So Man Citeh & Chelsea Quit Euro Sucker League
Forums:
It is almost laughable that a multi billionaire and a state owned football club should be the first to break away from the 'septic six'! They didn't need it in the first place!
Forum | General Discussion
What Does It Take To Start Benrahma?
Tomas Soucek, along with several of his team mates, is suffering from the exertions of having to cover for missing players, and the 'high energy team' that blew teams away has lost it's energy co-efficient from the level it had attained.
Said Benrahma has played so few minutes compared to the other players, when Jesse Lingard arrived his 'pent up energy' exploded because David Moyes unleashed Lingard's inner player, so why doesn't the vastly experienced West Ham manager utilise such an asset that he has at his disposal when his team is down to the bare bones?
Making unforced errors was the original reason for Benrahma's absence, but having seen last week's error strewn performance, perhaps David Moyes might want to reconsider. Moyes is known for his 'my way or the highway' stance when it comes to players' integration in to the team, however in the current circumstances he surely must use Benrahma more.
Injuries and suspensions have ripped the heart out of the team, people might say that back in the day teams got through the whole season with very few players, they forget to say, but with an awful lot of courtesone. The team have done incredibly well to have got so far, but it really is a time for all hands to the pumps now.
Moyes generally knows best, but sometimes proving a point can become somewhat of a Pyrrhic victory! . Ed
Euro 'Soccer' League Cunning Stunts?
Was the timing of the 'Euro Soccer League' announcement an example of the type of 'cunning stunts' that will be running the 'top boy's club'? We are sure the analogy will not be lost by most viewers, particularly those of a certain age who watched TV comedies in the early nineties, 'cunning stunt' was a play on words that 'kinda lingers'.
Around the same time as these new wave comedians were strutting their stuff a break away football league was being announced, much to the consternation of the bulk of football fans, as we know the Premier League has gone on to be the most successful global sporting medium of all time, surpassing the American NFL.
There is however a vast difference between the forming of the premier league and the proposals for the Euro 'soccer' league, in principal the premier league still embraced the jeopardy element of relation and promotion, an ethos that encouraged fans, many blindly, into believing their club could reach close to the summit.
The Soccer league does NOT, it is essentially a closed shop that tosses a few scraps to the 'little people' once in a while. NOw it is easy to have a knee jerk reaction to anything new and as such the 'merits' of the offer have to be reviewed whether we like them or not.
The hopes of the top cats are that every thing will blow over, and when the dust settles a 'compromise' will be reached in order for the various competitions to be played in tandem, this does rather dilute their 'elite' delusions that state they want to have top quality product available for the 'billions' who will watch their 'pets' play.
We have canvassed opinion from fans and webmasters from the six 'traitor' clubs, and all are appalled at was has occurred, but they weren't that surprised, without their clubs being able to 'milk them' of their gate money it just seemed a matter of time before the 'bean counters' would come up with a way to offset the massive financial losses due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
All of the signatories to the Soccer League, both home and abroad, are facing massive financial meltdown due to their 'bloated' recruitment policies that saw them literally outbid other clubs for stars galacticos, the wages on offer alone for ONE player would be enough to keep a League 1 team going for an entire season!
How exactly all the recent events affect West Ham will be clearer later today, once the remaining fourteen Barclays Premier League teams have met to discuss the issue, but it seems that there will be a truce between the warring parties, with the Soccer league postponing their launch for another season, during which time each party can 'negotiate' with the other.
Whilst appeasement has always proven to be the wrong choice in the long run, in the short term it may be inevitable, if not be prepared for a bare knuckle ride,sponsors will want their money back, players contracts could be nullified, and even the season's results of the 'Soccerites' could be expunged, which incidentally would benefit West Ham more than any of the other clubs left. The next few days and hours will dictate the speed of change, but unfortunately this does rather seem like the beginning of the end, AND the end of the beginning. - Ed
Sourpuss Sacked
Forums:
Well, this season might end up as a damp squib for West Ham because most fans know that Hammers reached for the sky and very nearly made it, unfortunately injuries and suspensions might see the team fall just short. However, one small spark of joy is in that knowing the 3-3 result against Tottenham sparked their decline culminating with the sacking of Jose 'sourpuss' Mourinho, and the fact that Daniel Levy will have to open his corporation wallet up to the estimated tune of in excess of £15 Million as a pay off!
What If The Boot Was On The Other Foot?
Quite rightly football fans and pundits have been stunned by the sheer avarice and single mindedness of some of Europe's elite teams, the 'break away' Euro Super League will essentially become 'members only', and to become a member you need to be a part of the 'old boys wealth club'.
Despicable as the whole concept seems, we at the Org, perhaps just in an attempt to play 'devil's advocate', were wondering how West Ham fans would feel if the Irons were to be one of the as yet unnamed remaining five clubs to join up with the 'super rich'.
Would we be so quick to condemn the blatant attempt that these clubs have of making an elite competition that only caters for the 'chosen few'? With hand on heart it is a difficult question to answer honestly, but there is an overwhelming feeling that this 'projected course of events' could have a cumulative effect on professional football as we know it.
The fact that virtually all the UK protagonists are influenced by owners who are not from the UK, is damning indictment enough, but perhaps the fans of Manchester City, Man Utd, Liverpool, Spuds, the Rent boys and the Gooners will enjoy the 'exclusivity' of playing with each other (pun intended).
Maybe the 'super league' will be an astounding success, and the supporters of the 'dirty half dozen' will luxuriate in their pampered but virtually empty stadia, who knows, but for once West Ham have not stuck their noses in the fiscal trough much loved by American businessmen. - Ed
Shame On Them-Super League 'Snakes'!
For many dyed in the wool football fans, the antics of overpaid players, and even more outrageously rewarded player's agents, have long been a bone of contention, the words greed and avarice being the common denominator, but news of the proposed 'European Super League' has taken things to 'another level'.
The 'Elite' teams will argue that it is 'just progress', and that the end justifies the means, and without wishing to decry the dreadful loss of life during the covid pandemic by using this analogy, what price a human life? The point is, a life is beyond financial value, and in this sometimes troubled country, we have one bright jewel, the NHS, which never ceases to shine despite the darkness it has to deal with on a constant basis.
Despite all the vast wealth on offer to Barclays Premier League teams, and those of the elite European teams, albeit at a vastly lesser overall fiscal level, the owners of most clubs, whether corporate or state funded, have no scruples about the 'state of the game', their modus operandi is either to 'make a Buck' or to gloss over the misdemeanors of a 'questionable' political regime.
It is indeed ironic, that during a season when 'young whipper snapper' clubs such as West Ham, and others, have dared to shake up the 'established' but vulnerable 'top order', that a restricted entry competition should be fast tracked, and it should be to the eternal shame of the co-signatories from the English League that they, along with their 'elite' European partners, have signed up for what might well be another step towards the final nail in the coffin of honest 'competitive' European football. - Ed
Tammy Interest A 'Side Show'
West Ham United and David Moyes's search for a new striker is similar to a long running soap, EastEnders perhaps? The same old characters disappear, and then emerge again once they have faded from the observers short term memory, and Chelsea's Tammy Abraham is no exception.
Chelsea have just reached the FA Cup final, are doing well in the Champions League and are only one point behind West Ham, with a game in hand. Since Thomas Tuchel took over from Frank Lampard his team have only lost once, at home to the Baggies, although it was a game affected by Chelsea going down to ten men early on in the match. (sounds familiar?)
The West London club's recent achievements have all been without the services of Abraham, Tuchel left the 23-year-old out of the Chelsea squad altogether for the FA Cup semi-final win over Man City, despite the fact the German could name NINE subs and use FIVE of them. Chelsea are reportedly interested in Sergio Aguero and Earling Haaland, as well as a potential move to bring Romelu Lukaku back to the Bridge.
Chelsea have a lot of distractions going into the crucial six-pointer game against the Irons next Saturday, they have the first leg of their Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid just 72 hours after the clash, and although they have a big squad, Tuchel will surely rest key players given his packed fixture list which will now, quite unexpectedly includes an FA Cup final too.
Hammers do have a full week’s rest ahead of the fixture whereas Chelsea face Brighton in the Barclays Premier League on Tuesday night. Moyes will be without Craig Dawson for the game against Chelsea following the defender's sending off for a 2nd bookable offence, but he hopes to have both Aaron Cresswell and Arthur Masuaku back for what will really be the 'season's defining fixture.
A win next Saturday could put Hammers firmly in the top four driving seats, a loss would confirm the relative mediocrity of a Europa League place, or worse! Qualifying for Europe would massively aid recruitment for the club, and Tammy Abraham's acquisition is part of the 'Moyes master plan', but at the moment, it is only a 'side show'. - Ed
it'll stick in your head
Forums:
yeah your foot started tapping right away
Wheels Come Off W(H)agon
It was almost inevitable that the injuries players have sustained would eventually catch up with West Ham, it was indeed unfortunate that fate complied to exacerbate the situation with an absolutely calamitous Hammers first half performance against Newcastle. The key stone cops first goal swiftly followed by Dawson's second yellow was a mere portent of what was to come.
Lukasz Fabianski must have thought he was back playing for Arsenal, as he was at fault in the main for the two goals conceded in the first half, especially the 2nd. The defence desperately missed the Cresswell/Masuaku combo, and boy did it show! Moyes's team did give it a real go in the second half, with Diop being slightly able to atone for his early error(s) with his headed goal, and with Jesse Lingard converting the penalty contentiously awarded, it seemed that the Irons were going to pull off an unlikely draw with just the ten men.
Alas it was not to be, as Newcastle finally made their one man advantage pay as Hammers were overwhelmed, and substitute Joe Willock was ablt to out fox the otherwise relatively solid Ben Johnson to slot home, Johnson having previously made a goal bound clearance with Fabianski clearly beaten.To make matters worse, Jesse Lingard was forced to leave the pitch half way through the additional eight minutes of injury time, with what looked like either the best case scenario, an acute case of cramp, or more worryingly his hamstring.
Both Liverpool and Chelsea can move above West Ham before the club take on their West London neighbours next Saturday, Chelsea will have played Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-final and Brighton & Hove Albion before then, they also have a Champions League match to play just after the 'six point showdown' with the Irons at the London Stadium, a game that will define Hammers European hopes.
Next Saturday's game is the one, somehow the medical staff have got to revive Lingard, get Big Mich Antonio, as well as Cresswell and Masuaku, on to the pitch, with those four players at least the team will stand a chance of success, albeit an outside one. - Ed
Pages
