Overly long writings about West Ham United FC. This is the kind of thing you might like, if you like this kind of thing.

Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Watford 1 - 1 West Ham (And Other Ramblings)

1. You've Got To Accentuate The Positive

Right, let's examine the good stuff. We're unbeaten, we're top of the league and we have the Premiership's leading goalscorer. I've been desperately trying to alter the progress of the space/time continuum to ensure that this never changes. It's not worked all that well but I'll keep trying - it will never get any better for us after all. Also, I don't know about you but I think that 1 point buffer we've got over Chelski might prove crucial come the end of the year.

What a save from Roy Carroll.

We already have 4 points acquired from games where we were behind. I love Alan Pardew and his anti-Dementor policy.

2. Aaaaaand The Negative

I'm not a huge fan of altering our style of play to face anyone, as our success last year was based on a fluid 4-4-2 system and certainly not an alien 3-5-2 formation. Doing it against a newly promoted team is especially curious. Despite the fact that it was Watford's first home game of the season, it doesn't change the fact that they are still Watford and they still had Chris Powell playing for them. I'm also slightly concerned that if we're playing 5 at the back against Watford we could end up with 14 defenders at Stamford Bridge.

Marlon King now has 3 goals in 4 games against us. I wouldn't mind but two of them have been of the outstanding type. And Marlon King is anything but outstanding.

According to Guardian we only earned 1 corner tonight. I'd say that's cause for concern. Did I mention Chris Powell was playing for them?

Please don't misunderstand me - Watford deserved at least a share of the spoils tonight and contextually it was good point for us, but I'm keen that we set our sights slightly higher than getting a draw at the newly promoted teams.

3. From A to Z

I'm pleased for Bobby Zamora, he's not making me pine for Dean Ashton. I especially love the way he holds up his fingers and counts down the 6 seconds when opposition keepers have the ball.

3 goals in 2 games is a great start and it would be fantastic to see him return to the goalscoring form of his Brighton days. In particular, I like the fact that he has a penchant for scoring away from home (settle down Carlton, that's not a euphemism).

I'm also pleased that Dean Ashton and Bobby Zamora have surnames that are alphabetical bookends, otherwise this title wouldn't have made any sense.

4. Prediction

I have made three predictions so far and got them all wrong. I confidently predict that I will stop making any more predictions. Except this one - tottenham won't go down this year. Come on God - you know how this works.

5. Sartorial Inelegance

Is Alan Pardew coming to games directly from the bowling green? I mean, what in the name of Phil "The Power" Taylor is Pardew wearing these days? A white polo shirt tucked into dark chinos? He's making me long for Roeder's leather jacket.

6. Roy's The Boy

Carroll is great at screaming at his back 4 isn't he? I always think that's the mark of a good keeper - how well you can blame everyone else for your mistakes. And he really is top notch. You get a great schooling at Old Trafford I suppose.

7. Europe (The Continent Not The Band)

We're in the UEFA Cup draw this week. I'm mildly pleased by this fact.

Elsewhere

tottenham beat Sheffield United. Neil Warnock thinks the Blades should have had a penalty to the surprise of no one in this cosmos.........Kevin Phillips moved to Championship side West Brom today for £700,000 - Adi Akinbiyi started a Premiership game tonight. I had to get Mrs Shark to type that sentence as my fingers went on strike and refused to......Sky have really done a fine job picking their live games so far - Sheffield United vs Liverpool (Ho), Bolton vs tottenham (Hum), Man United vs Fulham (Hang on a minute), Chelski vs Man City (What the fuck?). Do you think Sky are aware that 95% of Premiership fans care as much about Chelski as they do about shoes? Me either..............

Token Michael Dawson Slaughtering

Michael Dawson marked Adi Akinbiyi tonight. Has their ever been a more useless Marker/Markee combination in the history of Association Football? Under no circumstances should you try to add up the cumulative fees that these two "footballers" have been transferred for. Your head will explode.

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