Ahead of this weekend’s crunch encounter with West Ham, I left a set of questions on a popular fans forum and was lucky enough to receive four responses from Hammers supporters. So thanks to Jake, Dean, Michael and Simon (from West Ham Blog) for taking the time to share their thoughts.
What did you make of the matches between the two sides last season?
Jake: The first match, from a West Ham fan’s perspective, was pretty tough. It was the first game of the season, away to a newly promoted side. No team wants that. We were pretty lucky to win that game actually. Wolves game close, hit the crossbar, and tested Green quite a lot throughout the game. Milijas in particular, stood out and looked the real deal that match. Overall it was a pretty decent game of football which neither of the two teams really deserved to lose. It should have been a draw, but the Hammers took their chances.
Simon: A tale of two matches! The first game of the season when we beat you gave us some hope for the season, by the time we played you again we had a slightly different perspective. You mullered us but I hope we get some revenge this Saturday.
Dean: Good battles, opening game of the season there is no form but thought we edged it and took our chances. The game at Upton Park I thought you deserved the win, Doyle was fantastic.
Michael: I’m assuming you mean the 2-0 victory at Molineux and not the drubbing at Upton Park. To win away at newly promoted Wolves last season was a great result. You never know what to expect from a newly promoted side during the first few games of the season as they play without the fear factor. However Noble produced one of our goals of the season and to keep a clean sheet was also another bonus. It was also, would you believe, the last time West Ham have won away in the league so a victory at Molineux again is exactly what we need.
How would you sum up West Ham’s start to the season?
Jake: Poor. Very poor in fact. To be quite honest, this is just typical West Ham all over. We’re the sort of team that would beat Man United one week, and then lose to Wigan the next. However, I fancied us strongly against Aston Villa on our first game of the season, until I saw our starting line-up! In our first 3 league games we’ve shipped in three goals. However, as it stands we’re on a four unbeaten run. Which will hopefully be extended after the Wolves game!
Simon: Not as bad as some would have you believe. We lost to the Champions and the runners up and were still finding our feet in the games against Villa and Bolton but we’ve got some good rhythm now and are un-beaten in four.
Dean: Expected, we are a confidence side with lots of players who do not perform without high confidence i.e Carlton Cole & Upson. I believe we have now turned the corner.
Michael: This season has not started off great, however the fixtures we faced in the opening 6 games where probably the hardest run of fixtures any team had this season. West Ham have turned things around with draws away at Stoke and a win against arch rivals Tottenham, and we are finally believing we can take points off the next coming fixtures.
Is Avram Grant the right man for the job?
Jake: Time will tell. I’ve always thought of Avram as a cup manager. What he done at Portsmouth last season was pretty special. Although they faced relegation, he got them to an FA Cup final. Who knows what would have happened if they’d hadn’t of received that points deduction. He doesn’t really show much emotion, truth be told, but hopefully we’ll give him a good amount of time to function. Hopefully he’ll add some decent players to the squad in January, and not eye-brow raising garbage like Tal Ben-Haim, and Piquionne who looks to be coming good. We are still in the League Cup though, so who knows what this season could bring?
Simon: I was happy with his appointment and he has done well so far
Dean: Yes he has made some good signings to key areas and is now making strong decisions i.e dropping Carlton, giving Da Costa a regular start at CB and leaving out the woeful Spector for Gabbidon at LB. I believe we have now turned the corner.
Michael: I was not sure about Avran Grants appointment or some of the signings he had made over the summer. However he has worked with pretty much an non existent budget this summer and has brought pace and width to the team which we so desperately needed. Summer signings such as Piquionne, Obinna and Jacobsen have settled well.
Which of your players should we be worried about on Saturday?
Jake: Robert Green. I was at the Villa, West Ham season opener, and the bitter crowd kept booing him when he got the ball for obvious reasons. He’s rock-bottom on confidence. However, people just suddenly dismiss him as if he’s a really poor keeper which he isn’t. He’s played something like 120 consecutive league games with us. But I can see the Wolves faithful giving him a bit of a hard time. Carlton Cole also. He’s being kept out of the team by Victor Obinna and Frederic Piquionne, and he certainly hasn’t lived up to this media England hype. He’s been really frustrating to watch, and if he does play, I can see him being kept out by Craddock.
Simon: Scott Parker is one of the best midfielders in the country for me at the moment. Watch out for Victor Obinna as well, the guy is tough and will give you some problems
Dean: Obinna is a real threat and has more consistency than Diamanti. Parker will rarely lose the ball and win it back many times.
Michael: On Saturday Wolves should worry about Piquionne. He has scored 3 in the last 3 games and is really hitting form. His partnership with Obinna is keeping Charlton Cole out of the team at present and is really making West Ham a real attacking force which we have not been for some time.
Which player or players do you see as being the main threat from Wolves?
Jake: If I’m being totally honest, Wolves haven’t got a Premiership quality squad. I mean, there’s only one or two players I’d probably welcome into the West Ham 11. They’re more of a hard working resiliant unit, than a fast flowing footballing side. Steven Fletcher and Kevin Doyle are both decent strikers. And if they do play, I can see them causing us problems. However, apart from decent strikers, they don’t seem to have a midfield player that could consistantly cause us problems. Hold on a minute – I forgot about Jarvis! Great player. He should be floating around the England squad in my opinion. Our RB could have a job on his hands against him!
Simon: Doyle is a decent player and anyone with Van-Damme in their name has to be watched carefully!
Dean: Not sure on current fitness but I really rate Jones and Doyle. Seems crazy that Jones is gonna be out of contract this summer.
Michael: West Ham will see Steven Fletcher as Wolves main threat. He has netted 3 times already this season and has an eye for goal. Hopefully Robert Green can continue his form from the Tottenham game and frustrate Steven Fletcher whenever he gets an opportunity.
What’s your opinion on Wolves being labeled ‘a dirty side’?
Jake: Wolves aren’t a dirty side. It’s just knee-jerk media trash. Nobody would even talk about this if it was in the summer. However, Karl Henry’s antics in the past few weeks or so have been pretty shameful. It’s a shame because he’s actually a pretty decent player, but all of a sudden, he’s been singled out as the ring leader of a dirty team. It’s pretty un-called for. Stoke and Blackburn are a lot worse.
Simon: Hmmm, how do I answer this without having the wrath of the Wolves fans on my site?! I just hope you are not as bad as Stoke! I think the sending off of Karl Henry might have given you a bit of a wake up call, eyes seem to be on you at the moment so I think it would be silly if you went OTT on Saturday. But our lads are not shy and will give as good as they get.
Dean: Disagree completely. I run a team and if we were playing someone in a similar vein to Arsenal I would absolutely send my players out to get in their faces and tackle hard from the start. It is the referees job to enforce the rules and the players job to get away with what they can without going too far and getting sent off, split second individuals decisions. Its a mans game and a contact sport. If Wolves or West Ham played Arsenal in a non contact game we would both lose heavily due to their superior passing game but they are not a big or strong side and can be out muscled, dominated physically and got at mentally. You have to play to your strengths.
Michael: I think its unfair to call Wolves ‘a dirty side’. Its put of the game of football where tackles are flying in to win the ball in such a competitive league. What I deem to be ‘dirty’ is when players dive to win free kicks or to get other plays sent off.
What’s your prediction for Saturday?
Jake: Heart says 2-1 West Ham. Head says draw. We’re due an away win sometime soon. Either way, I get personal compensation anyway due to betting on West Ham to lose every week, just in case. As if we do lose, I get money, whereas if we win it’s happy days. I’ll go for a 2-1 West Ham win though. Noble and Piquionne for us – Fletcher for them.
Simon: Tough game, but I think we can do it, so I will say 2-1 to the Hammers. But I hope you have a good season, I can certainly think of 3 teams I’d like to see get relegated more than Wolves!
Dean: 2-3 to West Ham
Michael: 2-1 to West Ham. Wolves to go 1-0 up in the first half and West Ham to come out a new team second half and take 3 points.
So there you have it. Some excellent points and four contrasting views tied together by the same prediction, that West Ham will beat Wolves on Saturday.
I genuinely cant see us winning this game. we’re in one of those phases that we’re making too many mistakes and decisions arent going for us. We;ve been here before and Mick has proved he is unable/unwilling to change his approach… i think we were well on the way to relegation before he decided on the 451 last season, which despite serving us so damn well he has since abandoned.
He will also persist with Ward and Berra (who else should he play i hear you roar… well, why did we not bring in anyone… Elokobi is not much better and there sooo many issues with Moyokolo, Van Damme, Zubar… which is why our defence is such a mess) so we are going to leak goals a plenty.
No, I dont htink Mccarthy will change anything except bring Milijas in for Henry and that is a forced change.
Our season will only improve when Hunt returns and he and Jarvis are able to tear up and down the flanks…. adding something going forward, and importantly gettung back to help out our woeful defence.
Until then, hold on to your seats its going to be a bumpy and disheartning next few games.
Wolves 2 – 2 West Ham
I still have the faith! Which seems rare given some of the blogs I’ve read. The thing that does worry me is just how good MM is tactically. It’s been said a hundred times but he does seem to have his favourites.
Favourites aside, I think the Saturday line-up should be:
Hanhemann
Mancienne ( I think he’d be perfect here)
Craddock
Moyokolo
Van Damme
Foley
Jones
Milijas (even though him and Jones are similar)
Fletcher
Doyle
Jarvo
Up the Wolves!
Good blog. They seem to be four very civil and decent chaps, and a good spread of views between them. Impressively clued up on our squad too.
PS Would love to see on Saturday (but definitely won’t of course!):
—————– Doyle —————
Bia ————- Jones ———- Hunt
—-Van Damme——–Mancienne—-
Elokobi–Craddock–Myokoulo–Foley
——————-USA—————-
Bia ahead of Jarvis? Are you mad man?
Also not sure Doyle’s going to be fit 🙁
Play a left winger who can deliver a cross without doubling back or cutting inside? Yep: certified lunatic. Put me into that straitjacket and throw me into that padded cell … 😉
(This is an ‘experimental’ line-up I’d like to see. Nothing more. Actually I think we may have already seen the last of want-away Van Damme anyway – if so, it’s a pipe dream in any event).
I’m not sure Majangi could deliver a Domino’s pizza just yet, but would like to see him on the bench at least.
We’re desperately light of central midfielders with Henry out, so I couldn’t even say who I’d like to see there. That is my biggest worry, particularly with Parker pulling their strings.
I like it Kowloon, though i would play Jarvis over Bia, and Zubar to get into that back 4 as soon as humanly possible
—————– Doyle or Fletcher —————
Jarvis ————- Jones ———- Hunt
—-Van Damme——–Mancienne—-
Elokobi–Craddock–Myokoulo–Foley
——————-USA—————-
however, guarantee to see this back 4
Ward–Craddock–Berra–Foley
Mccarthy is really starting to piss me off… if we are 6 or more points adrift at Christmas I will start calling for his head.
Lol! Actually if he only manages to deliver a slice of garlic bread he’ll be pushing Jarvis for end product.
But yeah, ok, put Jarvis back in. If Cappello’s not casting a beady eye on him this time, maybe he’ll find some form!
if only it were up to us….
gurantee ward and berra to cock up massivley again this weekend. its the only thing consistent about their game.
berra is a championship def at nest, and ward never was a defender
oh shit.
Can”t see us winning this one at all.Cue West Ham winning their first away game of the season. Wolves 0 West Ham 1
I think I’m going to put us down for a draw this weekend.
Still mulling it over ahead of the preview.
West Ham’s last away win was at the Mol, last season.
So, obviously, we are going to do what we always do, and end someone’s bad streak.
When I was a lad, (before the Boer War,) we had the first team and the stiffs. I know I’ve said this before, but I am an old fart, and can get away with repetition. I know I’ve said this before, but I am an old fart and can get away with repetition!!!!!, and if one of the first team was playing badly, he was dropped and his stiff replacement brought in. Simple.
None of this squad bollocks, and metatarsals, and all the other injuries to body parts we never seemed to have back then, and too many games. There used to be 42 league games, plus all the cup runs, and no such things as international breaks.
That was when men were men, and sheep were scared.
Bring back the old days when a magic sponge used to fix even broken legs, and all the training they did was run up and down the South Bank terraces.
Our team for the next match should contain half a dozen reserves, and give them the chance to be fearless. We are gonna lose anyway, so let’s give them a chance…………….AND FUCK WARD OFF!!!!!!
Need less coffee!!
FOMM and SW and WB
Brilliant, i second that, can I also add that Berra joins ward in the FUCKING OFF… the two of them are ABSOLUTE SHIT !!! Watch how they, MAD MAD MICKS MAD MAD FAVES, get outpaced, out thought and outplayed even against fellow strugglers WH.
PS
Menton of the boer war…. you got any South Africa connection?
PPS
I need more coffee.. and beer
I need to stop wanking over Charlotte Jackson.
or Hayley McQueen
Good call. Her new nickname is now ‘Lightning’ as I googled her in 00.02 secs.
Superb time considering you were only using one hand.
And pictures of your right hand.
Are my eyes deceiving me, or is it my beloved Ward in the pic above, doing what he always does, NOT tackling???
Of all the pix in all the blogs in all the world, ………………
FOSW and CB and JC and KF and WB and MM
It’s gonna be easier to sign off with those I would keep soon!!!!!
My ex brother in law twice removed is South African.
I watched the World Cup final.
I read a Wilbur Smith book once.
Matt Damon is a good actor.
Peter Withe went there, as did Bill McGarry.
I like watching lions kill springboks.
Peter Gabriel wrote a brilliant song called Steve Biko. ( look him up, you phillistines) it was covered by Simple Minds.
Billy Connolly once wrote a book about other parts of the world, and his chapter on good things to say about South Africa’s apartheid regime was blank.
Am I wandering a bit???
Told you yesterday it was slow, but at least we have Shrek to watch playing for England this afternoon.
The match starts at 2.00pm over here, does that mean I’ll see it before you lot??!!
FO everyone I dont like.
Nice to hear some sensible comments on here from opposition fans for once! Unlike those dickheads from Newcastle and Fulham.
I started to dislike West Ham after hearing a load of nob heads on talk sport before the away game last season – talk about superiority complex!
But this has restored my faith!
Still hope we beat you home and away this season obviously!
Would also be great to see a cameo from Hunt in Gold and Black too!
I definitely hear where you’re coming from regarding superiority complex.
Before that game at Upton Park every single Hammers fan interviewed said they’d beat us regardless of the fact we were heading into the game in better form and above them in the table. Mind you, every single pundit thought West Ham would emerge victorious too.
Just made it all the more brilliant to play them off the park and walk away with the points.
Too right! Without doubt it was my favourite game of last season – even better than both the wins against Spurs, and even though I only watched it on the TV with a group of mates!
I remember one particular nob head who was bleating on five live about West Hams “England class” in Carlton Cole and Scott Parker! As I said before, nice for you to get some fans on that are as realistic about their team as most of the people are on here about Wolves.
Nice to hear some oppo fans talk some sense. Kowloon, i think your crazy with your dislike of Jarvis, but i won’t get into that again 🙂
If ever there was a must win game then this is it. If we don’t win then i seriously fear for our season. The worrying thing is is that i keep convincing myself we’re in a false position and we’ll be fine. Getting less and less confident each day
Its almost as irrational as my feelings towards Kightly! Ha,ha,ha!
Jarvis for England!
Are the Wolves playing at Wembley in white tonight?????
I don’t think we’re doing that bad clive…am I on my own?! Maybe I’m a bit more easily pleased these days?! Just got to be patient…
Lescott……….slow and cumbersome.
Johnson, right back,………….poor first, second touch, woeful distribution.
Shrek………..way off form, should not have played.
Wright Philips……………..center forwardish???
Gerrard…………too far back and too slow.
Ferdinand………….slllllllllooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwww.
Crouch……….Crouch, need we say more?
Barry…………poor tackler, slow build up.
Young …………….over eager.
Adam Johnson had good game.
Overall, a crap game, a crap ref and a crap result.
Yes we should have had a penno, but they hit the bar, and we should have buried them well before the handball.
Yes, definitely a Wolves match!!!
FOFC
Explain Wright Phillips over Jarvis for me please?
Has he even played a full game this season?
I’m so glad that i forgot to get up early to watch England this morning…CAPELLO OUT !!
Great news that the Chilean miners are being rescued. However, on finding out that Ward and Edwards are playing on Saturday they insisted on going back down to hide…..
I like that one mate. Good effort (you don’t tweet by any chance do you?!)
Hey Ben.. no matey I’m not a twitterrer… must get round to sorting out an account !
Let’s be honest Ward never “plays”, he justs runs around like a mindless bog fairy.
FOSW
now he’s someone MUST have a twatter account…