The Match Thread ESPN and BBC have threads. WEST HAM UNITED 1 v 1 WATFORD Mark Noble - caution 23 mÃn. Sean Murray - goal 68 mÃn. 0:1 Ricardo Vaz Te - goal 87 mÃn. 1:1 Jonathan Hogg - caution 90+10 mÃn. Alex Kacaniklic - caution 90+10 mÃn. Attendance: 31.674 The Hammers welcome the Hornets for their first visit to the Boleyn Ground, thank you supernus terra quod maris for setting me right, for a league match in four years. An easy journey for the Golden Horde, Watford to Baker Street or Euston and then east on the Hammersmith and City underground route. WEST HAM UNITED • The Manager – Sam Allardyce please log in to view this image "The performance wasn't quite as good as Blackpool but it was nearly there and we kept eleven men on the field! We had an exquisite goal from Kevin Nolan and that exceptionally good goal from George McCartney, which from our point of view was unexpected." "We've got an opportunity after this great platform we've put ourselves on to go for a nine point week. We must perform at this level but be more clinical in front of goal and not waste this fantastic victory by slipping up at home against Watford or Doncaster. We've got to go all out to try to win the two and make it a big week for West Ham United." "The only disappointing thing was how many chances we missed. Our front line of Carlton Cole, Nicky Maynard, Carlton Cole and Ricardo Vaz Te all had superb opportunities to score and that is where we need to improve as this game could have been well beyond Cardiff before we got our second. We had a blistering start to the second half that created goal chance after goal chance so I'm a little disappointed in that area, but delighted with our overall performance and attitude of the team. We came out and won our tenth game away from home, which is by no means an easy achievement." • The Hammers John Carew is out with a knee injury, Julien Faubert is sick and Winston Ried was knocked out so may miss the game. Matt Taylor may return after being suspended for three matches. Last time out, v Cardiff CityRobert Green, Henri Lansbury for Joey O'Brien - 74 mÃn., George McCartney, Abdoulaye Faye, James Tomkins Julien Faubert, Mark Noble (c) - caution 23 mÃn., Kevin Nolan, Ricardo Vaz Te - goal 87 mÃn. for Matthew Taylor - 74 mÃn. Carlton Cole, Sam Baldock for Nicky Maynard - 61 mÃn. Substitutes: Ruud Boffin, Gary O'Neil, Henri Lansbury, Ricardo Vaz Te, Sam Baldock Update on the Hammers’ latest statisticsWATFORD • The Manager – Sean Dyche please log in to view this image “I have mentioned several times this season that we are looking to build a playing staff that can challenge every week but we are looking to build a mentality and I think the mentality was fantastic second half. They (Burnley) had the better of the first half without a shadow of a doubt but it is important you refocus as players and that is sometimes the magic of half time – you are able to refocus the players.” “Despite conceding an own goal, the players came out for the second half and you could tell the feel of it. They played with more freedom and players wanted the ball. I spoke to them about it at half time. There was no shouting, it was just a case of telling them to relax, take the shackles off and play. That is exactly what they did.” • The Hornets A new player on the injury list is Ross Jenkins with a groin problem and Gavin Massey is ill. Stephen McGinn is still missing, over a year from competitive football, and Martin Taylor with his toe is missing. Last time out, v Burnley Tomasz Kuszczak Lloyd Doyley, Adrian Mariappa, Martin Taylor for Dale Bennett - 58 mÃn., Carl Dickinson Prince Buaben for Sean Murray - goal 68 mÃn. - 88 mÃn., John Eustace (c), Jonathan Hogg - caution 90+10 mÃn., Alex Kacaniklic - caution 90+10 mÃn. Chris Iwelumo, Troy Deeney Substitutes: Scott Loach (GK), Martin Taylor, Prince Buaben, Marcello Trotta, Joe Garer Update on the Hornet's latest statistics Who will win? Current form Watford is back to winning ways after sending Burnley home with no points on Saturday. Three second half goals took the game after they fell behind. This after two matches with heavy defeats against Southampton and Crystal Palace. West Ham travelled out of the country to avenge the defeat Cardiff City lucky gave them and returned to England with three points. Before that a goalles draw with Crystal palace is a bad omen for the visitors. Akureyri's Prediction: 3-0 I have ahorrible feeling that this game will not be about losing but stopping West Ham United scoring many goals. Saturday showed the Hornets are still happy to press the self destruction button and the Hammers are a team that will offer it and then take advantage when the button is pushed. There is a history The last match: Watford – West Ham United 0:4 Not the expected result but West ham have just carried on winning after this and sit second in the league behind the deep pocketed Southampton. Watford came to the game after out playing Derby County and losing so there were hopes of something good. West Ham had opened their account with . What was served up was total domination by the visitors with clinical finishing, six goal attempts produced four goals while the hosts nine were rewarded with nothing. First half goals from the defenders James Tomkins and Joey O’Brien did for Watford before the decoration was added by Carlton Cole and Scott Parker, who’s goal was squeezed in stoppage time. please log in to view this image Carlton Cole, scored in the last meeting. Further into the past: There have only been 18 matches between West Ham and Watfrod in east London, and that includes three cup matches. In the league the Hammers have an advantage of 11 wins to two and in goals 26:13. The first meeting was a cup match in 1978 resulting in a 1:0 win for the hosts. Their domination of this fixture is not shown by scores, but West Hams best effort was a 4:0 win in their last home match of 2003-04, the goals were scored by Don Hutchison Christian Dailly and two from Marlon Harewood and improved the Hammers in a play off position. Watfrod became safe from relegation, a theme that returns regularly. Watfords rare successes were highlighted with a 2:4 in 1984, John Barnes scored two Nigel Callaghan and Mo Johnston one each were the Watford goal scorers. please log in to view this image John “two goals” Barnes. skál/skÃ¥l/cheers/salut Don't forget Drop in to The Hornet’s Nest for some match chat. Travellers may want some information about West Ham United.
Thanks ak, superb as usual. Watched the Hammers despatch Carduff and their defence looks as if not a lot is going to get through it. I cannot see where we might get a goal from
Fantastic thread AK. Above and beyond this week I went to the ground in the 05/06 season for the Cup game, and thought the view was shocking, if we were up the other end of the ground you could not see the players heads if you were in the back half of the stand. I know this will be a tough game, but i would be very happy if we got a score draw, or even a 0-0.
Great thread as usual Ak, thank you This is definitely going to be difficult, and much as i'd like to think i'm feeling positive about it...i'm not sure i am. Having said that though, we'll have a good following, so hopefully they'll give the team an uplift...and who knows what can happen. Not sure about my usual 1-3 though...i think i'd be happy with a point...ah sod it...1-3, it's only a prediction after all! lol Sadly i can't go, and i'll miss listening to the first half, but i'll be here as soon as i can!
I doubt i will be able to listen to much of it too. I have training from 7:15-8:15 and am unlikely to be home much before 9. I am so tempted to miss training, but it would only piss my instructor off. Although he could do with a dose of his own medicine. Hmmmmm, what to do??
if you can miss it, i'd miss it! I have to be down the gogue, it's a festival on Wednesday...though it's the best one of the year, since it's a rule that you have to get drunk..hopefully i'll have a reason to celebrate on Wednesday and it'll come easy! lol
Haha, that sounds like an interesting festival. I could miss it, but if i lie then i should not be grading for my Black belt, as one of the key tenets is Integrity. But, i hate missing matches
yeah, thats what i think i will do. Mention that i need to leave asap and get home for the 2nd half. Hopefully i can listen to another fantastic comeback.
I cant see us scoring first lol. If at all. However, if we can wind them up and get under their skins we could get a couple sent off and that will give us the upper hand lol
Not looking forward to this one. Hopefully our confidence will remain high during and after the game. Lets just do better than the Welsh lot.
I was going to ask as I do not know, even though Dorrit Moussaieff is Jewish. She is the wife of Ãlafur Ragnar GrÃmsson, the presidentof Ãsland.
Nice one AK - 5*'s from me. Not got a good feeling about this - the 'ammers looked good against Malky's boys on Sunday. Head over heart on this one and have to go for a 3-0 home win...
Frenchie has been celebrating this festival every Saturday and some Wednesdays for years. At least that what he's been telling Mrs Frenchie. Now onto the serious stuff, I'd be very happy with a draw. But as long as the result is better than the last time we played them I'll be happy. You never know....we are due an upset! COYH!!!
Purim, it would seem - when "A person is obligated to drink ..... until he does not know the difference between "cursed be Haman" and "blessed be Mordechai" I suppose for most of us, that wouldn't take very much at all - I for one would start out like that
