42 quid i paid for a ticket in the home stand- yes FORTY TWO!!!

I had decided i wasnt going to give WH the pleasure of having my hard earned money to sit with the cockney claret and blues. No way i thought...off to the chinese+off licence i went, to make me feel better about missing out on an away ticket. On the way back with my sweet+sour chicken, that uncontollable urge to watch our lads gripped me and after circling a roundabout 4 times, my mind tormented, my car headed to the train station...i cud no longer resist. QUite what the old lady in the train sitting opposite thought of me eating rice with my bare hands, i can only guess :0)

42 quid for a non restricted view in the West stand- sitting on painful wooden seats reminiscent of selhurst park- who do WH think they are???!!

Gutted i was to see our fans across the pitch, singing their hearts out and me sat with obnoxious cocknies.... who were higly amused when someone shouted Uncle Fester whenever they saw the physio or Ketsbia!! First half i honestly cudnt believe the noise from our fans- it filled the whole stadium- u wudnt believe how loud it was from where i was sitting, miles away on another stand.

We played well first half. The cocknies were going mad that WHAm cudnt get the ball and keep it. Our play was wat we have come to expect from our lads- solid, committed, neat possession, some good chances created.....but time and time again hesitating in the final 1/3 of the pitch . Dunc was missed big time. Shearer was left to battle against 3 centre backs with Dyer mostly floating behind him. Domis miss was a glorious chance, running onto a Dyer pass back- it smashed against the underside of the bar. Shearers header that hit the crossbar seemed more of a looping one as there was no power on the cross and it was a great effort.

Speeds goal was a huge relief as he blasted it along the ground into the net - but again we let the oppostion come back too strong at us... and again after their goal(a Wanchope header) we deteriorated even more. Final 15 mins we composed ourselves again and Ketsbia came close in the dying minutes.

As usual in away games, Solano was fairly average most of the time and why YBR didnt rest him and let GAvilan on i really dont know. Admittedly Nobby was tightly marked thruout. Domi was again useless on the left and i can only imagine YBR wont play Glass cos of his transfer request. Lee and Speed were again solid and i think wed realize how good they were if they were missing thru injury. They certainly outplayed Foe+Lampard as they did Wise+Deschamps on Sunday.

Defence was good mostly. Goma made a serious error but made some great interceptions.

Final whistle....ah well..its not our week. Wouldnt have been too bad a night out except for the bitter cold+it was pishing down. Leaving the stadium with the Hammers in full cockney song was bad but the queue for the train was something i never want to expeience again- it was only a couple of streets long......

Its been a rough week for us but nobody can look back on the season and say it hasnt been entertaining and enjoyable...the future is bright.

-- Anonymous, April 12, 2000

Answers

Oh yeh, before the match i was basically standing in that press area with loads of people sittin with their laptops. Tried to find that bloke who was doing our webcast to give him some tips on commentating but cudnt work out which one it was.

Probably a good job i didnt meet him as if it hadve been that miserable git he wud have done my head in....

-- Anonymous, April 12, 2000

Aye spud ther is couple of ways to sum it up .. First half - didnt capitalise ( staory of the away season so far ) Lost Dabs - lost shape and Howey was well .. out battled by onechop Goal went in , and so did we . Given , one great save , then shite .. he does not command that box well . Lee was a Rock , Nobby a cock .. no penetration and no running off the ball . And if i have to hear one more cockney call us dirty northern , wife beating bastards again im gonna scream . The queue for the tube was murder .. its too early for me to be reasonable . Season over and we know it . :-(((

-- Anonymous, April 13, 2000

Sorry ill write something a bit more in depth later on .

-- Anonymous, April 13, 2000

Just saw the WHAM goals on TV but not wors. Thank you Aunty Beeb. It looked to me as tho' Given should have saved their first, tho the second was so unorthodox, it's hard to say whether we should have stopped it. However, it was Wanchope, so you should expect the unusual and been on the loookout for it.

That's 3 goals in the last few minutes that WHAM have scored against us this season. After Sunday, it's hard to blame the lads but they really do have to concentrate more (Anfield last month as well) at the death. It's becomming expected. You can just imagine the opposition team talk at half-time and comments towards the end. Bah!

-- Anonymous, April 13, 2000

PA report overnight:

Bobby Robson will not be pursuing his grievances over what he felt was referee Paul Alcock's failure to send off Scott Minto at Upton Park last night.

The Newcastle boss was fuming over the West Ham defender's scything tackle from behind on Kieron Dyer after 56 minutes, and felt it merited a red card rather than the yellow he received from the official.

But Robson will let the matter drop, as he said: What is the point of making a fuss about it - you only end up getting a #10,000 fine and being banished to the stands.

Don't get me wrong, because I am not saying that the referee was bad, but Minto was lucky to stay on the pitch for that tackle on Dyer.

That tackle was a red card in September and it is still a dismissal now. He was very lucky to stay on the pitch.

Robson was also angry with a Minto tackle on Nikos Dabizas in first- half injury-time which went unpunished.

The big Newcastle defender never properly recovered and was substituted soon after the break - and Robson felt it was his absence which ultimately cost his team the game.

West Ham were trailing to Gary Speed's 48th-minute strike before Paulo Wanchope came off the bench to win the game with goals on the hour and in the final minute.

We couldnt handle Wanchope, said Robson. Dabizas could have, but he had already gone off injured and so we couldnt cope.

He is an ungainly player and we let him turn and face the play - but Dabizas wouldn't have allowed him to do that.

Minto cruelly took Dabizas out of the game in the first half and when we lost him he was the one player who could have stopped Wanchope.

-- Anonymous, April 13, 2000

Interesting report Benton, and it`s clear up a point that had me confused on the webcast. The Dabs injury, according to the useless commentator, was self inflicted! Hmm?! (:o)

-- Anonymous, April 13, 2000

Just wondering...

Does anyone else on here have the same peculiar ability that I seem to have? haha not that one! no I meant that whenever we lose I can sometimes manage to almost totally block it off and pretend that it's never happened?

-- Anonymous, April 13, 2000

Hey Gav - are you saying we didn't win last night? B*gg*r.

-- Anonymous, April 13, 2000

Is that alcoholic amnesia you`re talking about? Or perhaps the `there`s always next week` syndrome, very similar to the `next season will be our season` one!(:o)

Seriously, people seem to deal with defeats in extremely differing ways on here. Some people rant and rave, some people don`t post again for days, and some people are just eternal optimists! The only common factor seems to be that we all come back for more! (:o)

-- Anonymous, April 13, 2000

Galaxy,

Nope...I've been on the wagon since monday morning ;) my weekend was heavier than most peoples lives so it takes me awhile to recover :))

I feel remarkably un-gutted about last night...although I can definitely feel that I'm holding onto something very tightly inside, I think Sunday buggered me up enough so that last night can hardly touch that....

-- Anonymous, April 13, 2000

Aye Gav, if we didn't have that we'd be suicidal. I even blocked out the semi defeat until Tuesday. 'er indoors was organising a trip to visit friends in London; "Are we doing anything on 20th May?" she asks. "Yeah there's definitely something on, hang on I'll check" ..pause ... "nah... we're free that day" Bugger!

-- Anonymous, April 13, 2000

I always block out defeats as just a msitake that doesn't really need to be taken too seriously.

It's a worrying trait as I've started to feel the same way about wins, and I'm scared I could fall into not caring at all.

I always wondered how my dad who (he says) went to every home game there was between the war and sometime in the fifties, how did he lose it ? As far as I know he's never been to a game in my life unless I was there, either him taking me as a kid, or me taking him as a dad. I was always concerned that it may happen to me. I think without Ben to take along this season I may have lost it altogether. The Dalglish/Gullit Cup finals were just too much.

Ben and Bobby Robson are all that's keeping me going.

-- Anonymous, April 13, 2000

Two matches in a row we should have won, but somehow contrived to lose. There was only one team in it at half time, and I couldn't believe how quiet their fans were - there were a group of about 50 who thought it was amusing to sing 'Wembley, Wembley..' - not they they ever made it there in the first place, of course.
Second half saw us score early, then seemingly retreat back down the other end of the pitch where all the action was in the first half - were we too loud for them or something? And the second half performance was matched by a change in wind direction, which meant we were being heavily pissed on where I was, five rows back from the right hand corner flag. Not that that dampened the spirit, and bum didn't hit seat all match. If you can't rely on the team doing the business, you can sure as h@ll rely on the fans.
It seemed obvious to me that we were tiring in the second half, and we were having trouble keeping possession. I was very surprised Bobby Robson didn't use fresh legs, and I was disappointed not to see GAvilan on. Ketsbaia came on too late to really have any effect. And the last minute goal..well, what can I say. It just doesn't surprise me any more, it's almost inevitable. It won't be easy to motivate the players for the rest of the season now, and I can see the injury quota rising.

-- Anonymous, April 13, 2000

Gav your remarkable ability stems from the fact that you werent at the match . If youd been pissed on , freezing cold and stood with the most annoying bunch of cock the knee c***s for a train for 45 minutes , and seen us give up a lead and lose a game we shouldve won , again' after spending 31 quid and getting in bother with your lass , youd feel like me .. TOTALLY PISSED OFF ! Im sick of us all giving these buggers a fair crack of the whip . We give them their all - they get paid a fortune for this . Incidentally i chatted to your mate shirty , who'd travelled from washington via Wakefield .. wouldve got home at 3.30 this morning then was back into work at 8.00 this morning . As supporters we dont deserve this . Ive totally written this season off .. fuggin hell .

-- Anonymous, April 13, 2000

'block it off and pretend that it's never happened'

Self preservation makes me take the 'expect the worst' approach, the idea being that if the worst doesn't happen I'll be a bliddy sight happier than you guys who expect us to win every game. And if the worst does happen, so what ? it's what I expected anyway.

Except I'd hate to think anybody was more gutted at Sunday's result than I was, even though I deep down didn't really think we'd win. Suicide looked like a pleasure to be savoured. And repeatedly throwing games away in the last minute does my heed in absolutely. I'd rather they played s***e the whole game and lost.

It must be a deep seated resentment that something so basically worthless as footy can have such a profound effect. In fact you'd be quite right in thinking 'Why doesn't this miserable owld git just stop supporting them'. Show me the clinic where I can go to dry out.

But, despite all of the outward signs, there's still a faint glimmer that one day, we will end up being as loathed as manure. Just hope I live long enough.

Eeeeee, that feels better - for now.

-- Anonymous, April 13, 2000

Same old, same old as our mate Bake would say (see under Where Are They Now).

As Rik said, we were a bit nervy for the first 5 mins, then totally took the game by the scruff of the neck and WHam were caught constantly on the back foot. Plenty of wing play from Domi, who was ok for a while but seemed to run out of ideas on that side worringly soon, and Solano, as always, looking good forward but seems to have lost the ability to tackle - a kinder assessment would have been he was trying to keep his feet on a slippery and very wet pitch...or being a cock as wor Sting commented.

The amount of chances and half chances created in the 1st 45 were too many to count - two off the woodwork, constantly causing bother in their pen area. Great to see long passes going to foot and some excellent holding play by Shearer. Just near the end of half time Minto went for a 50-50 with Dabs, and predictably our star defender (who was playing a blinder marshalling the backline) came off worse. It was difficult to tell if it was a dirty challenge, but Dabs quick substitution after resumption of play told the tale. Hope he's ok for Saturday.

The tackle on Dyer, however, was as bad a tackle as you will see all season. Premeditated, bit late, from behind and clattered wor Kieron good and proper - I was honestly surprised to see him continue as long as he did before giving way to our perennial 'match-winner' super sub, Ketsy (harsh but fair). To see a yellow card was an insult, but all too predictable - Alcock by name...To add insult Minto again just 2 mins later caught Nobby on the back of the heel in the corner, right in front of the linesman. He was on a mission to crock every talented player we had, but Alspice didn't even speak to him, depsite a lengthy chat with his 'assistant' lineswa**er. A while later, Rob Lee was booked for dissent after a really bad decision (are you seeing a pattern here?). Several handballs in the WHam box to boot and a good day at the office for Alc**t.

Oh yes, and the goals. Speed's was overdue from the 1st half pressure - we went mental and the Centenary Stand (named in honour of the anniversary of it's construction I think - #31 for only half covering the fans!?!?!) went up in celebration, relief and joy. Their goals? Well, keeper should have kept out their first - looked pretty lame on the big screen replay, second was just plain daft.

Fans? Firm 8/10 overall and 10/10 for 1st half performance. 10mins of Bobby Robson's B&W Army in the 1st half was as good as I've heard. No signs of post-place beginning with 'W' nerves for us. Glad to hear that Spud and the silent WHam fans could hear our cauldron of noise. As usual, though, the home 'fans' woke up when they scored then started singing about giving fellatio to Michael Jackson's pet chimp. I'll never understand these cock-the-knees!

PS - my lengthy and time consuming journey home was shortened by bumping into a Geordie on the train who chose to save his #31 and get a blow-by-blow account from me. My surliness and clipped replies soon eased as soon as his nationality became clear.

PPS - in belated reply to Tynedale's Aussie pal who stood next to me throughout, 'yes, it's always like this'

-- Anonymous, April 13, 2000

I know I've posted elsewhere but on the subject of being gutted, it may have been the combination of Sunday and last night, but I feel devastated today. Whether it was just what foul fans the Hammers are (I'm ashamed at how angry

-- Anonymous, April 13, 2000

I know I've posted elsewhere but on the subject of being gutted, it may have been the combination of Sunday and last night, but I feel devastated today. Whether it was just what foul fans the Hammers are (I'm ashamed at how angry I was and at my alternative lyrics for Bubbles and for deafening the geezer in front with my critique of Solano), I don't know, but I feel suicidal now. God, it hurts so much supporting that club.

-- Anonymous, April 13, 2000

What happened last night? I can't really remember but my voice is gone, my ears are deaf and my legs are knackered. Either I ended up getting lucky after a night in a club or I went to a footie match..... oh damn, I was trying to forget that.

Scrappy match. I was too far away to see the chances we made in the first half and the lads gave up after 15 mins of the second half. I'll say it as I now see it - we're a side at mid-table in the league and we deserve to be at mid-table in the league. At best, we could be in 6th or 7th.

Who in the squad would be a part of a league winning side (or even a side in the top 4)? Shearer, Dyer, Dabizas, Barton, errr that's about it. Maybe Speed and Dunc. The rest either have the skill and vision but not the temperament - step forward Nobby and Goma and even Domi - the skill and temperament but no vision - Ketsbaia, Hughes and even Gallagher - or the temperament and vision but no skill - name any number of second string here. Bobby can try his best to blend characteristics into a team but the simple fact is that there is no longer enough quality in the squad.

The way I saw it last night, the lads played well, waited for the breakthrough, outplayed West Ham, created numerous chances, finally scored and then went to pieces at the smallest hint of a revival from W Ham. Lack of temperament to let them back in the game, lack of finishing ability in the midfield - Speed is the only one this season who's shown any accuracy from midfield and lack of vision under pressure - we hardly created any chances once W Ham started to get back into the match.

I have to agree with YBR, Dabs going off changed the whole game. Any cohesion at the back was destroyed and Howey allowed Wanchope to turn him at the end. Also, Given does not inspire his defenders. They pass to him and rely on him to make some saves but you can feel the panic bubbling under the surface if he is put under pressure.

Alcock was a bit of a joke, but he wasn't the reason we lost - he helped to contribute to the pressure on the lads but they should know better - hence Lee getting booked for dissent 'cos he could feel the game slipping away. He's the one everyone is looking to for support, so I can only guess what the effect is when he starts to panic.

Disappointed and disillusioned,

-- Anonymous, April 13, 2000