Here’s the result of the poll about whether to keep the thumbs up/down gizmo or ditch it. It’s a fairly decisive result. 47% say keep, 19% say ditch and 34% couldn’t give a monkey’s arse. I have to say I rather belong in the latter camp.
So, to quote an American politician upon losing an election, the people have spoken. The bastards.
Excellent decision. I find a rapid thumbs down a more succinct way of giving ChrisChris a polite cuff rather than wasting any words.
I'm sure he agrees with me, he usually does.
It also gives me the chance of beating my own personal best thumbs down score of 13. I know I have it in me.
Back of the boleyn perch,I'm always up for a cuff,anytime you fancy a few!!!!
tee hee
Tee Hee. How very predictable, as usual.
I demand a recount!
The same goon that multi clicks the thumbs down on here also multi voted to keep it.
I demand a proper ballot with one vote per person with proof of id.
Sensational allegations. Are you suggesting our returning officer is not up to the job?
I think we should be told.
My mate Gerry Mandering reckons it's all above board.
It was always going to happen Devo – first thing I said when Iain announced the vote for it.
I could've easily set up multiple log-ons and voted to get rid of it if I was being petty and/or pedantic. Frankly, apart from not being inclined to do so, I don't have the time to waste. Besides – fair play has always been something I've valued so I wouldn't lower myself.
From now on the only thing I'll respond to are of the written variety- & not the pathetic, puerile ones intended as wind ups.
Slightly concerned that there appears to have been some kind of poll taken regarding my arse and people's thumbs…
I give up.
Look at the comments on the thread.
Can't see 47% of people backing it there.
So, what we have is a stream of planks who never post but all enjoy a good old wind up.
As Matt said the other night; whatever.
If you don't like it, you know what you can do!!!! lol
I'm amazed mate!
Oh well, onwards and upwards!
Come on you Clarets!
The clue was in the words I give up Matt.
Come on you clarets indeed!
I hear ya! I hear ya!
Thumbs up to that!;)
Just give you a thumbs up to get you off 0 never used it before whats the point of it can give a few more for a fiver lol
Ok, so hang on a minute – 19% want it gone and 34% couldn't care less either way! So that's 34 + 19 = 53% who will be happy for it to go! 53 beats 47!
Are you Peter Mandelson in disguise?
47% plus 34% = more!
OK – my final word on it (I promise).
Here's the thing; comments on the thread are not exactly numerous. It's around 7 against retention and 2 in the like em / monkeys arse camp. But, when you consider that some of those advocating their removal are regular and seasoned (valued?) contributors it does beg the question 'exactly who are these 100+ faceless advocates of the thumbs down system?'.
Think about it.
Or there again, don't.
Ahh I knew you would say that! I was hoping no one would notice that it also worked the other way round!
Looking at a picture of Loic Remy is he the new 'pineapple on his head haircut man'?
Aussie mate, i wouldn't bother with looking at Remy, 2 french clubs, us and Fernabache are apparently in for him, and they say they are still waiting for an offer from Liverpool……. if this fella wanted to play for us, the deal would have been done a week ago. I hope there is stuff going on behind the scenes and this Remy story is just a smoke screen. Dont hear anything from Karen Brady, does she get involved in transfers, or is her role the general day to day running of the club ??
Which brings me to another point, has anyone else noticed the club advertising more to generate revenue ? club shop open this weekend, car park spaces for rent on match days and the 100 club (for those with a spare 100k… the owners are more savy i hope its going into west ham and not their pockets.
final thing.. only ever used the thumbs up a couple of times, when i seriously agree with a comment…so im in the monkeys arse camp…i didn't vote in this debate..Ian must be disgusted..didn't use your vote !!!
Brentwood…I have to say your take on G&S generating more income differs from mine.
You say you hope any new revenue streams are going into the club's coffers rather than theirs.
As G&S have put £50m of their own money into the club so far I reckon they can do what they like with the takings. That said, I'm sure they plan more investment into the club with their own money.
We have to remember, these guys are businessmen first and fans second. They are not a charity.
If I was lucky enough to have the funds to invest, I would certainly look for a return at some stage.
Lofty… i would have no problem with them taking a share of the profits at some point, but they need to build the business up first, then the profits will come. If you bought a run down flat and rented it out, you would make money, but if you invested more money into the flat to make it look nice, you would recieve more rent ..same sort of priciple…… what none of us want is a return to the Brown era where chants of "wheres the money gone " were common place at Upton park
My sentiments exactly mate! We don't want a primadonna who eouel drather be playing for someone else! We have enough of those already!
We're better off without him!
As for Brady, after he public statement about renaming West Ham to West Ham Olympic or whatever it was, my Gold was on SSN saying that it would be in teh clubs interest if she didn't make any public statemenst for while! lol
She's actually on holiday at the moment which seems a strange time for someone in her position to go off to lie on a beach.
Maybe they decided she was better off laying on a beach far far far far far far far away! lol
Interesting to see that Tomka played at right back last night. Perhaps he'd be more suited to the position at the same time as bringing his defencive ability where it's most needed.
Good to see 'Der Hammer' letting fly for us too.
that's 3 games playing 4 3 3 Gav,shape of things to come?
I think that's how Avram's set up his teams in the past Chris. Does the lack of width worry you in that system?
i dont think we have to worry about the lack of width if we play the right players in the positions the likes of faubert and boa will get up and down as the 2 wide wingers and hopefully barerra will do the same. last season zola treid the same sort of formation in pre season but didnt have the players for it. boa got injured faubert played at right back and then he was playing centre mids out wide and all they ever wanted to do is cut inside. now we have natural wide players im sure we'll get alot more crosses in the box for cole or whoever playes up front.
Yes but we do have the players to make that system work now.
Looks like it could well be
Lbm Cole Barrera
Hitz parker Behrami/noble/faubert
ilunga ? ? tomkins/dyer
Got a feeling Grant don't fancy faubert at right back
dyer playing right back was intresting suprized his lasted this long!!!!
I agree with you both – we're definitely set up better to play that way than we were.
I don't reckon Cole will be with us at the start of the season but we do need a decent replacement. What ever anyone says about Remy he's fairly hot property and I think most of us would like to see him come to Upton Park.
I'm also optimistic about the new season but we need to stick behind the players and manager if we make a bad start – I reckon they're going to need it as Grant has generally taken a little while to settle in.
As for Dyer – hope is just about all we have where his fitness is concerned.
i no its only friendlies but i'm well happy with the results so far. 2 clean sheets 3 wins and most of all playing good football.
defence- tomkins i dont think has what it takes YET at centre back but i've said and i no a few others have said we'd like to see him at right back and the last 2 games we have and i hope he can make that his own. da costa looks solid at the back and not losing much in the air. gabs looking fit and ilunga looked like he did the 1st season here last night solid and commited.
midfield- faubert giving a cance in the wide position he prefers and looked lively and put some good balls in the box. the center 3 of noble parker and hitz looked solid and a great goal from hitz which i believe we'll see a few more of them. boa back to full fitness and looking sharpe and commited and has something to prove.
strikers- cole 2 goals in 3 games, working hard upfront on his own and mcarthey looking alot more trim and scoring a cracker…………all news to be happy with i think and with a few more signings i'm confident we can have a good season C.O.Y.I
Really don't think we should get carried away with these results Johnny. Pre-season doesn't mean much at all & no matter how good we look now it won't neccessarily translate in to points in the Premier league. The games we're playing at the moment aren't anywhere near the level of intensity of those that count.
I'll applaud you if you can still be this optimistic after our first 6 games. Hope you are chap.
i no mate i did say its only frendlies but its better than last pre season when we struggled big time the formation zola wanted never looked like working but this year the team is looking good all over. i no its gonna be alot harder in the prem but it still helps having a good pre season.
as for the 1st 6 games, give me the 1st 12 cos we have some hard ones in the 1st 6
Ahh yes – that's why I said it. The first 6 will be a serious test of our faith.
COYI!
On paper, the first 6 look tough, but I have a quiet fancy for us to go up to Villa Park and take all 3 points. Villa are vastly overrated and should be without Milner come the new season.
Question is; will they have Parker in their ranks?:@
Reckon so Devo. Can you imagine the outrage if they sell him?
Mr West Ham must stay!
They should get enough cash in by letting Cole, Upson and, possibly, Green go along with some other squad/utility type players like Kovac and Spector.
I remember you saying about our chances at Villa – not been a happy hunting ground generally (despite last season). Perhaps you're right but I'll sit on the fence on that one.
He must stay, you are correct! But will he? I think he will!
But…….depending of what Villa want to pay for him. He's 30 this year and £15 tag would be too hard to turn down me thinks.
And as good as he is, we're not exactly lacking in midfield.
Not sure whether you're saying he must stay or he can go because we've got plenty of players for that position Matt? For me it would be disruptive for the team and set us back miles if he went.
What I am saying is mate that I would love him to stay, of course I would! He's a machine! But…….I have to ask myself what I would do if I was in S&G's position and a meaty offer came in for him.
And what I think I would do is consider his age and what we have ready to step into his position! Or whether I could get a suitable replacement.
I don't think at this stage it would set us back mile but I agree it wouldn't be great for the club! But like I said, money talks and when you need money it talks a bit louder!
If the Daves (and Avram) feel we can do well with what we have, then maybe £15 Million would seem very attractive to them!
But what I will say is that if Parker goes for £15 Million and Cole goes for £12 Million – combine that with the £14 Million that we got for Bellamy last year and that's £41 Million, that's good money for those 3 players!
Just my opinion
Ahh – I understand.
Personally I wouldn't want him to go – even at £15M. In fact I'd go as far as to say that I think any money invested would be well spent on an improved, and longer, contract for him. That's what I'd like to see happen.
I'd love him to stay 'til the end of his career. Not for sale should mean not for sale (unless, of course, David Sullivan and David Gold said that as a bargaining ploy). I totally see your point though, Matt, and £15M in the coffers could come in useful in other areas. Would rather it came from the sales of other players. Despite what I said earlier I'd also like to see Greeno stay too.
On another point – have you seen Hitzlesberger's goal from last night on t'internet anywhere?
(update) I found it during Avram Grant's interview on the official site – although it wasn't a brilliant view.
I can't say I disagree mate! I'd love him to stay but at nearly 30 years of age, there's quite a few factors S&G will consider I think!
As far as Green is concerned, yep! I agree, I like him! Ok we conceded a lot of goals last season but you have to feel for a goalie who's defense was as bad as ours!
The players I would like to stay (and I mean REALLY like to stay) are:
Green (is solid)
Faubert (started to regain form)
Ilunga (if he can regain his form)
Parker (no explanation needed)
Diamanti (I think he can offer so much)
Collison (will come good)
Upson, Behrami, Noble, Cole, Benni, Deprela, DaCosta, LBM, Tomkins and Gabs can go or stay, not bothered either way,
Spector and Kovac MUST go!
Just my opinion
Not seen the goal (or any of the pre-season goals actually) but I'd like to!
Would love to see Benni's as it was a corker apparently?
I don't think we could replace him for £20 mill, Gav.
Only Essien is better in his role in the premiership IMHO.
Agreed.
gav mate. i know they are only pre season games but panathaniakos are no waste of space. they won the double in their country and played out of their socks in the game before us. but i agree, our previous two games weren't exactly the toughest. good to see hitz is settling in well.
For sure bazza – encouraging signs. I think my point was more to do with how swiftly the enthusiasm turns negative after a couple of bad results and all of a sudded the players and manager are a load of rubbish and need replacing.
I'd like to think that we, as fans, would stick by our beloved Hammers through thick and thin but it seems that so many of us become negative far too quickly when things don't go too well.
It's going to be a tough start and the lads need our full support to come through it.
For crying out loud, not more 4-3-3 talk! Jeeze! We haven't even started the season yet!
Let me guess, Avram must go?????
yea 4-3-3 talk or 4-3-2-1 whatever way u look at it, its the formation avram has been playing so y not talk about it. at least he has bought the right players to play it or playing the right players in the right positions.
Why not talk about it?? Well it was actually aimed at a perticular person who's entire season (last season) was spent talking and bitching about formation and the manager.
There is no indiction yet that Avram will play any particular formation or who he will play where, he (as is any decent manager) is using these pre-season games to see who plays best and where.
I agree that when the season starts, a couple of posts on the matter would be good but not a whole season on it again.
haha fair enough i no what ur saying i got so fed up with the moaning last season i stopped posting. i think we have the players to play 4-4-2 or the 4-3-3 4-3-2-1 formations now which is good cos we can change if we have to. last season was fustrating we all said 4-3-3 wouldnt work cos we didnt have the players but we were then stuck with a hole load of central players and only one natural wide player who was played at right back all season.
If what you are saying is what I think you are saying then I agree maste! It;s important to have the players that can adapt to different formations when the need arises as in todays game the need to constantly change formation is getting greater!
That's spot on Matt. We seem, in this country, to be obsessed with formations. If you look at the best teams – Spain, Argentina, Barca, even Man U – they alternate as the game goes on. All of those teams can play one, two or three up front or three, four or five in midfield as the situation demands. The worst thing is to be too rigid.
& the managers that try to implement the ability to switch systems are always lambasted.
Letting parker go would be crazy.
He can not be replaced,in any case Villa would would be a side ways move.
i think we will finish above them this year our squads stronger when everyones back.
At this moment in time a move to Villa would NOT be a sideways move! Right now Villa are a better team than West Ham! Sorry guys but they are! Their league position last season shows that!
Next season might be different, I don't know! No one does! But lets hope so.
Hmm…this thumbs up/thumbs down thing is really getting to you guys. I'm in the monkeys wotsit camp!
on football, glad to see Parker make a return. really glad we beat essential a good team who are regularly competing in europe! also glad to see hitz get his first goal.
everything seems to be going well so far. avram seems to be getting on well with the team and management staff, good to see he kept hold of keen at that.
also, selling parker would be a HUGE backward step! for a player who showed so much grit determination and genuine care last season, stab in the back scenario. it annoys me when the owners say "he's not for say", then according to reports, they slap a £20 million price tag on him!
would not sell cole. i have gone back on my word by saying this but he seems genuinely more into his football this season and with more help coming in for him this could definatly be his season, remember franco and ilan, and hines for that matter!
COYI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So Remy is looking at Lyon or Bordeaux now. Cole has been a nomad his whole career and has finally found a home and you guy wanna sell him and replace him with a guy who's heads turned more than John Terry's at a WAG's party.
I am all Loic Remied out!as much as I admire David Sullivans energy and tenacity in trying to negotiate the transfer Nice, Remy or both for about 3 weeks have been using us as a last resort where neither want us enough even though we have met the asking price what do they think there is more money from somewhere else or the player really does not fancy us,what a way to do business quite bizarre but rather odd,surely there must be someone else?
this may sound a bit conspiracy theoryish, but, what if, this whole transfer story is just made up. sullivan is telling porkies by saying he is being courted by loads of clubs to make him this "marquee" signing? to ride out the transfer this long and then the old "we finally got our man" thing comes up.
i would rather leave this transfer alone and let the BOY get on with his career.
I can see it a mile away,then that gets him a Nobel negotiating prize,typical!
But it'n not Sillivan OR Gold saying he is being chased by all these clubs, it's the French press! Our papers are just grabbing the dregs from them!
I agree though, I've had enough of this whole Remy ordeal already! I'd prefer we just cut our ties now and moved on to someone actually worth that kinda money who WANTS to play for us! We could get a decent striker and a decent CB for that money!
But…….IF cole does go to pokey Stokey, then we WILL need another striker! Maybe the Argie bloke is the key?
A good workout against Burton Albion.American triallist Devann Yao scored as did the young Saudi Arabian Ahmed Abdullah, by all accounts both were very lively.
we don't need Remy hes to much of a gamble at 12mil,Cole got 10 last season and didn't play much,plus hes improving,its the defence we should be thinking of first.
Parker must stay David,Otherwise Green street will explode!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
At 30 years old he has probably got 3 years top quality in him.
its not so much about his quality aussie but more about what he stands for. his determination to get us out of the drop zone last season was exactly what wes ham is all about! couldn't say the same about upson now can you?
Graham,i know where your coming from,but getting rid of scotty could have a negative affect, not only on the way the team functions but morale within the camp.
Selling our best player for 20mil,possibly leading to relegation is not good business,huge gamble for me.If its desperate Cole should be sold.
So we are meant to be flying Remy into London and have been offered Ronaldinho? and David Beckham is also on the radar.I want to know where Neil Ashton of the News of the World story about the Russian billionaire?which of the newspapers dont tell the best lies?
Most reporters lie to get or develop a story – lets hope some new defenders turn up real soon
i actually heard the ronaldinho story on another blog (don't worry, im still loyal to this one). and now the papers are only just finding this story out for themselves. according to that blog we have bid around £10mil. which if we land him, isn't a bad bit of business at all.
Wow! it must be time for your nappy to be changed!
Guys, Lyon and Bordeax were linked with Remy a few weeks ago, that went quiet and now its a story that is resurfacing, there are no official quotes from Nice or Remy, and the player himself has said that he wants to play in England next season, we remain the only offer from England, SSN reported on Friday that he was set to fly out to London for a medical with us, if Sullivan is out in France, then i would imagine the personal terms would be sorted out in France. So i still think there is a strong possibilty of Remy coming to us. Bordeax pulled out because they couldn't match our offer for him and Remy turned down the option of moving back to Lyon.
An interesting one i have seen today is that we have oppened negotiations with Ronaldhinio, wouldn't that be sensational, i think this is a Joe Cole, Henry, type rumour, would love it to come true.
If were believe what is said, Remy, Caraglio, Clerc, Ben Haim and Ronaldhinio will all sign for us this week, corr now that would be special, but it's not going to happen, knowing wWest Ham, we will only get Ben Haim and hes useless!
Guys, We should really keep Cole if we can,I tell ya double figures from a striker playing with a team with no width isn't that bad,plus he was injured.could be a massive mistake,i think only sell if its desperate.
Ronaldiniho would be blowing out his arse in 20 minutes.
Davids seem determined to sign a big name.
Ronaldinho would love that well known delicacy of'Pie and Mash' he would thrive on that diet!lol