Apology! We will win the Prem with this team...

Wow - I haven't posted on here since October... apologies - it appears the pressures of a promotion push was too much for me to take and write about! Well we done it anyway, and what a journey it was, especially the day at Wembley! Probably one of the best days of my life, all topped off by seeing Spurs lose out on a Champions League place after finishing 4th. It all seems like it was so long ago already doesn't it? I know this is probably old news to most of you, but the Premier League free transfer list is now out in the open and available to read here. And it really is quite a good list to have as a newly promoted club with a proven manager, owners prepared to back him and to be based in London isnt it? I know we dont have money to burn like a lot of premier league clubs, but Big Sam is a well known bloke in the game, and he has his contacts and I reckon he would be a good negotiator too, so this is my new starting 11 featuring some players we have been linked with so far, and who are on that list: GK:Jaaskelainen DR:Bosingwa DC:Tomkins DC:Reid DL:McCartney MR:J. Cole MC:D.Murphy MC:Noble ML:Kalou ST:Anelka ST:Saha Bench: S. Henderson, I. Klasnic, M. Taylor, R.Vaz Te, K.Nolan, M. Owen, F. Aurelio. And there you have it! We will be in Champions League this time next year! I know that we cant afford all of these players, and there is probably no chance in hell of us getting most of this lot in Claret and Blue but wouldnt it be nice? I think that there is a good team. Take a look at the list and comment/tweet me your starting 11 and I will post the best on here and Twitter! Also, a big thanks to everyone who listened to Moore Than Just a Podcast this year. For a first year podcast we were really happy with how it went, so thank you all, especially for the nice comments on the last Wembley podcast, which if you listen, I think you will hear we had a good time making it! Will post on and off as transfers happen this summer, thanks for reading. COYI

Diouf Training With Us - Joining on Loan

Yep, you read it correctly.

John Carew tweeted this about half an hour ago:

Now if im not horribly mistaken, that is the upper head of Mr El Hadji Diouf. And the twitter users amongst my readers can work out my reply to John Carew in my timeline!

I dont like this, I understand it will only be on a loan deal and as cover for Matty Taylor who seems to be out for a while, however why does it have to be him? I dont particularly rate him as a player, and i certainly dont rate him as an individual. Makes me sad to think this boy will be playing in the famous Claret and Blue of West Ham. I hate the bloke, and this also means I will be having to take my umbrella to the next home match to shield myself from his infamous spitting at others ability.

Oh well, lets hope he does a job and scores a few goals.

COYI

We are toppa the league

Since my last blog, (sorry I’ve been a busy man  ), we have got ourselves a tidy draw away at Palace, and a thumping win at home against B’Pool, what a lovely day out that was! First time I have said that about a home game in a long time, but it really was a faultless performance in my opinion. We even defended well when they put us under a lot of pressure towards the end, and that really is an achievement - for us!! It was nice to see Sammy B get his first couple of goals, and hopefully that’s the beginning of many. I have seen a lot of people saying that he won’t stop scoring now, so let’s hope that they are correct and he really does start banging them in for fun! He looks a decent buy already, and he’s only young too, so could prove to be a good prospect for the future.

I am off to Southampton tonight, and I hope to see the same line up as Saturday, except Tomkins and Taylor of course, who are both injury doubts. I am praying that Sam doesn’t revert to 4-5-1, however if he does, I am hoping with all I can that he plays Carew as the lone striker and not Cant Control. Seeing a big man upfront that can control the ball well, bring it down, look for the pass, hit the ball accurately with power AND score headers really is a breath of fresh air, and I don’t know what else Carew can really do to prove that he deserves his place in the starting 11!

I would also like to mention Kev Nolan, whom I thought had a very decent game last weekend. He looked a much better performer than he has been this season and lets hope that he carries this on to tonight’s match at St Mary’s.

I really hope we get a result tonight, it would be lovely to see a 1. next to our beloved clubs name wouldn’t it? And I also want to sing the ‘we are top of the league’ song tonight! Prediction: Soton 2-3 W Ham, and I hope Baldock gets one.

Moore Than Just a Podcast Episode 8 was recorded last night and is now online at www.moorethanjustapodcast.podbean.com, on iTunes and on our Facebook Page.

3 points tonight please, COYFI

Thats a very decent signing!!!

I have felt really down all week when it comes to football, which is why I haven’t blogged in a while! Was planning on a blog for the Ipswich game, but the loss in the closing minutes was a killer for me and I have felt down and out about it all week!

Anyway, I was cheered up today with the news that we may have made a loan bid for Carlos Tevez. I don’t think refusing to play for your own club is a good thing, and I don’t think he should have acted that way, but if it means that this could mean in any way that he could once again become a WHU player, then keep on doing it Carlos! His 6 months of consistent play with us was some of the most exciting I have ever seen, and we all remember that goal at Old Trafford, and his apology to us when he scored against us for Man City, and when he made the hammers arm sign on his return to UP with United, and that’s why I love Carlos Tevez. Carlos, por favor vuelve al West Ham!

The thing that reminded me to write this blog is the ‘emergency loan’ signing of Manuel Almunia. What a signing that is! I wouldn’t choose him over Greeno, but realistically he is the best replacement we could have asked for? An experienced, half decently proven Premiership goalkeeper, for whom im keeping my fingers crossed that he can do the business so quickly with him going straight into the starting line up tomorrow. He also has a very simple song which I think we can all pick up nicely if he makes a few good stops.

After these two bits of exciting news, I am definitely happier in footballing terms than I was last night, so now I am looking forward to the game tomorrow. Hopefully the sunshine can help make the game a better one, and would like to see some goals banged in by our lot again! Back to scoring ways please west ham. I think that we will win tomorrow, and I hope by a nice margin, and that they all play well as a team.

Prediction 3-0 – Scorers: Lansbury, Cole and Tomkins (not necessarily in that order)

Also want to rant about Adrian Durham. I know his job is to wind us up as fans so we pay ridiculous money to moan at him on his radio show, but do any of you readers follow him on Twitter?? He is a first class idiot and anything we do he makes such an issue out of, this is his latest tweet following the news of Almunia:

talkSPORTDrive
Almunia: 3 issues: 1) proves whu panicking and in deep troub if they don't go up; 2) why have a squad?; 3) are whu paying his £50k a week?

Whats his obsession with us?!? Winds me right up – but no!!! I will not ring your poxy radio show.

Rant over… thanks for reading. Check out Moore Than Just a Podcast on the player over on the right there ----->

Remember Send in your Ultimate West Ham 11’s to moorethanjustapodcast@live.co.uk or on our Facebook page, and hear your team read out on next weeks podcast! COYI

Its that time of the week again.....

Episode 5 of Moore Than Just a Podcast, hot off the press, available to listen NOW below

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Enjoy and thanks for your questions

Avram Grant was a nice man!

So we won our last game out against Pompey, was a decent result but not a great performance. If you want to hear more in depth analysis of that game, then listen to Moore Than Just a Podcast where we go over it many times, and I constantly reiterate my admiration for our new Henri Lansbury who has sadly just signed a contract extension with L’Arse L. Anyway, we got the win and now let’s move on, big game tomorrow!!

Im not going to the den, but I will try and find some dodgy stream somewhere and watch it. The one thing im hoping will come out of Saturdays early kick off (except 3 points), is a debut for Sam Baldock, as im reading this morning that he is well up for showing us what he can do and that there is no better stage for him to do it. I would love him to get a debut goal as I am still keeping my fingers crossed that he is the missing pacey finisher that we so dearly need.

Team will hopefully look like this (it wont but this is what I would choose)

Green

O’Brien Tomkins Faye McCartney

Bentley Lansbury Nolan Taylor

Cole Baldock

But realistically, it will be Lansbury Nolan and Noble, and Cole up front on his own. Prediction: 1-2 With Millwall scoring first and Cole and Baldock scorers!!!

Yesterday saw a fan forum taking place, which again, I didn’t attend. However I am being cheeky, and have c+p’d a summary from a fan on West Ham Online so thanks to the contributor for this!


A brief run down of what was discussed:

• For me DG is a lovely, lovely bloke. Seriously. He is passionate, enthusiastic and down to earth.

• But he said alot without actually telling us much. A polished performance and he is very personable. DS is probably the one to get the gossip from!!

• The evening started with the inevtiable OS questions.

• In a nut shell he is 99.99999% we will get it. Hearn is only after cash and Levy wasnt spoken about in very fond terms. He couldnt say much about the legal action other than I got the impression Spurs may have a problem to deal with.

• The stadium will be named (he mentioned as an example The Sony Olympic Stadium) but West Ham will not change nor the badge (he feels KB was misquoted here)

• The worst seats will be given to the community and we will get the best seats. All options are being looked at for seats including retractable and a Dutch lego idea where we build sections for football over the track and dismantle in closed season.

• Parker wanted to go to spurs, other offers came in but he was only interested in going there.

• Bentley happened after and wasnt part of the Parker deal.

• Cole had offers, and wants PL football but not at any price. Instead he stayed with us. DG was very complimentary about Cole and spoke with warmth about how much he gives on the pitch for the club.

• Green will be offered contract but as per Parker in reality Contracts are worthless anyway if a player wants to go.

• He wont be driving his Rolls to Millwall!!

• BFS let Hines and Junior go as felt hadnt developed. DG felt Junior may still make the grade, nothing said about Hines.

• Huge hopes for current U18 team - especially Elliot Lee.

• Succession plans are in place should worst happen or either of the daves have enough.

• Debt down to £75m from £110m

• The Stech story is true about payments but he wont go on loan to prove his worth

• He loves BFS.

• Tried to manage Avram out in Dec/Jan. Offered MONeill the job but he was indecisive, then story leaked (still dont know by who) and so stuck with Avram once Feb came as no other manage wanted job if they couldnt bring in own players. All done in secret even DGs girlfriend didnt know they had gone in for MONeill.

• Said Avram was a lovely bloke, was excellent in interview and was best candidate at the time. Crap manager though!!

• Defended Brady and her Sun articles and said she was excellent at her job.

• The Icelandics "rape and pillaged" our club and some of the deals were a joke.

• DG said we could have got Freddie L for £1m rather than £3.5m if only they had waited 2 days!

• There is no transfer kitty just the two Daves pockets. They are prepared to dig deep to invest in BFS.

• BFS ambitious wants to manage in PL and then England football team.

• Disgusted with 5 sub rule (blamed small clubs like Peterborough!) and the UEFA financial rules need tweaking.

• Will look into comments on catering.

• Will look to take as much to the OS from UP as we can (like gates etc) and looking to do replica world cup winners statue

• We have to get OS otherwise Spurs will nick all our corporate. He can see OS from the Boardroom and doesn't want to see Spurs flag flying over it.

• Potential is massive as is income stream.

• Also said he hoped Lansbury would sign for us if we got promoted and if Arsenal still only offered bench football.

• Said all Henri wants is to play and is a top bloke.

• Also very complimentary on new little Sam and had high hopes for him also.

• Rough figures to buy into club and 30% stake are £30m to bank and £20m to club as a gift.

• Fernandes wanted to do the above figures at 51% and so become majority shareholder.

• DG and DS adamant that they want 3 equalish partners.

• Terry Brown wont invest any more into club. Lovely bloke, mad fan but dull!!

• DG mentioned 30% as stake left as from memory didnt Brown and someone else buy 3%?!

• Banks etc all aware we want a new partner in club.

• Said last year too many injuries, and this year none. Speaks volumes about BFS regime.

Very interesting read I think you would agree? Overall a real positive feel about our club at the moment. Loving it.

COYI Lets beat that Millwall scum!

IRONS

Episode 4 - Moore Than Just a Podcast

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