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Go’miss’ As West Ham Set To Side-eye Target

Submitted by Louis Nixon on Wed, 19/03/2025 - 13:06

Graham Potter woke up this morning and might’ve finally realised how difficult transfers will truly be.

The club was met with the warming impression that Lille midfielder Angel Gomes is likely to not join West Ham on a pre-contract agreement after his seeming rejection of £100,000 per week.

In response to this, the club are planning to side-eye the English international and move on to other targets, with the idea of revisiting January target Ezechiel Banzuzi, who’s set to be available for £10,000,000 come the summer.

Potter has claimed that he’s looking for his ‘true’ side to become more proficient in possession. A ‘controlling’ midfield is what he’s aiming to achieve alongside Kyle Macauly in the window. Angel Gomes was seen as a top target for the manager but the club are refusing to pay more than the current £100,000 wage offer which is on the table.

Our wage structure will see a huge reduction with Uncle Ingy leaving, alongside Kurt Zou officially leaving the club, in addition to other exits such as Mavropanos, who’s on £60,000. With a wage restructure starting to form shape, the club cannot afford other players and agents’ coherence us into ridiculous wage demands when we could spent elsewhere.

In response to another Lille player, Jonathan David, we're still awaiting a response with David more reportedly open to the wage we have offered. However, not to worry! Sully gave him an invite to visit the London Stadium for the match against Newcastle, so surely that'll convince him to join.

Let's hope he saw how desperately we need a striker rather than the performance itself.

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Time for fun

hammergirl's picture
Submitted by hammergirl on Tue, 18/03/2025 - 07:59

International break so you boys know its time to have a fun/silly topic soooooooooooooo on a night out you Lads having a great time when i rock into the club the girl of your dreams(anyone who says nightmare gets a slap!)how long do you take to try your best chat up line and would it work?

I will be taking notes lol and i can only begin to wonder what the likes of Boogers/bikey/Dartford/essex/mrmoore/deluded/Burkie are going to come up with and Elt i think you will be a little more sophisticated:-) VAR do not take to long in deciding lol.

Nine games left

mcbikeman's picture
Submitted by mcbikeman on Sun, 16/03/2025 - 21:06

We are not getting relegated so Please Mr Potter lets try and play with a bit more purpose in these final games...Give Guilherme a Start Orford and Scarles as well Apart from the Spuds game there really is no pressure on any of the games....yes the higher you finish the more prize money you get but sod that lets have some Entertainment it is not to much to ask is it? i mean its like a mini preseason before the real preseason.

Match Of Managers Ends Equal

Submitted by Louis Nixon on Sat, 15/03/2025 - 17:23

Two changes from the starting 11 today, with Aaron Cresswell and Ollie Scarles making way for a return of Mavropanos and Emerson.

For some reason, Potter has seen some light in the Greek and decided to give him yet another chance, which, seemingly in the 22nd minute already started to show worries when he became invisible, letting the ball go through and forcing Kilman to pick up the pieces.

The best effort of the half caused a stunning save from Pickford to be made, saving Brainthwate from the embarrassment of an own-goal after nearly deflecting it in.

Pundits said Moyes was coming to haunt West Ham, but there must’ve been a ‘ghost- block’ on the pitch as the referee gave a penalty for Beto kicking the floor, yet fortunately despite its often errors, even VAR with its blurred vision could see there was no contact so it was overturned.

A dull first half from the Hammers, the same shots created and chances here and there as Newcastle, but we were so lacklustre in the attack without a primary target striker.

No subs at the half-time break, but the deadlock was broken through who other than Tommy? A great slotted finish through the defence and past Pickford. Jarrod came close to doubling the lead straight off kick off but was denied.

We seemingly started to pick up pace from the 65th minute onwards, but it would last a short while as Everton had their series of attacks, corners and everything under the sun.

Areola soaked up the pressure well but the attacks could only last so long, O’Brien equalised in the 90th minute with an open header at the back post, Mavropanos loosing his man and Jake O’Brien getting in-front of him costs us 2 points.

Yet again, it’s another underwhelming performance from the Hammers. The players were poor today and not having a target forward cost us as Bowen was marked out the game. Kudus and Bowen pairing upfront seems to be getting worse and worse each game. They might be good players individually, but together, they are not working.

7 points out of a possible 12 is a good return, but you do just get that droaning feeling that the season is still on. Nine games to go.

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Everton vs West Ham Line-ups

Submitted by Louis Nixon on Sat, 15/03/2025 - 13:47

Everton: Pickford, O'Brien, Tarkowski (C), Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Gana, Garner, Doucoure, Harrison, Alcarez, Beto
West Ham: Areola, Kilman, Todibo, Emerson, Wan-Bissaka, Mavropanos, Paqueta, Soucek, Ward-Prowse, Bowen (C), Kudus Subs: Fabianski, Ferguson, Ings, Guilherme, Alvarez, Scarles, Rodriguez, Soler, Cresswell

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England Squad announcement PMSL!!

boogerscaravan's picture
Submitted by boogerscaravan on Fri, 14/03/2025 - 09:50

I fell out of love with the England football team years and years ago, Serial under achievers. Culminating in old big nose getting a knighthood.

Now we have Ze German picking ze England team. It looks well and truly like he's carrying on that tradition. What a load of bollix. Henderson recalled, 32 year old Dan Burn called up. Kyle Walker still there. The recreation of the Home Guard, don't tell em yer name Pike!!

I nearly spat my tea out when I saw it. No wonder he's only got a 2 year contract - just don't mention the war. Come on England!!! PMSL

Luck or Skill? West Ham’s Most Unbelievable Wins and What Made Them Possible

Submitted by Louis Nixon on Thu, 13/03/2025 - 14:20

Football is ultimately a game of chance. West Ham United fans will know that more than others when it comes to watching The Hammers on the pitch.

While the sport is very much data-driven, given the use of statistics in the modern game, what happens on the pitch can be very different to what many may expect to happen. You can look at a piece of paper, analyze all of the data, make a prediction based on it, and then see something entirely different happen when the players are on the pitch.

Much like the games available at Betway Casino Zambia, strategies can be implemented to maximize win potential. However, luck is required to obtain a positive result at the end of the day. An outcome can be influenced by skill but can’t be predetermined. Football matches are very much the same, as we’ve seen at The Boelyn and London Stadium over the years.

Managers to have been on the Irons’ hot seat throughout their careers have all used various tactics and strategies to secure wins, with some of the victories being among some of the most unbelievable and unlikeliest, even to the die-hard Hammers faithful.

What West Ham victories have been “unbelievable”?

When it comes to thinking about the victories that are “unbelievable”, it’s possible to have a couple of different takes regarding what it may mean. For some, the term unbelievable may mean they gave themselves no chance of winning a match that they did. For others, they may categorize a victory in a match as being unbelievable because it’s something they could only ever dream of witnessing.

One match that perhaps falls into the latter of the two categories was the victory that occurred in Europe to win the Hammers the European Conference League title. With David Moyes in charge, the Irons would go on to win the title in the 2022/23 season; perhaps something that many wouldn’t have felt was possible.

The team put in numerous wins that were of incredible effort and skill, with West Ham starting their efforts in the Play-Off round of the competition. Beating Viborg (as expected), they went 100% in their group against Anderlecht, Silkeborg and FCSB and entered the Round of 16. From there, wearing their Betway-sponsored jersey throughout the tournament and attracting bettors with their performances, they defeated AEK Larnaca, Gent, AZ and then Fiorentina in the final. It was an unbelievable run and one filled with many victories that were of note.

Other matches have also come in European competition. Just a year earlier, the Hammers were competing in the UEFA Europa League and recorded several unbelievable wins before being knocked out in the semifinal. Their comeback against Sevilla in the second leg after losing 1-0 in the first to progress from the Round of 16 was a particular highlight many wouldn’t have been expecting, while their win over Olympique de Lyonnais in the next stage after a 1-1 draw in the first was also unexpected.

Are “unbelievable” wins unkind to West Ham?

It’s perhaps unkind to call certain West Ham wins “unbelievable”, given the quality of the squad they have. The Hammers may not have looked great at the beginning of the season under Julen Lopetegui, but Graham Potter appears to be getting things right at the London Stadium.

They’ve always been able to give some of the very best in the Premier League and Europe a run for their money when they play and can often be a threat. However, with plenty of disappointment having been experienced over the years, sometimes it means so much more to win a game when another outcome is expected.

Perhaps that’s a combination of luck and skill working together?

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Reasons to be cheerful....

boogerscaravan's picture
Submitted by boogerscaravan on Wed, 12/03/2025 - 11:37

In the words of the one and only Mr Ian Dury. Although I much prefer "into the kitchen Mother, the kettles got a hard on, you cant call that dripping it hasn't got no lard on".

Ask yer Grandad kids, anyway I digress.

With 9 games to go and nothing to speak of to play for. I've no doubt that Potter will be experimenting to a certain extent. He's sured up the defence and they all look like a proper unit at last. Todibo if we can get 90 mins out of him, Is the perfect partner for Kilman. Scarles and AWB are excellent wing backs. Although not his best game, Creswell is slotting in nicely at LCB. Although I do expect another upgrade of Potters choosing will come in the window.

Bowen and JWP apart. I think the rest are all auditioning so to speak. I expect Guilhereme to start being included more. As Potter will want to see him before the window opens. In case there is a star in there somewhere. Orford will get more minutes in midfield. He won't be going anywhere and Freddie Potts will return.

Potter is playing the long game. But not gambling or being reckless in his formation choices. I'm certain he has probably already got a good idea of who he wants around. More importantly those he does not.

I'm not getting down on Ferguson or Fulkrug. Potter will know if he wants either or none to stick around for the new season. I suspect we will see new faces. As Potter at last gets the chance to build his squad in his minds eye.

Then we can judge him. As for digging players out now it's pointless and achieves nothing. Its a new era for us and thankfully we are in safe hands it seems...

Toothless and Potless

mcbikeman's picture
Submitted by mcbikeman on Tue, 11/03/2025 - 08:39

A summer ahead where we need strikers and we need legs in the middle of the park.. we all know it so does Potter but the cupboards bare is the cry from the board and if we are to believe it what do we do about it?.

Promote some youth and hope they can step up and player sales obviously......So Mavs first out the door i think we all agree on that and maybe £12/15million at best Mr Marmite man Soucek rumoured to be wanted by he who shall not be named well a possible £25/30million at a stretch Kudus would love his buyout clause to be activated but it wont so say £65million so with three players taken out of the squad & Genoa want Cornet! snatch there hands off at any price we could be sitting on a pot of just over £100million add to that the alleged £50million+ that if you believe it Sullivan bid for that Villa bloke then things maybe not as bad as it would appear.

With contracts up at the end of the season a hell of a lot of work will be needed to be done on the squad and faffing around till deadline day will not cut it this time around so stop teasing supporters with names that we are never going to be able to sign and be more realistic and build a team not a squad of names or just players because they are cheap no proper due diligence has to be done and it had already better of started.

Pacman what a Conundrum even if his name is cleared would he want to stay? would you want to keep him? and of course the Aguered Question which IMO really is not a biggy sell him on and if R.Madrid are interested try £40million see if they bite if they do then a very healthy pot can be used to build the team that Potter wants.

Lacklustre Performance Equals Loss

Submitted by Louis Nixon on Mon, 10/03/2025 - 23:13

The Hammers struggled to find anything from the game from start to finish on the Monday evening.

A game full of prodding and poking got us chances here and there, but when it came to those chances, they would all end with nothing.

In the first minute of the game, the ball was fizzed in by Kudus but would find Row Z after a Tommy attempt from close range.

Eyes covered in misery before the break as the best chance of the first half fell to Kudus, who was running through on goal but didn’t even manage to get a shot off, another underwhelming game from the Ghanaian.

Tension followed and must’ve boiled over as in the 46th minute, Trippier was sent crashing down to the floor by the almighty Mexican’s shoulder! Or there was an imaginary sharpshooter in the stadium pitched on a light rig that I must’ve missed.

Four substitutions were made in the second half, but all would have minimal effect on the game. At least Mavropanos and Ings got a runout! Well worth the total £175,000 we pay per week.

Areola could only keep us in the game so much, chance after chance, and it felt inevitable that one opportunity would end up going in, Guimaraes broke the deadlock in the 63rd minute despite the two hands on Kilman from Isak, pushing him away from heading the ball but ‘too soft’ for VAR. The remaining 27 minutes was a blur; the only action was the controversial ‘non’ handball from Guimaraes as well, but then again, no one knows the handball rule anymore! But despite the poor decisions, they cannot excuse West Ham’s performance tonight.

Both teams had 9 shots, similar possession and 2 shots on target to 3. It seemed like an inevitable boredraw, but Potter’s side looked lacklustre throughout. It almost seemed like we were playing with 10 men for the 90!

It’ll be back to the drawing board for Saturday’s game against Everton.

10 games to go…

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