The official forum for all things Joe Bonamassa, guitars and blues music
You are not logged in. Please login or register.
Joe Bonamassa Forum → Off Topics → The Football Topic
Congrats, Ian. 
A thoroughly deserved win. There was, sadly, only one side that wanted it. I have rarely, if ever, during 42 years of suffering as a Hammer, been as mortified, shocked, and embarrassed as I was tonight. We were disgracefully poor in a must-win game. Zola will be gone before morning.
Gutted.
Yes, I second that Ian. Pleased for Mick McCarthy as well and I hope Wolves will be around next season. More chance than we have now!
Thoroughly deserved.
Although on the one hand I am not for changing managers and I wouldn't now even given our precarious state, Zola will have to shoulder the responsibility. He hasn't had any money as such but the team is his for 18 months and a 29% win rate is to poor a return.
The team is naive at the back and no amount of fancy play can cover up that shortcoming. Despite the action he gets Green isn't performing like a keeper who wants to go to the world cup either.
Whilst I don't believe Zola has lost the dressing room it is clear the players can't or won't respond to his management in the circumstances. I'm for seeing out the season with him in place. If we go down he should go as we can't afford him and Clarke at that money in the Championship. If they stay up he has got the first 6 games next season I would say and if the results are poor he should be gone. Sorry to say, but his record wouldn't be good enough.
A lot of other fans wouldn't go for it I know but Curbs would be the right bloke again but I guess that train has left the station although Gold is a fan of his.
Shocking performance and result though, but that shouldn't detract from Wolves approaching the game with exactly the right mindset and desire for a result. Well done to them!
Thanks for the kind words guys.
I was a huge game for both of us, and I think maybe the word that sums up the difference between the teams is desire.
I didn't realise the game was on Sky until about 20 minutes in, otherwise I'd have been down the pub to watch it. I listened on the radio, and saw quite a bit on an internet stream (that kept freezing every so often). You've got several very talented players there, but their approach to the game is all wrong for me. Mad Mick (I'm no fan) is tactically naive - but he insists his players "put a shift in". I think that was the difference last night.
I don't think you should be too worried - look at the stats - you had far more chances and shots on target than we did, but for once our players were clinical with their finishing. And our keeper had a good game.
I don't think Zola's a bad coach - I'm guessing the problem's more with the players. One thing was very noticeable - our guys stayed on their feet more, wheras some of your players had the tendancy to throw themselves to the ground whenever they are tackled (cleanly or otherwise). It won you a lot of free kicks, but just disrupted play and allowed our defence to organise. Our players have been critiicised by several pundits for being too honest in that respect (there are several penalties that could have been awarded in other games) but I dislike that aspect of the game.
I hope you manage to stay up ( as long as it's not at our expense 
)
I'm going to insist that all other teams except Wolves play in Claret & Blue next season. Seven points from the last three games (Burnley, Villa, & WHU - all away) is a decent tally.
Ian
What worries me a little is so many people are saying that WH will be OK because the other 2 main candidates (Hull and Burnley) are just too bad to stay up.
I can't agree with that line of thinking. The last 7 games will all be cup finals now for all 3 clubs and anything can happen. WH had, on paper, a good run in with a home game against some of their main rivals in the basement area. Unfortunately they have now lost 2 of the most important ones against Bolton and Wolves so that run in now looks a whole different picture.
They have to have a completely different mindset to get anything against Stoke even at home and with Everton, a rejuvinated Sunderland over the next couple of games it is really hanging out there.
It's not unreasonable to expect Hull's players to respond to the new management in the short term. This will go to the last day and the last goal which could yet be our saving grace. Hadn't wished to see such a struggle again this season. At least I hope all the players are properly signed this time and if we survive there are no shenanigans. Maybe this is our punishment for the fiasco............. 
Well Mike, that's us well and truly *^%*ed. 
I think that Zola will walk or get fired tonight, to be replaced by someone who will be on a hiding to nothing. I can't see us scoring, or winning another game. Seriously depressing times.
My son gives commiseration AH. Hertha sits dead last with a freshly renovated Olympia stadium in Berlin. The finest facility in the land for a division 2 (soon to be) team. The fans got so ugly that Nuernberg had to flee into the dressing room at the end of the match to avoid the fans running onto the field with blood on their minds. Similar to when Juventus was sent down for cheating.
Rick
Well Mike, that's us well and truly *^%*ed.
I think that Zola will walk or get fired tonight, to be replaced by someone who will be on a hiding to nothing. I can't see us scoring, or winning another game. Seriously depressing times.
Tony Mowbury is out of a job just now (thankfully) should you need someone in a hurry.
Oh thanks Duncan.Just what we need right now, another open playing manager.
Sorry, although I do agree with the principle of sweeping open play, it just doesn't wash in a dogfight. Mowbray got West Brom relegated doing just that. I thought he would have a fairer time of it at Celtic. They are the a top 2 club so I would have thought he would be given the time.
For Celtic it would be the right way and once he got them there he would have been set like Fergie for adecade or more. But time is what they don't have anymore.
For WH if Zola does his 'thinking' and decides to walk then despite what any other fans think, Curbishley would still be my man to get them out of this. Ridiculous (to me at any rate) that he was allowed to go in the first place, but he personally was right to do so.
I said on these pages when Zola was appointed that the EPL was a tough place to learn the job and so it has proved. Despite what some fans said of him Curbishley kept an impoverished Charlton in the EPL for many years punching above their weight. Pretty much soon after he went - they went. He would have got WH where they needed to be. Can we honestly say in the EPL we could expect more than top 10 regularly in 5 years. After that, with more money there could have been steady improvement.
Never know 'cos the Icelandics wrecked the club and Zola is their final legacy. I like the bloke but the players won't do it for him. Friend of mine said that the atmosphere on Saturday was fantastic, just what Sullivan asked for from the fans. Sadly, despite the implications of the game the players never rose to the occasion. After the goal, some of them folded.
It isn't over, but part of me says the club deserves this somehow. Chickens coming home to roost and all that.....hope not but it isn't the first time and probably won't be the last.
O. M. G.
What a fantastic game tonight, especially the first half, when Barca gave Arsenal the kind of football lesson they've never had. Barca could and should have had at least five, if not seven goals in the first 20 minutes. The final score did not do the game justice, that useless ref has a lot to answer for in giving a non-penalty AND a totally unjust red card.
Still, a wonderful, classic game! 
Lionel Messi
(I apologize for the smilie overkill, but OMG, what a player this boy has become!)
when Barca gave Arsenal the kind of football lesson they've never had
agree, - although not so sure I would call it a "football " lesson, - it is not often you see non Arsenal players rolling around on the ground like they have been shot after a near tackle
This is turning out to be a very good season for a Spurs fan!
Ian
What a wonderful day (and week) it's been for me! 
Most importantly, the Hammers picked up three crucial points today, while Burnley surprised Hull and everyone else. With Wigan at home still to come, we should just about be safe. I hope. Our win means Pompey are officially down. I blame Harry Redknapp.
As far as entertainment goes, you can't get any better than watching Messi score five in a week, including one tonight in Barca's totally deserved 2-0 win at Real - a game shown live in 84 countries!
I was neutral about the ManU-Bayern game at the start, but at 3-1 I found myself hoping that Bayern would score another just to expose Taggart's poor judgment. Yeah right, blame it on "the Germans" for getting Rafael sent off.
(Sorry Brack, not intended to be personal, just how it was.)
It is certainly pleasant to be able to write that the Hammers have, finally, won again after so many disasters in the recent weeks.
I still think it will ebb and flow right up to the last minute. If Burnley rediscover a bit of home form now they could yet clamber out. I can't expect WH to get anything at Liverpool, we never do. I do think we'v e done anything there since Winston Churchill was PM.
So then the Wigan game becomes the next cup final.....and so it goes. Every team in that bottom 5 have been rubbish this year no matter what the problems have been. I'll take survival and live to fight another day but I take little comfort from it.
As for United / Bayern, I was surprised by Taggart's reaction. I guess it shows how passionate he still is and what a winner he is in that he is such a poor loser. With his experience I would have thought he would just brush it off. Won the match, lost the tie. It can happen. Now he has to do it all again next year. At least he has that to look forward to.
Strange game though. Relegated yesterday and a chance of reaching the cup final today. Pompey could 'do' their ex manager who some irrationally blame for their current plight and it would give Grant the chance to go up against his ex-employers as well. Spurs should be too strong but football is so often perverse. Good luck Pompey and have a fine date out whatever. Might be the last one for a while.
Although I wished them luck in my last post even I can't believe that Pompey were able to do it! I predicted the score correctly to a mate but in favour of Spurs!
Football is perverse, but I suppose this result goes some way to easing the pain of administration and relegation plus an uncertain future.
Well done to the Pompey team and especially to Avram Grant, who I think has cut a very dignified figure this season during all their travails. He said he wouldn't stop fighting for the club and he is a man of his word it would seem. When he lost the Chelsea job after doing so well there he handled that situation with dignity and aplomb as he has his tenure on the South Coast.
I wish him and Pompey the very best and I hope they can go all the way. It would probably be the club's finest hour if they could.
Play up Pompey!
as a Spurs fan..... I want to see Avram show Chelsea a thing or 2... And Portsmouth to show the English FA what a bunch of idiots they are by winning their cup...And they need to employ a good groundsman at Wembley! - And a few better referees would n't go a miss!
Well played David James.
as a Spurs fan.....
Well played David James.
I manfully resisted quoting your last line on the previous page.
Nothing personal mate, but this was the icing on the exquisite cake that has been my football weekend. While I don't share the blind hatred for Spurs that many Hammers have, I do have very serious issues with that twitchy, baggy-faced low-life that is your manager, so I was delighted to see him shafted. All credit to Pompey, especially given their circumstances, and the day after our win officially relegated them.
After the Hammer's win over Sunderland and the Barca triumph in Madrid last night, my local team, Ajax, treated me to a 7-0 thrashing, so I really have had what you can call an exceptionally good weekend all round.
(And one of my cycling favorites won Paris-Roubaix)!
Nothing personal mate, but this was the icing on the exquisite cake that has been my football weekend. While I don't share the blind hatred for Spurs that many Hammers have, I do have very serious issues with that twitchy, baggy-faced low-life that is your manager, so I was delighted to see him shafted.
that 'ill be the man that got his unfortunate looks from a car crash that others died in? - A bit harsh for a man that did a good job for West Ham and then got fired? And then the Club went on a run of disasters with managers and still today have a problem in that department? Zola may be a really nice guy but not qualified for the job (yet)? - I actually have a fondness for West Ham as my Grandfather was born in Upton Park and it is a proper football Club with a great record of bringing kids through the ranks, - just a shame it appears to be so badly run. - Sorry to disagree with you but I think Harry is one of the best English managers in the game; Spurs were bottom when he took over, - but then I guess you don't have to be a nice guy to be a good manager, and you can be a nice guy and a poor manager!
Anyway a win against Arsenal tonight goes some way to picking things up again!
That was quite a game. There was live coverage here in the U.S. and I watched too.
Rick
Joe Bonamassa Forum → Off Topics → The Football Topic
Powered by PunBB, supported by Informer Technologies, Inc.
Currently installed 2 official extensions. Copyright © 2003–2009 PunBB.