I was so fed up with the performance and result on Tuesday night I’m not going to go in to much detail about it. To say I was gutted is understating it. Declan Rice had a piece published on the official site pregame pointing out that the game is about winning things. Whilst I don’t agree completely, let’s face it – how could I ever do that as a West Ham fan, he was bang on regarding the essence of our hopes and aspirations within realistic boundaries. I’m a football fan, not a financial guru, so the arguments behind ‘Armageddon’ if we’re relegated and Premier League results are more important than cup progression mean nothing to me. Thirty seven years without a major trophy have only served to whet the appetite. So starved of success are we that I’d take relegation and a cup win, nay I’d bite your hand off for it, seven days a week and twice on Sundays. There’s much more I’ve got to say about this but I’ll park it there as it’s another subject altogether.
Football is a simple game complicated by idiots – Bill Shankly
On a far more positive note I’m really starting to love watching the Lanzini and Arnoutovic play together. Such a shame Manu’s not around this weekend as I believe that the pairing with Marko is really starting to gel. Arnie has been a revelation in the last few games. If I have any kind of criticism of him it would be the amount of chances he seems to need before scoring but he’s creating so much up top for us it’s more than making up for it. Bill Shankley, one of the game’s true geniuses, once said “Football is a simple game complicated by idiots,” which he, later, qualified further by saying “Football is a simple game based on the giving and taking of passes, of controlling the ball and of making yourself available to receive a pass. It is terribly simple.” We all know there’s a great deal more to it than that but, in essence, pass and move has formed the underlying rule adopted by all the great managers down the years. The second goal against Stoke was a superb example of how the great Mr Shankley’s principles can be applied. Good movement. Good passing but also a great understanding between two of our most creative players. Movement by Diafra Sakho for the third goal was clever too – one of the strongest aspects of his game and one we’ll miss if and when he’s sold. The ball to put him through for that goal was a slide-rule pass from Manu but he still had a lot to do and took it beautifully. I’m aware that he had fluffed his lines, somewhat, just beforehand but he showed his goalscoring instincts to wrap up the game. A big thanks from me to the team for delivering a great result – really enjoyed listening to the fans sing ‘Jingle Bells’ at the Brit.
So what next? Both Marko and Manu have time left on their contracts. Are we witnessing the start of a great partnership at the club? My feeling that this season would be a memorable one, before a ball was kicked, looked hopelessly wide of the mark. Now things are looking better. The Christmas period this season appears to be one of the biggest season defining periods in many a year. How big a miss Manu will be on Saturday remains to be seen. Necastle are not on the best of runs at the moment and, conversely, we’ve taken 7 points from 9 in games against Chelsea, Arsenal and Stoke away. Can we keep the run going?
Another who is coming in to his own is Artur Masuaku. He’s really not a defender, for my money, but he’s causing opposition defenders, especially full backs, all sorts of trouble. Great to hear him with his own song too.
Overall David Moyes has made a good start. I genuinely believe it’s not all down to him. Stuart Pearce has also made a big contribution to how solid we’re starting to look in games. Defensively we’ve improved hugely. Pains me to say it but the team often sat deep this season, with Slaven in charge, and were still leaking goals like a sieve despite the negativity and over cautiousness. Happily confidence appears to be returning. No more rabbits caught in the headlights – moving the ball at a snail’s pace and passing back to the keeper. On the subject of keepers I’d be surprised to see Joe Hart return to playing Premier League games. With Adrian between the sticks we’ve played extremely well at the back so, for me, he should retain his Premier League place this weekend. There’s a special relationship between Adrian, the club and the fans. Joe Hart, whilst being a good keeper and someone who I like, is on loan and, sadly, hasn’t built an affinity with us yet. I know he wants to succeed for West Ham and is highly motivated and committed but it can’t be easy knowing that he may well move on in the Summer. Not the best bit of business bringing him in IMO.
Like SJ this will be the last article I post before Santa makes his way down the chimney. Happily Mrs Goatygav no longer needs the sling on her arm and Christmas dinner is not under threat of having me incinerate it this year. So I’ll wish you all a Merry Christmas – here’s to another 3 points on the board against Newcastle making those brussel sprouts just that little bit more palatable.
COYI! West Ham 4 The Cup!