This didn't look like a goalless draw and the fact Ian Holloway felt it was the 'best nil-nil I've ever seen' may reflect that. At the end though, this was another three points dropped and with Liverpool coming up next week - the last time the Hammers won at Anfield, Mafeking was still waiting to be relieved (check your History books!) - it's hard to see how the Hammers won't go into December still rooted to the bottom.
I've started running out of suitable phrases to use to describe what is fast becoming one of 'those' seasons so I'll have to resort to some I've already used this campaign and say that the Hammers could and should have won this but, equally, were fortunate not to have lost it too.
The odd thing about this game is there were innumerable chances, such was the attack minded attitude of both sides, and yet there was little real goal-mouth action in that barely any of the chances were on target. It was both exciting and exhilarating but also frustrating and stale. In terms of what we have witnessed so far in 2010/11, it's another day at the office for the hapless home side then.
Much was made of the stonewall penalty shout when Obinna's fierce 18-yard drive struck Craig Cathcart on the arm but Blackpool had a definite goal chalked off when former Hammers favourite Marlon Harewood's shot was deemed off-side. Never a favourite with young Blagg Jnr. my son threw a party when Marlon left Upton Park but from what I've seen since the big man departed, I'd have to say we'd be better off with him in our ranks than wearing tangerine. I also must admit though that Marlon's goal against Villa Park in the FA Cup semi-final means he's always welcome to a festive eggnog round at Blagg Acres.
Substitute Cole had another one of those shots off the post that, even on replay, looked like it must go in, while Blackpool's substitute keeper made a great one-handed save from the surprisingly returning Mark Noble; the midfielder's recovery from an appendix operation suggesting he must have been on magic beans. But it wasn't all West Ham although home pressure did tell at times, Marlon somehow missed - 'as usual' B Jnr would probably say - when it looked easier to score and Taylor-Fletcher skied the ball when superbly placed.
I'm not sure how it all finished without the net being troubled once but, when it did, the disgruntled Hammers fans voiced their disapproval. This was a 'must win' game - and we didn't.
Comments
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Posted by Roy on 11/15/2010
So do you stand by what you said in your previous post about if we failed to win against Blackpool then Grant has to go? Funny how you avoided the subject, what a surprise.
Blagg; Have a bad day at work did we? If I said, I said it. I wasn't happy about the appointment of Grant and stand by what I said. However, I'm not going to write another piece about how he should go. GS and B have said he is staying so he's staying.
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Posted by Gerald from Singapore on 11/17/2010
These days, I get a funny feeling when we play, it can be described as almost like hanging off the edge of the cliff and you know that though you could pull yourself up to save your ass, the plunge down seems more likely because of the heavy backpack you are carrying.
That's exactly how our season has been. I hear so much being said about how good we are and how the players hate to be stuck in the R zone, but the truth is, unless the manager does something to relieve the pressure on players or toughen them up mentally, we will always be more likely to fall off the cliff into Championship
Though I would lament how the ref should have given us the penalties, we should have scored from open play given the many chances we had. I am sure we could have scored if not for Barrera's wasteful crossing. The likes of Noble, Parker and Piquionne cannot be denied credit but I think we need to be more incisive when attacking instead of passing the ball around, allowing defenders to get back.
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Posted by Kyle on 11/18/2010
I'm just gonna put this out there, but Landon Donovan would be a much needed boost to the left or right side of mid-field in January. Granted it would be temporary, but he's at his peak right now and ballin'.
Posted by vincent on 11/18/2010
What about that goal kick/penalty/corner kick decision that jacobsen was involved with? It was so frustrating. If the defender didn't touch the ball, it's a penalty. If he did get the ball, it's a good challenge and should be a corner. Quite where the logic of awarding goal kick came from, i'm not sure, but i think it rhymes with "the ref's gumpole."
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Born at an early age a mere defenders' spit from the Boleyn ground, Billy Blagg has seen every West Ham game from 1898 onwards. Blagg was mentioned by Kenneth Wolstenholme in 1966 as one of the people on the pitch during the famous Hammers win over West Germany that lifted the World Cup and he returned to the pitch again for the 1975 FA Cup Final but stayed on the terrace for 1980 FA Cup victory. Blagg, 26, now lives with his eighth wife and innumerable children in a small semi-detached with chintz curtains in Dagenham, Essex and still attends every Hammers match and training session.
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