Saturday 30 October 2010

Arsenal 1 West Ham 0 - Cruel Desserts

Alex Song heads Arsenal's winner against West Ham
Life is cruel at the bottom. We can't say Arsenal didn't deserve to win, they hit the woodwork twice and Green made two excellent saves and three good ones, but to hold out for 85 minutes and lose 1-0 was cruel. For one moment as Green appealed for offside, I hoped that Song was off as he netted, but sadly the goal was a good one and deserved to stand. It is hard to blame anybody, but we had dropped deep and Faubert sold himself desperately easily for a feinted cross, allowing all the time in the world for the final ball to be delivered.

The performance up until that point had been wonderfully professional. Yes we were lucky when Walcott struck the post after outstripping Ilunga and shooting across Green, and perhaps when Nasri struck the bar, although he was miles out and the ball hit the upper half of the woodwork so was not really in any danger of going in. Those moments apart, Green made three saves in the first half and three in the second, only one of which was out of the very top drawer.

There's not much more to add on the first half report. It was all about closing, closing, closing. Up front, we offered nothing in the second half. Piquionne was a shot bolt 5 minutes into the half and when Cole belatedly replaced him, he offered next to nothing. Mind you, by that stage, Obinna had nestled back into the midfield and had ceased to serve as a link to the lone front man. Once that happened, a goal was always likely to come because Arsenal were able to come at us in wave after wave after wave.

The real heroes of the performance were Green, Da Costa and Gabbidon, all of whom had superb games. To criticise any of them for the goal would be absurd. It was a superbly delivered cross that was impossible to defend for a centre half and goalkeeper alike. Once Song reached it with his head, it was always going to be a goal.

Boa, Noble, Parker and Behrami all did well in their role as defenders but, one Parker run apart, they were auxiliary defenders throughout the whole of the second half. Behrami was sadly summed up, however, when he diced with conceding a penalty and lost possession repeatedly. After Ilunga, he was the weakest player on show for me. Yes he runs, yes he huffs and puffs, yes he flings around his arms and legs but he is very ordinary in truth.

As for Ilunga, well he was my choice as Hammer of the Year a couple of seasons back but now, he looks off the pace, casual and frankly disinterested. Yes we need a goal scorer in January, but we desperately need a left back too.

Player Ratings: Green 10, Jacobsen 6, Da Costa 8 Gabbidon 8, Ilunga 5; Behrami 5, Noble 7, Parker 8, Boa 7; Obinna 6; Piquionne 6 Subs: Cole 5

78 comments:

hammalot said...

I trust those ratings are deliberately inflated to combat the haters who comment here.

Really noone deserves ratings above 7s because the game of football is about defending AND attacking.

H4MM3R said...

well summed up.
Sure, Arsenal were the better Team but it's so fucking cruel to concede the goal so late after excellently defended 88 minutes and thoses worldclass saves.
I'm still so damn pissed off...

fred149 said...

actually HF behrami wasnt on the field for the goal the mistake was from faubert a minute after he came on for behrami barrera shudve come on earlier but id like to more of wot we saw in the cup match against stoke attacking wise defending wise we were impressive but the sale of daprela is becoming more and more questionable after tht performance from ilunga

Sav said...

I think Avram should know better than using Faubert 5 minutes from the end to defend the score. The man just can't defend! What a mismatch to put him against Walcott! That is incredibly bad judgement on behalf of AG. It's probably worse than I can remember Zola ever doing during a match. We lost this game because AG was tinkering with a team that had shape and performed pretty good for more than 85 minutes! unbelievable really! When I saw Faubert coming in I said this is how we lose the game. I am so sorry to be proven right within just one minute!

Hammersfan said...

Trusting you are right Fred; I have corrected.

Hammersfan said...

Nope you are wrong Fred, I've corrected back. Behrami came off AFTER the goal. Faubert replaced Obinna. I'm pretty sure it was Behrami who sold himself for the goal.

Hammersfan said...

Green only deserves 7 Hammalot? Da Costa and Gabbidon only deserve 7? You are a hard man!

Anonymous said...

Gabby once again shows he is our best natural defender. upson should not get ahead of them two.

Deane said...

Faubert did come on for Obinna but I'm pretty sure it was him that got sold out on the right and where was Jacobsen?

Anonymous said...

It was deinately Faubert.

Anonymous said...

My god HF - how on earth can you possibly write reports on matches that you don't attend or watch? You don't even know who was on the field and when. This blog is an utter joke, as HF, are you.

Get involved, watch the games, then write about them. Until then, it's clear that you have a few problems with attention - I'm guessing you're pretty lonely/unhappy in life which is why you comment so much on your own articles. I've never seen that anywhere else.

Hammersfan said...

1907 I know perfectly well who was on the pitch. Behrami was still there when Arsenal scored. Faubert came on for Obinna and Behrami was replaced AFTER the goal by Barerra. I will check on MOTD but I think it was Behrami who was done for the goal but I may be wrong. And I did watch the game.

Anonymous said...

HF your an idiot, it was the french frog who was turned inside out not behrami which gave walcott all the time in the world to cross. West ham where pathetic and deserved nothing from the game. They where out played and tried and failed to hang on and get a draw. What your saying is lets all be happy because it was a fine loss unlike the newcastle game. A loss is a F++king lose and we WILL be relegated. The question is who goes down with us.

Hammersfan said...

You are a happy bunny aren't you? I don't think we will go down. Surely Super Scotty Parker is too good to be relegated isn't he?

Anonymous said...

It was Faubert that was at fault for the goal.

What an idiot. HF that is, not Faubert. At least Faubert attends the games!!!

Anonymous said...

19.07 you are a worldclass dumbass so please piss off if you don't like the blog.

Big Mac said...

Fanny-o, you do know how to make a tw@ of yourself don't you??!! Keep it up!

Anonymous said...

Sorry HF your not an idiot, I'm just so depressed with west ham. My wife is getting really annoyed with all my ranting and negativity every bloody weekend.

Anonymous said...

Barrera scored?? (You also need to work on your spelling of West Hame players HF).

Bet this one don't get through the shields!!

Anonymous said...

Why don't you all look at West Hams main site you idiots. It says Obinna was replaced by Faubert THEN the goal win in with Faubert at fault, then Barrera come on for Behrami.

*sigh*

T.I.S said...

Yh i'm afraid it was the unmistakable bauld head of Forbs that got done. I've realised that Tottenham game aside, most of post match comments have been, good defending the whole game, or good attacking the whole game, but rarely both. Concerning. However a win against the brummies has now become paramount, as well as wins when that home run against the 'weaker' teams comes along. No pressure lads!

Anonymous said...

19.27 - what's not to like about this place? It's a one man personality car crash! It's great!!

Hammersfan said...

1933, no problems mate. My wife would be getting Hell but for the fact she was critically ill in hospital until Thursday. Kind of puts things in perspective. Shankley was wrong. Football is not more important than life and death!

Hammersfan said...

And, to quote Bowie, you keep crashing in the same car 1953! Still trapped in the wreckage of The Game I see.

Hammersfan said...

Interestingly, this is currently the MOST visited report on the match on the News Now West Ham All Sources Board

Anonymous said...

Geez, HF, do get a life!!

Anonymous said...

How did your big TV interview go HF?? Can we see it yet??

I'm currently running a quick analysis on the IP addresses which go from links to this site from newsnow. I wonder what I'll find...I'll let you know in about 15 mins...

Anonymous said...

The most visited because everyone's having a good laugh at your expense! This place is priceless - thank the lord for care in the community!!!

Hammersfan said...

Do let me know. On hold due to the ill health of my wife. Priorities.

Anonymous said...

What a surprise! tw@

Hammersfan said...

Sorry, so I should have gone into London for an interview whilst the wife was critically ill in hospital should I? I will know next time!

Anonymous said...

Analysis run:

Over 83% of traffic that traverses from newsnow to this site comes from one destination ip address (i.e. from one computer/user).

I'll leave your reader(s) to make of that what they will.

I doubt you'll be letting this one through though, I wouldn't.

I'll gladly publish the results in full if you'll allow me to post a link to my site?

Hammersfan said...

What a lot of nonsense! Do please supply the details! You are a total twat and you live in a fantasy world!

Anonymous said...

Fanny-o - I think you just got found out!!

Still, it's nothing that everybody didn't know about you anyway.

you shouldn't fling the fantasy world? Pot, kettle comes to mind.

Say goodnight to Gracie.

Anonymous said...

Careful my dear, language like that will get you booted off newsnow. I'd dread to think what would become of you if you lost that from your life.

Steve B said...

Serious question HF - why is newsnow and having things in lists quite so important to you? And why do you feel the need to trumpet it/hitcounters etc, whether they have been manipulated by you or not?

Hammersfan said...

Stevie, it is a measure of how many prople visit the site. Why are site traffic figures important to any website? If I thought I was writing this for one man and his dog, I wouldn't bother. That's what the idiot anonymouses fail to understand. The fact they keep returning actually bolsters the site. If they hate the site so much why do they keep returning?

2100, I don't think I have. The twat hasn't come back with his figures has he? Says it all really. But then yu are probably him anyway!

Anonymous said...

Full brake down of figures available on the following link

www.wehatethegamesgonecrazy.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

Oh HF, do stop peddling that site about. Were you disappointed that nobody fell for it and sent you their email address?

Anonymous said...

I hope your wife's feeling better and I'm glad she is out of the hospital. It certainly puts things into perspective, last year my wife was seriously ill and spent 2 weeks in the hospital. I think your blog is great and love your opinions. I believe Grant should be sacked now as that would send a clear message of intent that we do not and will not tolerate being rock bottom of the league. We are a big club with great support (10th or 11th in average attendance every year) we deserve better than this.

Hammersfan said...

Cheers 2222. Hope your wife is fully recovered. Mine has started to moan so things are getting back to normal!

Diagree with you about sacking Grant. Too early yet in my opinion.

Hammersfan said...

2205, why not take a look, see if the pillock has published his promised made up stats. I said I would never visit the site and I am keeping to that. Or are you the same anonymous?

Anonymous said...

Hammers, it's unfortunate that you have a proven track record longer than Route 66 of dishonesty and speaking to yourself on forums (including your own). Your integrity disappeared many moons ago.

The site was clearly set up by you, hence only being able to submit to it by emailing the owner.

I'll tell you what though, I'll set up a similar blog site where all will be free to comment with no censorship like there is on here. It will be totally transparent to determine if someone is posting comments under multiple names and every 'anonymous' will be distinguishable from the other.

You'll have no problem with me posting the link on here will you? Being as popular as you are, the majority of comments on there are going to in favour of you aren't they?

Deal?

Anonymous said...

" I said I would never visit the site and I am keeping to that. "

Did you mean to say that?

Angrystu said...

Talking of manipulated statistics; I watched online and the possession stats at the end read 55% gooners 45% hammers, which I thought was an accurate measure of the game. MotD just showed the same stat as 62/38. Which is bollocks. What exactly have we done to make this turd of a show hate us. Highlights were biased again also.

Anonymous said...

It's your site anyway hf - if we go down you had a hand in it - plain and simple - I believe Zola would be doing a better job.

Hammersfan said...

2303, it is a deal. Why would I publish this if what you say is true? Quite how you think you will get hits is beyond me, however. Do you think you will be platformed on News Now? You may get five anonymouses and their dogs but, without a platform, you are going to struggle.

Wasn't that the problem with wehatethegamesgonecrazy? It was all very well publiciing it on here but, given most who visit this site are pleased with what is offered, the market was always going to be very limited wasn't it?

Hammersfan said...

Yes it was Faubert! I have corrected.

Hammersfan said...

Did I get Zola the sack? I thought 85% of the visitors to this site were me! God I wield some influence don't I?

Anonymous said...

See hammers, you're the only one with this little newsnow obsession - it isn't important to anyone else.

Anyway, perhaps you missed the point. The site I'll set up will not be like this one - a shrine to myself and my ego - I, thankfully, have a full enough life to not need that.

The point of the site will be a proper incarnation of what you tried to do with the site you mention (wehatethe etc, etc).

It will allow people to go there, linked to by this site, and comment on your pieces, in real time with no delays, and not be censored by you. It will be transparent - so we will be able to tell when you comment under multiple names, and when you comment under various anonymous's.

Still up for it? I think it would be a very healthy thing for you to partake in.

Hammersfan said...

So your site will be a parasite living off the back of this site? It will generate no traffic of its own, only traffic from this site? And you claim to have a life? You very, very, very sad and obsessed man. The Game really has your bollocks in its vice doesn't it? Tell you what, let's start by you publishing your name and address on here as the author first, with a contact number emailed to me, then sure; I'm up for that!

By the way, I do not censor anything other than pornography and foul language, as the published criticism shows.

Anonymous said...

23.53 must say you sound a very sad guy. Let it go guy. You sound a total arse. I dont agree with hf alot your the idea of setting up a site to critisise this site and then wanting this site to feed your traffic is totaly pathetic. Grow up or better still get a girlfriend.

Anonymous said...

think your the one who has a personality problem mate. set up a site to havea go at this site. sad.

Concerned Citizen said...

I'm afraid you don't even censor the foul language. I thing I'm sad to say is going to get you into a lot of trouble with newsnow.

Tell me, if/when your site gets dropped from newsnow, what will you have in your life?

You are in no position to call anyone sad or obsessed. You seem to think that having a blog that appears on a news aggregater somehow means you are somebody? Do you not spend long enough in the real world to know how pathetic that makes you look to normal people. You don't need to answer that - this blog answers it for you.

You have no connection to the club, you do not follow it, you do not support it and you don't even attend their games. Yet you spend countless hours of your life merely repeating things you've read on other websites or have seen on the tele. That's weird. Very weird.

It appears to all the world that this is the only place you have where you can actually talk to people. I've never seen another site where the majority of comments posted are by the blog author. And even then, the only way you get to make people talk to you is by being a complete a) imbecile getting everything wrong or b) a complete a-hole because that's all you are basically.

And yes, considering that the majority of comments in this blog are made by you, it stands to reason that the majority of traffic (those all important hits, in your little world) comes from you.

Please, wake up from this delusion that you find yourself in. We can all see you for what you are. You are displaying all the traits of a very withdrawn and depressed individual - that will just lead you to an early and unhappy grave.

Gaz said...

I see you're at it again HF!! I guess you can't ban yourself from your own site for posting under multiple names!!! Lordy-lordy.

Hammersfan said...

I do my best best with the foul language. I only rule out the f and c words when spelt correctly.

As for time spent on this site, how long do you spend on the internet exactly? I have the site on drop down and get on with all sorts at the same time. Then pull it up from time to time. Tonight I've read A Brave New World for the first time and watched MOTD. Also enjoyed a great take away curry with my son and serviced my ill wife's every need. I suppose I've spent a total of an hour of my life writing the articles today and another hour tops replying. Less time that many have spent watching X Factor and Come Dancing or whatever other crap is on TV. Elton John on the box at the moment actually. Baby's got blue eyes.

Hammersfan said...

If you like Gaz. Are you me as well?

hammalot said...

I honestly dont understand the criticism of HF. Sure you may disagree with his articles (as I often do) but you shouldnt be so adamant against his rights to develop a free editorial online.

This is the typical petty infighting mentality that lets the real problems go unsolved.

Anonymous said...

What a w@nker you are so called Hammersfan

Hammersfan said...

hammalot, you must keep in mind that a high percentage of the anonymous critics are supporters of the BNP. Look at the way they pile in every time I criticise that racist organisation. Freedom of thought? These guys wouldn't allow great swathes of our population the freedom to live given half the chance!

John said...

So little about West Ham F C surely time would be better spent and far more interesting on discussing the clubs problems, successes, failures etc instead of the childish thrust and parry of personal insults.

Hammersfan said...

The trouble is John, that with this comment, you have been drawn into the debate too. It was fair enough to start off with, I made a mistake, thinking it was Behrami and not Faubert who sold himself for the goal. The criticism was justified up to a point, although The Telegraph claimed it was Barrera who passed to Piquionne for the goal against Sunderland, when I clearly saw it was Obinna. In real time, we get things wrong sometimes. But the aggression is very sad and represents all that is wrong with our modern society. People now think that yelling and insulting equates to debate.

Anonymous said...

Was proud of the way the lads played today and gutted at losing it at the death, cruel but that's football. Only wish they could have performed like that last week in a winnable game. Unfortunately we need to string a few wins together starting at Birmingham and I believe with the same application and effort and with a bit more guile upfront, we can get those points.

Instead of slagging off the manager and certain players, let's get behind the team, they need the support now more than ever.

Anonymous said...

أنا لست عنصريا ولكن ما زلت أعتقد Hammersfan هو احمق

Stewart said...

Do love the way you put up these empty strawman arguments with absolutely no grounding in reality.

'they're all bnp supporters' and so they are this and they are that, etc.

As one of the 'anons' I can assure you I am no supporter of the BNP. I am neither a supporter or a criticiser of you but I do enjoy visiting this blog. It is like an open psychological experiment where you seem to enjoy being the unwitting subject. The traits you display on here for all to see (paranoia, dishonesty, ego-mania, conceit, insular-ism, etc) make me very worried for you.

Your perceived self, ideal self and actual self are clearly so very far apart I fear that if you were to one day realise this, you would collapse in mental breakdown. However, that needn't be a negative thing, because through that process, you will heal and be able to reinsert yourself back into society.

Some suggested reading for you, it's a good place to start:

http://www.alduncan.net/self.html

Good luck to you on your journey.

Hammersfan said...

Well done for using a name Stewart, you are no longer an Anon. It would be useful for future debates if you stuck with it, although one of the cowardly anons will probably hide behind it to try to frustrate any sensible debate.

Unfortunately you destroy your own case by misquoting me. Contrast what you claim I said with what I actually did say. You claim I say, "'they're all bnp supporters'" and I leave in your quotation marks inside mine to show that it was not a paraphrase but, according to you, a direct quotation. In fact I actually said: "you must keep in mind that a high percentage of the anonymous critics are supporters of the BNP."

Now, being an intelligent guy, you will know that there is a world of difference between "all" as you claim I said and, "a high percentage", which is, in fact, what I did say. This, of course, renders your point that you are not a BNP supporter somewhat redundant - you do not fall into the high percentage! Good on you!

If we then reflect back on your incorrect claim that I am "dishonest" and "paranoid", we find it actually describes yourself. I did not say you were a BNP supporter, but through paranoia, you chose to include yourself inside that group. You are also, by your own definition, dishonest because you chose to misquote me deliberately to suit the purposes of your argument.

Having studied psychology, I can quote you some more interesting web sites and, indeed, books should you wish to understand the subject a little better.

The site is called "The Game's Gone Crazy" for a reason my friend. The Game is precisely that, a Game. And as well as a West Ham dedicated blog, it has become a case study in obsession, conceit, egotism and insularism as you say, but I am not the patient. You are.

Ever read "The Trial"?

Welcome to The Game my friend!

Anonymous said...

@ 14:58. You are clearly deranged. That, quite possibly, is the closest you have yet come to proving them right about you. I think 13:41 was being quite genuine, I think he also makes a fair point about you.

Hammersfan said...

You would! So counter the argument instead of throwing an insult! The Game continues to hold you like a vice on the testicles my friend!

Anonymous said...

I don't need to counter your argument, you just did that for me. See you.

Hammersfan said...

Of course you will. You will keep coming back. The Game has caught you!

hammalot said...

even if you trap HF in some bellend logic it doesnt mean he should just shut up.

with regards NewsNow listing I can understand the criticism but without this blog there is literally nothing apart from tepid match reports for West Ham on there so what do people want honestly?

Anonymous said...

HF your a prick and the BNP rule ahahahaha

Anonymous said...

Cruel deserts... you illiterate pig!

Anonymous said...

Deserts used here should be the plural of desert, meaning "that which one deserves"

Or perhaps you could eat a nice dessert in the sandy desert.

Hammersfan said...

LOL I wouldn't expect you to understand a pun. Arsenal scored as the last course - leaving only the cheese and biscuits and coffee to follow. Sorry that I am too clever for some of you illiterate morons!

Anonymous said...

Well done HF, I just love your smart sharp retaliatory retorts. Awesome mate. Up the hammers.

Hammersfan said...

Cheers 0310

Anonymous said...

wtf?!?!?! you're having a tin bath you mug!!