please log in to view this image V please log in to view this image Aggregate score: 2:0 NPOWER CHAMPIONSHIP - Playoff Semi Final Leg 2 Venue: Upton Park Date: Monday 7 May Kick-off: 1630 BST West Ham home form last 6 games: 2-3-1 (9/18) - 8th in the League - 15 for 10 against Cardiff away form last 6 games: 4-2-0 (14/18 - 1st in the League - 10 for 5 against Summary: It is not easy to see where Cardiff are going to be able to turn this tie around after leg one, but there are some reason to think they can do it. 2-0 is not insurmountable. Cardiff are excellent away from home and do not concede often. West Ham are not great at home, but still do find the net often Sam will know that one more goal will win it for them, so I imagine they may try to have a go early on to see if they can put the tie beyond doubt. This may well give Cardiff a chance to get something against the run of traffic in the first half. We have done it away from home all year. The Hammers may start to get a little nervous if they can't break Cardiff down and the game gets to half time 0-0 or even better 0-1. Hudson and Taylor will once again have to play out of their skins to hold it all together, but Whittingham, Miller, and Lawrence have to all play the games of their season if we are going to get out of this. We can't expect young Mason to carry the workload! MM may well start with a 4-5-1 as he looks to hold tight for the first 45 minutes and try to get something on the counter. I imagine if we go 3 down or we get to the 60 minute mark still 2 down in the leg we will switch to a 4-4-2. At the end of the day, I don't think we have more then 2 goals in us against this West Ham team. So as much as I hope we can get a 2-0 and move onto extra time. I feel we may finish here with a 1-1 draw (or possibly 1-2 win). Either way I truly expect to see a Cardiff team playing more like it did against Liverpool than the one we saw last week. EDIT: I also better add Option B here - **** or bust, just smash them from the start and get it up them. Thanks Remote Pob lwc Lads [h=1]WEST HAM PRE-MATCH MEDIA: MALKY[/h] "We don't need to score early. We need to score first." "Don took a knock but he should be fine." "Kevin will definitely come with us. We missed his energy, and that's where you are when you have a small squad." "Not taking anything from West Ham, but we had a few great chances. Fine lines." 'We need to be disciplined. We can't just go gung ho" (Sorry Remote) "Loyal fans stick with their team through thick and thin. I have nothing but praise for the Bluebird fans." "We know them inside out, they are experienced players, we know what we are coming against." "On the night West Ham took their chances, we didn't." "Most people don't expect anything. They expect West Ham are through. Me and the team don't run with that." "We have a fighter's chance."
Ill go with option b...**** or bust. Go for it from the first whistle or die trying. Whatever happens, its been a great season
I`ve a feeling that we could win this 1-0 after an early goal.....surely we can`t play as badly again. Good luck to the boys!
Dragon, in all fairness that`s quite good......quite good! However, I for one wouldn`t mind being in the play-offs again next season......should be exciting enough for me.
Okay guys. I will leave these posts by DPJ up from now on for awhile. Just so you understand why he is getting banned temporarily. A very polite PM was sent asking him to just post this stuff in the Banter thread. Totally ignored. He must be on some bender!!
Stuck down Binland ,Pilot showing the match down the mumble so looks like we will have to make it little Cardiff again this afters then lol. Smash and grab our first goal then wear the ammers down and get a seconds just after half time ,their home crowd well known for getting on the teams backs if not going well and Whitts to smash in a winning free kick with ten mins left .....................The Pilot bar erupppppppppppsssssssss and the jammed bar go wild in celebrations well into the swansea night ..........................;o) JH
I will be watching you lot on sky this afternoon, hell every year you don't half make me laugh, my sides will be splitting by full time whistle!................................
He's obviously got time on this hands. He's posted the same thing on half a dozen threads. Perhaps he's just figured out copy and paste. Whatever happens, another eventful season with plenty of talking points will have passed.
He's probably got something in his hands how excited he is. All important first goal gentlemen,but I will echo that whatever the result it's been exciting again.
I can't honestly see a way for us to score three goals. In fact, getting two can be a struggle for us (unless the opposition chip in to help us). Yes, stranger things have been known, and yes, all the pressure is on the Hammers, but I think they have too much for us. To give us any chance at all, Kenny has to find his scoring boots. Another good season, but I am disappointed that we didn't strengthen in the last window with some bargains like those picked up by Reading and Southampton. Hey ho, that's in the past now. C'mon city. Give it your all.
Clingo - If Kenny ever wanted to be a hero, today is the day. He should have been a League Cup hero, but I will accept a Kenny hat-trick as a substitute to that
Marshall, McNaughton, Taylor, Hudson, Turner, Lawrence, Whittingham, Gunnarsson, McPhail, Mason, Miller...C'mon City, lets burst some bubbles!
