Parker

The Scott Parker saga should be settled in the next 2 days, it seems the Spuds won't pay the £8m asking price and hope to get him on the cheap as they did with Defoe and Carrick, the rumour is they are offering about £4m + a loan player.
Surely Gold and Sullivan should have learnt their lesson on Spuds loan players after Robbie Keane's obvious sabotage last season?
I don't mind Peter Crouch but we'll probably get offered one of the shite players like Modric (£40m!! even Chelsea aren't that stupid are they?).
I'm surprised Arsenal haven't come in for Parker, they can afford him and they really need some experienced players.

A Greater Power?

Thanks to Mr Billy Bragg for posting this story today, I was almost believing it until I saw some of the other posts at http://newsthump.com :)
Funny stuff and after all Wenger has come up with some great excuses over the years :)

Happy Sunday

Match of the day should be worth watching tonight.
Man U 8 Arsenal 2
Spuds 1 Man City 5

I would 8 2 be an Arsenal fan today :)

Arsene says he won't quit - I thought he was French?

At least you can't accuse Arsenal fans of being glory hunters anymore.

Gary Cahill handed in a written transfer request today, it said "anywhere but Arsenal"

No Place Like ...... Away

There's no place like home they say but the Hammers don't seem to think that is Upton Park anymore?

Home
West Ham 0 Cardiff 1
West Ham 2 Leeds 2
West Ham 1 Aldershot 2

Away
Doncaster 0 West Ham 1
Watford 0 West Ham 4
Nottm Forest 1 West Ham 4

Another great win on the road, shame we can't do it at home?
This one achieved without Parker who it seems is selling his soul to the Spuds although I can't understand why we would do any business with them after last weeks events.
Hopefully if he does turn Judas we will pass them at the end of the season after they suffered yet another stuffing by a Manchester club :)

Premier Predictions (Week 3)

Sorry Longy forgot what day it was, I put your predictions in the comments.

Aston Villa v Wolves
Wigan v QPR
Blackburn v Everton
Chelsea v Norwich
Swansea v Sunderland
Liverpool v Bolton

Newcastle v Fulham
Tottenham v Man City
West Brom v Stoke
Man Utd v Arsenal

Still At It

Bloody Tottenham fans can't leave anything alone.

Premier Predictions (Week 2)

This weeks games:

Sunderland v Newcastle
Arsenal v Liverpool
Aston Villa v Blackburn
Everton v QPR
Swansea v Wigan
Chelsea v West Brom

Norwich v Stoke
Wolves v Fulham
Bolton v Man City

Man Utd v Tottenham

Watford 0 West Ham 4

On the face of it this looked like being our hardest game so far but the result shows you really can't predict what's going to happen in this division.
Just one change again with Cole finally getting a start instead of Piquionne, Allardyce can't be accused of being a tinkerman and it seems to be working.
We have 3 more games until the transfer window closes and it remains to be seen if Parker, Green and Cole will still be here? but I get the feeling that we can still do alright even if they go.

So Far So Bad

The Prems back and watching MOTD last night it looks like it's gonna be the same old story.
Wenger's moaning, Barton's being a twat, Dyer's injured, the smaller teams are praying for the transdfer window to close, Fuham draw and the pundits all think the sun shines out of Kenny Dalglish's arse.
I was going to try to be more charitable about Liverpool this season, but after Suarez's dramatic fall and imaginary card waving after Richardson breathed on him that soon ended.
QPR as predicted were shit (at least I got one prediction right) and anyone that thinks Warnock isn't a wanker were proved wrong after he signed West Ham's injury prone pair Gabbidon and Dyer?
Bolton were impressive but I think anyone would be against that lot.
Wigan and Wolves surprised me and looked quite good, I'm a bit annoyed I forgot to pick Blackburn in my bottom 3 predictions they looked pretty awful apart from Hoillett.
Norwich played reasonably well although I guess they will end up struggling due to lack of top class experience.
Fulham and Villa looked comfortable and I expect them both to be mid table.
Sunderland looked pretty good and have made some good signings.
Newcastle I still think wil struggle this season but they weren't too bad against Arsenal, although Arsenal were a shadow of last seasons team and need several players.
I have to admit I'm starting to like Joey Barton? especially against teams like Arsenal, they like a dive and whinge so it's always funny to see it happen to them :)

Barton Returns

Joey Barton gets angry after realising Gervinho has beaten him to the "stupid haircut of the week award"

Doncaster v West Ham

1-0, 1-0, 1-0 .. Doncaster thrashed, OK we only managed one shot on target but that was all it needed :)
Collison for Sears was the only change from the Cardiff game, and Cole still on the bench and although I've yet to see the highlights it sounds as if it still didn't work so hopefully they will start to get their act together before next weeks trip to Watford, but the result is a first stepping stone.

Fantasy Footie

New season, new super duper live updates ... as you can see :(

Premier Predictions (Week 1)

Here we go again, join in if you want to and post yours before kick off Saturday in the comments.
Same rules - 3 points for a correct score, 1 point for a correct result with the wrong score.
One change this year is that I'll post my score predictions in the comments so I'm not always first :)

- Saturday -
Blackburn v Wolves
Fulham v Aston Villa
Liverpool v Sunderland
QPR v Bolton
Tottenham v Everton
Wigan v Norwich
Newcastle v Arsenal
- Sunday -
Stoke v Chelsea
West Brom v Man Utd
- Monday -
Man City v Swansea

I suppose there is a chance some of the games might get postponed if the riots continue so they will just be forgotten as I can't be bothered checking back when they eventually get played.

Premier League 2011-2

Obviously as a Hammers fan the Premier league is not very important this year, but here are my expectations for the coming season.

The title - Hard to see past Man Utd, Man City and Chelsea as the only real contenders.
Man Utd seem to have bought well and I expect them to take the title again.
Man City can't be discounted just because of the quality of the players especially if they manage to talk Tevez around, although Mancini's negative tactics could cost them points.
Chelsea should be thereabouts although their ageing players are another year older, if Torres finally finds some form and Sturridge gets some games who knows? it remains to be seen if new manager Villa Lobos can cut it in England?

Next best - Probably between Arsenal and Liverpool for the 4th place, Arsenal again will probably play some nice football without ever being consistent enough to challenge, Liverpool have again spent fortunes and look to have a better squad than usual.
Everton and Tottenham should be just outside the top 4.

Relegation - Obvious candidates are Swansea, Blackburn, Wolves, Wigan, West Brom.
I fancy Norwich to do quite well although they might have a Blackpool season starting well but then struggling.
I look at the QPR team and it still amazes me they got up let alone as champions? I think they will struggle.
Newcastle should have lots of money to spend but they don't seem to want to so they might have a rough season.

So my predictions for the season are -
Top - 1 Man Utd 2 Man City 3 Chelsea 4 Arsenal
Bottom - 18 QPR 19 Wigan 20 Wolves

So with my prediction history it might be worth having a couple of quid on Wolves making Europe :)

I Predict A ... Postponement

So tonights Hammers game v Aldershot is called off due to the police having other things on their minds, Charlton's game is also off.
I imagine most Premier league managers will hope that the riots spread to the Wembley area so the pointless friendly against Holland will be called off as well.

Oh Yeah

I've just seen our defence so the revised prediction is 5-2 :)

Half time 0-0, not ideal but a reasonable start.
The dodgy defence weren't that bad, Reid looking safer against championship attackers, Ilunga has remembered he used to be quite good, O'Brien hasn't gone off injured yet.
Piquionne started brightly but faded as usual, Parker still doesn't look fit, Taylor and Nolan looking the quality, and proper Hammers Sears, Noble and Tomkins not quite on their game.
Carlton Cole must be wondering where he stands after being left out and us signing Carew, maybe he should have gone to Stoke like we wanted him to?
I wonder if Pablo Barrera will come on and finally show us the quality he shows for Mexico.
Now for the second half with fingers crossed :)

Second half done and ..... the expected happened Cardiff nick a late winner :(
Defensive cock up and the ball goes through Green's hands, not too much to cheer.

Will hold on the 30 year old memory of us losing at home in the first game and then running away with the old second division (although we had a much better team then).
It should get better ??

Thoughts

Other than I really should go to bed as the Hammers game is on the Beeb at 1, why can't I say the name Carew without thinking of that kids tune "Kenny the kangaroo, Carew, Carew, Carew"? :)

Topical jokes -
The safest place to be in Tottenham tonight is the Spurs trophy cabinet, There's no chance of looters visiting there.

Tottenham has been set on fire, Police suspect Arsene.

Here We Go Again

One day to go and then 46 games to define if this is going to be a memorable season or another one to forget?
The Championship looks like being a dogfight again with some powerful teams involved.
West Ham's current squad looks as good as anything there although I expect a few "names" to leave before the transfer window hopefully we wil sign some defenders!!
Leicester, Ipswich, Southampton etc have all been spending and teams like Leeds, Derby, Birmingham, Cardiff all have big support should be a good season.

New Season

I'm still around although my computer went bang a few weeks back and I still can't figure out which bit went wrong? I've got a selection of broken computers to cannabalise but nothing has worked so far :(
I spent some real money the day before the computer went wrong on buying into this season's TFF (Telegraph fantasy football) a competition I've done well at in the past although I haven't played for the last 2 seasons, but haven't been able to actually pick my teams as my details are on an e-mail I can't access :(
So hoping I can sort that out before next week.

Anyway I've quickly borrowed my son's laptop and hopefully I won't break this as well!!

The Championship has just kicked off tonight with Blackpool winning and the rest play tomorrow, the Hammers have to wait till Sunday when they take on Cardiff.
Not sure what players we've actually got left as most of what I've read seems to be untrue although we seem to be a clone of Bolton from about 5 years ago with the players he's signed (shame we haven't got Kevin Davies as well).

The Charity shield starts the season for the Prem teams on Sunday with a Manchester derby, which should be interesting, not sure what's happening with Tevez? I still think that despite all City's money and signings he is the most important player they have.

Predictions to follow if anyone is still reading this :)