First, I’d like to say Happy birthday to my father, the real Mr. Cooney, 76 years old today, and can still throw down!!!
(Just kidding), he is 6’3 and doing well, but he’s still fighting A fib in his heart, but his pneumonia has subsidized, and I swear, we though he had COVID. Thank God he did not.
I honestly had no idea what to write about. However now, there’s a few things, the support is going to be back allowed in after the 2nd or 3rd of December, (I’ve not had a chance to check out the details yet, been just a bit too busy, but we can definitely discuss that on the threads as part of the content, and most likely when you read this, we will all know more, …..) and, where I have mixed feelings about it, I think all sports really need the fans back, just short of endangering more outbreaks.
However, bringing the home guard and the away army back will only help this squad for for real, for real :)
The Sheffield United match has already been covered in literary, and spot on detail by David, Hamburg, Gav, and, hopefully by the photographic artwork by Dawud. However, imma put my twist on it soon.
However, with that subject sure to be discussed very frequently in the upcoming week, more so, will be first and foremost, the MNF clash and first of a possible two 6 pointers in a row with our Birmingham friends, Aston Villa., then Man U, (the club we beat the most but get the least amount of points from…..hmmmm….) ;-))
I’ll try to keep my moaning to a minimum ;))
I really can’t moan about Sunday, as a matter of fact, our form is one of the only things that is keeping me from pulling a “Falling Down” and “losing the plot” much like the 1993 classic film with Robert Duval and Michael Douglas as "D-Fens.
One big encouragement is , not just our squad, not just our our gaffer, or our position, but the most impressive aspect at this juncture, is the unity within the boot room right now.
I know, we are all waiting for the other shoe to drop, and where I’m not so stupid to think it’ll be this smooth the whole time, but a club like this don’t go down, and sometimes, wins the League Championship at 3000/1, like Leicester City the same year we got off to just as good a start as we have this year…….maybe just a wish, and an even longer shot, but just as crazy things have happened. (5 years ago……..)My biggest complaint is a selfish one, it’s that I wish Soucek had passed it to Bowen in the first, instead of shooting it well wide left. so at least I could have made up points with Jer scoring the first West Ham Goal due to Johnson being on the bench, and Fredericks out, Diop on the bench, and Balbuena starting, (of which also worked out), and I did get “win” correct, not the score, however, but the only #’s I gave a crap about, came up on our side and that was 3pts for the Hammers in the top flight at Bramall Lane for the first time since 1968!
This overall has little bearing on me though, cos, our GD is still in the black, were in 8th thanks to a huge win for Burnley over Palace……
Is anyone else getting sick of them? Palace, that is? Other than missing Kouyate, Tomkins (I’m not starting the “who left who”, game with Tommo, I just miss him, he was just a good versatile defender, an academy grad, and a Dagenham lad, if I’m not mistaken… ) and other than coveting Wilfred Zaha??, I get annoyed by them, but I don’t disrespect them, since we’ve both been back, they have mostly gone back and forth with us, we’d win there, they’d win at Boleyn or London, the work of art that was Antonio setting Andy Carroll up with the scissors kick of Andy’s career, I’m sure.
Most importantly, however I think we need to get some vengeance on them this year by doing the “dub” on them. At least a draw there and a Win at home.
Now, even though I loathe Roy Hodgson, (as a manager, mostly, but I could see him getting on my nerves) still, don’t hate them as deeply as Wigan, Leeds, Chelsea, Spurs, Man U, and Bolton, Liverpool, and Wigan. (Did say that I hate Wigan yet? :) and few other clubs, Sheffield United but thats cos they hold something that ultimately was in their hands to begin with
Regardless of how that sounds, I’m VERY happy with West Ham United, and, given recent years trends, this was exactly the type of match that would have had the bookmakers favoring The Irons, yet, somehow, our lads would show up looking like they forgot how to play, just smoked bath salts, or huffed Tywall (a super solvent that is big with glue sniffers).
Not this year, however, we’ve met two potential banana peels, and walked close, cos both Fulham and Sheffield U were desperate to get something and a win respectively, however we navigated both fixtures with organization, shape, excellent field stretching, determination, and a little luck, but all together, this is a better side and are so due in a very large part in Kevin “Skipper” Nolan, Alan Irving, Xavi Valero, and Paul Nevin, and, the “MoyesMan Prophecy”! so far proving me, who, once again, myself, and about 68.7498475% of support are correct thus far that at this moment in time, he [David Moyes] couldn’t be a better gaffer for West Ham United.
I do want to point out a correlation between Kevin Nolan joining West Ham as a true center mid and Captain in 2011, and playing a big role in us getting back to the PL at the first time of asking. Within this, however is another story a more important story of a chain of events that has me calling Skip the “Grand Capt” cos even those two other blogs that shall shall remained unnamed, they ALSO called me delusional in the “autumn”….. of 2012, for; A. Suggesting that Nolan was grooming Noble to be a Captain, and B. That Noble would make a good Captain……. hmmm….. how’d that work out “Mr Roboto” ;-))
Now, like father to son, “Papa” Noble has mentored Rice, which, is probably what’s keeping him here, my guess is Dec is gonna give it this year, and if we finish in 6th or better, it’ll take 9 figures for Rice to leave if we do that well I think he’d give it another half of a season, and go from there, however, I don’t think Dec stays if not for this. Skip taught Noble how to be a proper Captain, and Nobes is teaching Dec, not only how to skipper, but how special the history of West Ham United is, how rare, but far loyalty can take you if you pay close attention, and if he played another 15 years for West Ham, producing 2 FA cups, no lower than a 10th place finish in that was time, and in 2027/28, the League Championship, maybe some of those “old school” values still exist.
David has a squad, that fights for him, each other, and dare I say, us! I’ve pointed out before, this is worth more that a clutch of individuals, however, our next text is Aston Villa, a early doors 6 pointer, who, if I’m honest, im more worried about that Manchester United, another early doors 6 pointer.
It’s our best start since 2015/16, which, in terms of years, is not that long ago, however in terms of perception, it’s a lifetime ago, (at least from my perspective). And we finished 7th which will split the difference of my original prediction before the season, but 7th killed us by that fair play thing, (which was funny cos we were called for amongst the highest pens that year, had we not, we’d have mostly likely finished 5, then, who knows….
Hindsight is always 20/20 (which, should be the first cuss numbers in history……..: “you horrible 2020!!! Go do one ya, sea ewe next Tuesday!”
Jack Grealish……. obviously the #1 threat, although, the whole squad, who’s form improvement has followed a similar track to us, last year, especially after the restart, they fought their way to safety by the time we met them in the penultimate match of the delayed ‘19/’20 season, in a 1-1 draw, that probably would have been a win had we not secured survival at Old Cheatford a few days before.
So, how do we keep this unbeaten streak going? Don’t think to much about it, change this starting XI ONLY when necessary. I only noticed a few things that I thought were a bit concerning, Bowen, was good, but he’s had better, and as hard as he works, he’s knackered by about 70, perhaps multiple contingencies could be thought of.
Next was Fornals, his work rate and attitude are second to few, and where I love his commitment to his teammates, he coulda maybe scored had he been a bit more selfish. If you see some daylight when you are at around the 20 yard mark, pull the trigger!!!
Haller, oh Haller……just as all those who want him sold in January, had me convinced, screaming at rj and about to look up a few posters, and yield to their assessments, cos he did not look that confident on the ball, and he and Bowen had a few moments in front of the keeper that Curly, Moe, and Larry, (and even Shemp) are looking on and saying…“gee whiz, that coulda been an amusing bit”, :)) Fornals takes the shot he shouldn’t, but fortunately, of the many blocks Sheffield’s defense put in (in think Sheffield are better than their record shows right now, they will be scrappin’ but ultimately, will survive I think), it rolls right in front of Haller and he shoots an Exocet right into the top right, which Ramsdale got a few fingertips on, but only to help tuck it into the top of the sack.
In spite of that, and just a few errant passes, we have lost one match in 7. My only issue is if Antonio is fit, he should start, and where I’m happy for Haller, and would rather add a striker instead of selling him for a loss in January, and getting a striker, I’d rather he keep improving to perhaps play in the same side as Antonio.
Since its been two on the trot, it’s not as much an issue, however Antonio is a phenom. A real life “Rocky” story from South London, every bit of success that comes his way he deserves, so to beat Villa, the only change I make, is Antonio for Fornals, I know, its rough, but if Antonio is 100% and you sit Haller after opening his PL account, that would pretty much be tantamount to asking him to put in a transfer request, therefore, if Antonio is fit, 3-1 Irons, if not, Villa won’t let us get away with the few, but glaring miscues made Sunday and I could see a 2-3 home loss. Or more likely a draw.
I don’t see any reason we cannot win the next two, I’m honestly not that delusional to think we couldn’t lose the possible next two “6 pointers” as well but in really don’t think so, 3pts at the least, mostly likely 4, but another 6 sets us up right pretty, “don’t cha just know it?!?!”
Love You All
COYI!!!!!!
Jimmy