As I sat and stood in interchanging fashion, rather like a Russian Kozachok dancer, in row E, seat 24, of the Sir Trevor Brooking Stand and looked up to my left to see the rather large and, unlike our own, perfectly working and crystal clear screen showing the game and match entertainment, in between self-promoting adverts and the worthy cause of Richard House Children’s Hospice, I was made aware, once again, that West Ham still consider themselves “The Academy of Football,” as they advertised membership to “The Academy.”
Whilst three of the starting eleven for West Ham on Tuesday, in their top of the table 1-1 draw with Southampton, were graduates of “the Academy” (Mark Noble – captain and scorer on the night; Jack Collison – substituted after 21 minutes, having seen teammate Matty Taylor sent off for violent conduct; and James Tomkins – who freely chucked his elbows into the ribs of Dean Hammond like some kind of Inbetweeners dance tribute act,) the football was far from what West Ham had become traditionally associated with. But, according to Sam Allardyce, it’s ok because “all this team did before was lose” before him.
From where I was positioned, busy practising my own traditions of standing, sitting and kicking out – something that wasn’t considered dancing when I tried to re-enact it in a nightclub the same night, but is in Eastern Europe – when the Southampton faithful, myself excitingly and appreciatively included, began to sing “you used to play football” to the group of fans situated in the corner of the East Stand, it seemed well-received.
Of course, it is a chant that no football fan ever wants to hear about their club, but the fans were accepting of the fact that Sam Allardyce has changed that style West Ham have strived to maintain (instilling it as an ethos in the academy so it can grow through and into the first team) and duly clapped our satirical efforts that took the shape of a reply to their “we’ve only got ten men” chorus.
Lost in the tribalism that is the away stand, deindividualised by anthemic chanting and the quick dissemination of one man’s opinion into a whole stand’s worth, I quickly found myself shouting “hoof” regularly and singing a line that reassured any doubters over how many teams called Bolton Wanderers there were. Yet, for all the mocking that can be served in a 90-minute spell, to opposition fans that, in majority, agree with you anyway, West Ham are still at the top of the table with sixteen games left to play.
Unlike Big Sam, I can understand fans’ criticism of their style of play, described by one as “sterile 1-0 wins.” Anyone that knows football would’ve expected such route one directedness to be witnessed at The Boleyn Ground when Allardyce took over: it was a style that, until recently, had become synonymous with the Reebok Stadium dwellers, Bolton Wanderers; Zat Knight even called for Owen Coyle to revert to such tactics.
judging from the way west ham out passed southampton before the sending off
Saints can still learn to play football from the team that doesn’t play anymore
would like to see how long your passing game lasts if you down to 10 men for 70 minutes?
Or how about at Brighton when it was much less than that
how did turn out for you?
This from a supporter of a team with one player booked for diving, another who blatantly cheated to get an opponent sent off, and a third whose idea of defending is to handle the ball in the penalty area.
Enjoy yourselves in the Championship next season – we’ll try not to look too smug when we look down at you from the Premier League.
Speaking of watching goals back on tape
just watched both your goals against us this season to make sure my mind wasn’t playing tricks
Unless I’m very much mistaken both from high balls into the box for your giant centre back to get on the end of
hardly Brazil 1970 is it???????
If “Sharp Practice” represents your idea of attractive football – fat, slow, poor in front of goal and a cheat – thank goodness Big Sam rejected him in January! Probably ok for a small-town outfit on the way down, like Saints, but he could never hack it at West Ham – whatever style they choose to play.
(Oh and if singing: “you used to play football” and “shouting ‘hoof’ regularly” are the extent of your “satirical efforts” you really should get out more – not a bad vocabulary for a provincial, but Oscar Wilde it ain’t!)
OK, fair enough, but totally wrong about Tomkins, and I have to say that I was pretty unimpressed by Southampton. Obviously you had more possession due to the fact it was 12 against 10.
But, I want to see Big Sam start with 2 up front, then I actually think we can take some teams apart. Whether we go up, who knows, but if we do, we will need a few flair players and better defenders, but overall I’m happier having seen the opposition on Tuesday night.
Coming from a Saints team that were playing against a 10 man side and only hoofed the ball down to Sharp and Lambert all game i find that a little ironic…
As a WHU fan living in Southampton I see a lot of both teams and there is no doubt that Saints play the more “attractive” football. However, if playing ugly and grinding out a result takes us to the premier league I couldn’t care less.
And by the way, what a game Tuesday! I wish Saints all the best for the season and will be backing them to finish one place behind us!!
Having dominated from the off and still delivering even with 10 men I thought we were still playing better football than southampton? the long balls were coming more from them than us and the description of Tonks elbowing is a little bias considering he was on the receiving end most of the time and given the theatrics that lead to the sending off I can’t believe that was even mentioned but still as they say give a dog a bad name and all that. BFS was never going to lose the tag even if we were playing football like Barcelona.
I’ve got to say, I have never read such utter tosh. Guts and determination were shown in spades by West Ham, yes, but we thought your ‘used to play’ football chant was risible and took it as a back handed compliment. Did you actually watch Mark Noble? He was immense. Tomkins, obviously not, because you saw his elbows without noticing Carlton Cole’s shirt getting stretched as big as a marquee tent for the all time he was on the pitch, or indeed most of your team either playing netball (the allusion here is to the ‘laying on of hands’ that Southampton practiced routinely throughout the first half not the fact that either its players or supporters are in anyway ‘gaymasexual’… and indeed, if they were, that that would be a problem if they were… which it wouldn’t) or diving/greco-roman wrestling and generally cheating (you did both). ‘Used to play football’? Yes we did… and still do… How about you?
See you next season in the premiership. Born in Bow… lived in Shirley so I know Southampton well… Got to admit though, when I lived down waterloo Road and couldn’t get to West Ham I tended to drive over to watch Portsmouth. Suck on that. See ya!
You talk about Tomkins and his elbows , Sharpe went down like he had been shot with a bazooka which was nothing but a shove in the face , no slap as reported ( evidence available on request ) and Lalana with his double twist followed by a one and half pike pathetic dive when no one was within 3 feet of him , disgraceful . I never disliked Southampton before , but after you pathetic performance the other night trying your hardest to get every WH player red carded , I hope you are left in the cocopops and next season go back to where you belong . Ten men , we only had ten men
Lol what a troll you are 😀 or blind, whatever.
How come other teams kick the ball in from deep and they are classed as crosses, but when WHU do it its classed as long ball tactics. If we had a different manager (and no I don’t want one, very happy with big Sam)but still played the way we do, it wouldn’t be called long ball but ‘great attacking play’. Its only because Sam’s at the helm that that everyone thinks we play long ball all the time. Our 10 men against Millwall played more football on the floor than than they did, and I agree with Will in that we still played better football with our 10 men to their 11.
Southampton from the first kick went out to play rough. That’s okay but when they clearly cheats (Sharpe for the sending off, the 2 clear handballs in the box that were not given and the slap Cole got). Alright the ref was to blame also but I don’t believe you should cheat to win.
Anyway rant over.
What bunch of wound up girls you WH lot are. The facts are that Saints are 2nd and WH are 1st and you can’t take much from just one game. But WH are all so squeaky clean aren’t they? Oooh they’re so good. Chants from the terraces are to wind each other up but don’t take it to heart…we mean to make you cry.
4 points from WH says it all and WH were very poor at our place big Sam has done more complaining about this one game than it seems any other and why do you think that is he thought the result was in the bag!
You may go up but you will be back down the following season because you are a club with high wages and no money !!!
Oh i have had to chuckle at the oh so righteous WH fans getting on their high horses about an honest appraisal of both the match and the way the season has gone for both teams. The ultimate goal for both teams ids the premiership and the writer has recognized that and the fact that sometimes ugly football is required to get the results needed to get out of a very competitive league. If WH get promoted playing this sort of football will the WH fans care….of course they wont. Southampton were the outstanding team of the Championship before the Christmas period and all recognized football pundits quite clearly praised Southampton for their style of play. They now need to dig in and possibly get ugly as well as the writer eludes to. Both teams in my opinion are a good bet for promotion and both sets of supporters need to recognize that during the course of a season there will be the time for pretty football and a time for ugly football.
Sharp did not roll around! He was pushed the the ground by his neck and before getting up he knelt down holding his throat. Watch the replay on BBC Sport website http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17053049
Why would you roll around holding your face if been pushed in neck? And he wasn’t exactly pushed hard
He didn’t go down holding his face, why don’t you watch the reply like you were asked?
A reasonable article. As a 50 year old regular west ham supporter I can’t remember any of our teams playing this way. People accuse Sam of playing route one football , but I think that misses the point. It would be better described as percentage football, well organized , efficient and highly dependent on what happens in both penalty areas. Not west ham and not great to watch, but the reality of football is that games are won and lost on set plays and what happens in the box.
Under zola we tried to play a passing game, but didn’t have the right players or did it with enough pace to be dangerous. Under grant we didnt seem to have any method.
So I will accept Sam and his style of play as long as it works. He inherited a right mess, but has shown leadership , direction and given the team a plan.
Southampton cheating C**ts. I read a prematch report which said if WH play in sh half they will have a man sent off in 10 minuits not bad prediction as it was 20. From where I was sitting Tuesday night WH could have scored more if they wernt hold our men throughout the match. The ref should be fined by FA for his poor performance the PR*CK
Nice language from an obviously unbiased supporter !
Don’t get upset you will go up and then down again you see !
I don’t recall West Ham playing too much “long ball” football – certainly in the last two home games. I was disappointed in Southampton. I thought they would be a footballing side. What I saw was a niggling, diving (Sharp and Lallana) side, who passed the ball well – sideways mostly – but when the final ball was needed from half way it was hit – LONG – to Ricky Lambert. Unfortunately for Saints, Lambert was in Faye’s pocket for most of the night. You never looked liked scoring until a ball lumped into our box ended up bouncing off the lump of a centre half’s shins to be poked over the line. Pure football? I think not.
As for your manager, I have never heard him give an opposing team ANY credit whatsoever. He comes across as an arrogant, blinkered twat. Aside from keeping Scunthorpe in the Championship and getting Saints out of League One, what has he ever achieved, either as a player or a manager
I was truly disappointed in Southampton FC on Tuesday. Until then I had no feeling for them one way or the other, but the timewasting from Kelvin Davies from the first minute, the niggling fouls etc has changed my perception of them
Good old Sam has won alot !!!
That’s why he dropped out of the premiership wad because he struggled there check his past matey !!!