The game against Manchester United promises to be a tough one, particularly as United seem to have undergone a fairly annoying return to form in their midweek game against Olympiakos. However, the team news for the two clubs seems to lie firmly in our favour – and I’m looking back at my favorite Manchester United memory to add some extra hope and reason to believe in a result in our favour.
The team are now without the injured Robin van Persie for the next 4 -6 weeks, and the BBC Sport website has helpfully pointed out that last time van Persie was out injured “United exited both the FA Cup and Capital One up, losing four times in five matches.” We are without Joey O’Brien and Marco Boriello; they are missing Nemanja Vidic and Robin van Persie. This is promising.
To send some extra positive vibes for the game, I’m thinking back to my fondest West Ham v Manchester United memory. It takes me back to a day when we needed to achieve the Herculean task of beating Premier League Champions United at Old Trafford in order to stay in the Premier League.
I didn’t go to the game, but if I remember the day correctly, anyone who wasn’t in Manchester was packed into local Upton Park pubs to watch the game on TV. What was an afternoon wracked in nervousness turned into one of incredible joy and relief – even if the goal that kept us up led to more future worry about our finances and stability.
I remember a lot of jubilation at the final whistle – so much so that my then-boyfriend accidentally dumped a pint of beer on the unfortunate Sky presenter who’d been sent to interview the jubilant West Ham fans at the final whistle.
It was a brilliant game, and aside from reminding us that we can beat United, there are also some great lessons from that game that can be incorporated into tomorrow’s match.
Firstly – the goal originated from a long ball. Rob Green kicked the ball down to Carlos Tevez, who scored after passing the ball back and forth to Bobby Zamora. So to recap, one of our most crucial goals against Manchester United came from a long ball. This stands to reason that our style of play could be put to good use.
The other lesson I hope the team of today remember is the passion and resistance showed by the players on the pitch in 2007. They went into the game knowing how much was at stake, and earned an incredibly valuable victory.
Sure, it was a slightly weakened team (although in hindsight, 2007’s ‘weakened team’ could probably run circles around Manchester United’s 2014 starting line up), but what I remember best is a West Ham team with nothing left to lose throwing everything at winning a game that they never should have won.
This year’s game should absolutely be approached with the same level of intensity. It may not be on the last day of the season, but with so many teams battling to stay afloat we must treat this game like a cup final and approach it believing we can win. This is not Manchester United’s finest season—and if Stoke City, Swansea City, Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United, Everton, and West Bromwich Albion can beat them, there’s no good reason we can’t.
Come on you Irons!
Good on yer Emily , up the Irons !
I’m taking more of a long term view Emily, as you know, we play 3 games in 9 days, starting with tonight, and at the very least, West ham would need to win 1 of these next 3 games & 1 of the last 6, to have enough points to stay up, as we are top of a pile of 9 clubs all within 7 points of each other. 9 clubs, that’s lot, and it’s because of that that 36 points will be enough, but having said that, as I have also said in an earlier article, that I think Andy will get going by scoring at least 1 against Man Utd, as he did last week against Stoke (he needs his England strikers role back & will really fire from now on I am sure) and I think West Ham will get more than 1 goal tonight, and that Winston will start firing from now & lock them out, as we are well overdue for our next clean sheet. Their win over Olympiakos was nothing. I mean the Greek top tier league is nothing compared to the EPL, so yes, a win tonight would be just what the doctor ordered, but just 2 wins from the next 9 games & 2 – 3 draws & we’re on 40 pts. I predicted that we wouldn’t lose any more than 6 out of our last 11 games, well we’ve just lost 2 of those 6, but I can’t see us losing more than 4 out of our next 9 games, and a win tonight, for sure, would be great, OK, thanks Emily COYI!
I don’t know. I’ve run out of things to say really. It’s a bit like trying to flog a dead horse, or push a barrel of sh*te uphill. Maybe manager of the month becomes chump of the month. As for Andy Carroll, well I think he’s got Buckley’s chance of being picked by Roy Hodgson now.
Well what has happened, has happened, but West Ham can out do Fulham, Cardiff, West Brom, Palace & Sunderland, finishing 15th at the very least. West Brom, Palace & Sunderland are West Ham’s danger teams, as West Ham play all 3 of these (+ Hull up next), in our remaining 8 games left to play. West Ham should go flat out to try & beat each & every one of these, so as to ensure we stay above them, and keep them (not them keeping us) in & around the relegation 18th spot. I reckon it’s just about taken for granted that Fulham & Cardiff will fill the other 2 relegation spots. Sam’s never been relegated, so let’s see what Big Sam can do for us now!!!
Hull is an absolute “must win” game. There’s nothing more one can say. We just have to win on Wednesday night! COYI