become in front of a world-wide audience? Then they will die just like in the song. Do you realise that world-wide, Man Utd have support of 800, yes 800 million people, so in the future, why should the clubs even care about what fans want locally. I am from the East End & love the East End people so don’t f***ing well try & put me down, try hammering yourself.
Hi, I too live in Australia and followed the Irons for many years home and away in the UK including season tickets over several years I lived there- I have been in Au for 6 years and never missed a game that was televised (for non Aussie’s that is every Premiership game every week)- this means getting up at or staying up till 03.00 in the morning to my families utter disbelief!
My 16 year old lad is visiting family (brother is a season ticket holder) in the UK and went to the Sunderland, Aresenal, WBA and Fulham games so please do not consider us armchair fans but this is now beyond a joke-
We won’t sack Allardyce because it will cost us $3m- no decent player will come in as they dont like the way Allardyce sets up the team- hence August we got refused by so many. Therefore the only way to attract new players is either buying lower league players to step up or has been’s looking for a final pay day- wait and see and it will come true!!!!
alternatively G&S can listen to 90% of the people paying their wages and repaying their loans and make big changes even if that means compensation- they were the stupid ones who committed the club to the contract anyway-
Who else is out there- well there’s Mackay, Billic, Allen, Lomas, Stuart Pearce I believe and my preferred choice, all with some WHU history-
We also have youth players and Potts has to have more to offer than Rat- who is so narrow he gives far to much space away and is moulded to pump long balls all the time-
Thank god I don’t have setanta so am not forced to stay up and watch the cup games- where- we will no doubt lose both to further destroy confidence.
Sacking Allardyce and learning from not sacking Grant may be expensive but the only way to freshen things up!
Defoe going to MLS- there’s the first striker to buy, play a youngster in CD- better than playing all full backs- blood still boiling so stopping the rant now- we have time to tay up but we need to change things now!!!!!!!!
I feel like the alladyce out brigade are now turning on our captain because he represents alladyce. Like Nolan is a physical manifestation of the big Sam philosophy onto the field of play. If that’s the case though then so will andy Carroll be so is ravel Morrison. Stuart downing all the players Sam has bought to the team. Where does it end. People need to start waking up to the fact when you go into battle you need to be together and you need support we’ve been unlucky with injuries simple as that. Now the team needs the supporters to support them that’s what supporters are supposed to do. Not give up when the going gets tough. The owners are sticking by the manager for good or bad till the end of the season they are keeping the faith and they have a lot at stake. That’s it live with it. Stop whinging and whining and get behind your team. In a few weeks time with Reid back with Carroll back with Morrison back we will be a different team. We will climb the table. Believe it
Thanks Simon, I’d forgotten to mention the sacrifices that we have to make in getting out of bed in the early hours of the morning to watch our team, and Mike, West Ham were doing so well with 3 world cup winning stars in the team, but they also played good football, the had Brooking, Bonds, Frank Lampard senior, Redknapp and many more, and they could do all of this on a tight budget. Having 3 world cup stars was an added bonus, but not the resaon why I started following them. I think the area chose me to be a fan. I was raised there, so don’t cast me off. No, look at whose running our club & make them change things. We have great fans, no in my location of East london, Spurs were the closest to where I lived & in fact many of my friends & school mates were Spurs fans, but I chose West ham because my heart chose West Ham. I’ll never stop following West Ham, but I always try to keep in touch with West Ham wherever my travels take me. The internet connection at where I am now, in Thailand, in what they call the 3rd world, is sometimes very slow, in fact sometimes I just waste my money paying to be connected as the games break up, especially in monsoon weather with Typhoons in the region. If that happens then I have to check the local cafe which is broadcast in Thai, so thanks Simon, as it is really a lot easier to be a West ham fan when you are living there.
i think nigel quasie is available.
Well this is what BBC’s Mark Lawrenson reckon’s West Ham need. I don’t think anyone, except Sam maybe, has any confidence in Andy Carroll staying fit when he eventually does return for his next period and for how long?
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/25488699
West Ham
What they need in a nutshell: A big striker for Big Sam.
Window shopping: It is not a case of if West Ham get a striker in the transfer window, it is when. I think they will do it on 1 January or at least as quickly as they can.
Al Ain striker Asamoah Gyan
Sam Allardyce has already confirmed his interest in former Sunderland striker Asamoah Gyan
The owners know what is needed and they will back their manager Sam Allardyce.
What will Allardyce go for striker-wise? Someone who is really big and can head the ball! I think he would like somebody with Premier League experience if possible, but he might have to gamble because he needs to get somebody in.
Linked with: Chris Samba 29, CB (Dynamo Moscow), Wilfried Zaha 21, FW (Manchester United), Obafemi Martins 29, CF (Seattle Sounders), Diego Milito 34, CF (Inter Milan), Demba Ba 28, CF (Chelsea), Andre-Pierre Gignac 28, CF (Marseille), Nikica Jelavic 28, CF (Everton), Jermain Defoe 31, CF (Tottenham), Diego Forlan 34, CF (Internacional), Alfred Finnbogason 24, CF (Heerenveen), Asamoah Gyan 28, CF (Al Ain), John Heitinga 30, CB (Everton), Leo Baptistao 21, CF (Atletico Madrid).
I’d like to see West Ham sign a striker from abroad & outside of the Premier League before anyone else gets wind of the deal & outbids West Ham, as it seems that any Premier League club is only offloading players for a reason, such was the reason with an injury prone Andy Carroll + other Prem sides don’t want to give their opponents an edge.
Time to face it ppl. We are going down 🙁 its almost a carbon copy of the avram grant season. In any of the seasons that we got relegated we had more points at this stage as we have now. Cant blame sam for everything! . Injuries arent sams fault. Only a few months ago we were great defensively! it was up top we were having the problem, one sam was solving. Carlton was getting back to his best and it is bringing the best out in maiga too. Yes he has made mistakes, ffs, so did sir alex! No, believe me the worst thing to do is get rid now. It would seal our fate! I believe we’re doomed. Anything else is a bonus. Cat and spilled milk spring to mind. COYI.
I know how you feel Dave, but I will never give up hope unless it becomes mathematically impossible for us to survive. Had we still been under the old Football League rules of 2 points only for a win, it would’ve been even worse with us being 4 pts adrift of safety, but with 3 for a win, then we are only 1 win & a draw below 17th placed Cardiff. West ham have a better team than Palace, Fulham & Cardiff, so we can push up above the bottom 3, who ever they end up being, I am sure. If we sign the 2 strikers that West ham are currently after being Gyan & Jelavic + Carlton is being given an extention, then don’t give up just yet. It’s a shame with Mark being injured, but with Nolan self destructing we are better off with a new leader on the pitch anyway. I’d like Joe Cole to be captain but can he up his fitness & last 90 mins, if so & with new signings anything is possible, so hang in there bro
Nolan should never wear the skipper’s arm band again. This was a disgraceful display when we needed eleven men to fight to the end in order to achieve a result.
He should be sold immediately because the reception from the crowd for his next home game (especially if he’s still captain) will be disastrous. His performance & confidence levels have been in steady decline & have obviously affected the team as a whole. It’s time to go Kev.
An excellent article spencer up there with the best, could not have put it bitter myself will done mate, but please can we stop talking about not supporting our West ham United like yourself I was born in east London Stafford queens Mary hospital in 59 and in 65 I went to my first game Chelsea at home we won and like my dad and my grandad west ham United was ingrain in my heart just like my dear old mum, so you all can see i just can’t stop supporting our West ham United, but we can shout or email our dismay at the way our club is being missed managed, myself and my 6 friends are all season ticket holders and have emailed the Management that we will no longer purchase away tickets until they have sacked BFS , not much i know but its a start.
Hi Geoff. The world will need to finish before I stop supporting my beloved Hammers mate, and I mean that. Its in the blood for most of us, and its hard to sit and watch this latest round of nonsense unfold. We do not deserve the constant disappointments that almost seem to go hand in hand with being an Iron, and I genuinely thought that after the great first year back we were set for much better things. How stupid am I that after 50 years loyal service, I dared to expect any more !! So, you are totally right. We must support until the bitter end, as hard as it is. COYI !!!
Spence. It’s in my blood. I can’t follow anyone else. As I said, I was born just down the road from Upton Park. I’m just trying get some dam action to happen at West Ham. If West ham are in the Prem or where ever, I’ll still support them. I am sure Sam realises by now just how special & loyal the fans are that he inherited when he became manager here. It seems to me that things started to fall apart since the 2nd half at Norwich, as you know from our past, that West ham get these spells, but we definitely have the team to pull out of this bad spell. Even Mark Lawrenson is suprised at our drop in form. We just need to get the right stiker here and we will be alright, someone else wrote in this article to believe in this & I really do believe this and that we will surge again really soon. Yes I do belieive & I do keep the faith, so hang in ther brothers & sisters. We will be back, Up the hammerssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss
JL…well spoken mate. The alternative is just to turn your back on the side when things are tough and that’s not in the nature of any true fan, no matter what the circumstances. By all means make your feelings known, that’s what sites like this are all about, to let off some steam and get things off your chest, and lets also make sure we let the manager, players and board know that we aren’t happy…but match day the side need us like never before so at least for 90 minutes, the positive head needs to go on and Bubbles needs to be sung louder than ever !!!
Let’s not give up on Sam & the boys yet, its going to be difficult but still possible. There are so many views out there, I just don’t subscribe to the doom & gloom. I moved from London to live in Swansea & remember how that team were a few years back. So let’s put our faith in the owners, manger & players at this difficult time.
I too genuinely believed we could push on from last years 10th place and possibly be in the mix for Europe. How wrong could I be???
I have never wanted join the ranks of the BFS OUT brigade but I feel the time is now right for him to go.
His tactics in recent games have been baffling beyond belief and I can only assume that he has ‘lost the dressing room’ as there is no way that even the depleted squad we have playing at the moment could be playing as bad as they are if they were happy.
I would love Slaven Bilic as Sams replacement but I don’t think we would get him. Malay Mackay is available and would be a good fit for us.
COYI