Guest post by Yvonne
I know this opinion may be unpopular with many, but I always speak my mind, and I feel it needs to be said. Yes, we are frustrated and disappointed with the games we have seen so far.
Many fans over 20 years old are well aware of the sports media’s attitude toward West Ham. They have always been quick to write negative stories and rumours, which they seem to drip-feed at every opportunity. This doesn’t even account for the added venom when we have the audacity to upset their ‘old boys’ club’ by replacing one of their favorite managers—we all know those names!
What I find annoying is how some of our fans and bloggers don’t seem to realise how this poison is seeping into their minds and that they are adding to it! Supporting West Ham and experiencing frustration have often gone hand in hand—it is NOT something new! I remember many deeply frustrating games last season, with only the opposing team scoring at will!
Yes, we were all hoping that the season would just take off from the start, but we have new players and a new manager who is trying to play a different way. Many of us don’t yet understand his team selections or substitutions. We have only played six league games! Six games do NOT make a season, people!
PLEASE, can we all get a grip?
Let’s SUPPORT the team, give the new boss some time, and not be manipulated by old grudges—this is real life, NOT FIFA!
COME ON YOU IRONS! ⚒️
excellent article. nothing wrong with disagreeing with the journalist’s viewpoint, or a punter’s comment in these discussions. just do it with critical thinking instead of spit, venom and bile. if an article is not a factual news report or mention of a rumour then it its bound to be an opinion piece. an OPINIONN! sick and tired of seeing comments accusing the author of an article of “hearing a rumour and stating it as fact!”. the truth is that they cannot understand the concept of an opinion piece, written sometimes to generate a discussion in the comments section where fans – lifelong and new – can interact with each other. some just don’t know how to do it without kicking off. this site owes us nothing. it comes free and people work hard to give it to us. if you don’t like it, fair enough. please go elsewhere, like you threaten to do, but you keep coming back. it’s a shame we do all follow the same team after all
We’ve only lost at home but that’s against good teams and it would have been hard to have picked a more difficult start.
We’re unbeaten away from home though, against not so good teams.
All while undergoing massive change. We do not have a settled eleven yet with the likes of Soler and Todibo still adjusting and Fullkrug hardly seen.
We need to be realistic, changes more often than not do not come right overnight.
We have lost to two champions league teams and an improving Chelsea. We have taken 5 points away against teams that we lost at last season so overall we are a point better off and although don’t agree with the choice of manager you got to give him some time
Has anyone in the media pointed out we are actually doing better than last year in the equivalent games. ?
It is not that your opinion is unpopular with many, it is just a fact, as you correctly pointed out, that many disagree with you. That in itself does not make you or them right or wrong, but consider the possibility, that it may mean they have a better character assessment capability than you, or they have more experience of life and people than you, or maybe both. Personally, I do not give a hoot what any sports journalist or pundit writes because, like you, they have the right to express their views, however myopic. Nobody wants Lopetegui sacked because six games have elapsed. What they are telling you is that after spending over £140M on new players, and after 12 games and four months of training and planning, 1) The results are not great, 2) Team selection is erratic, 3) Substitutions appear to be the work of someone in a state of panic, 4) Players are being played out of position and 5) There are too many excuses given for failure and lack of professionalism. All of that together points to the one person who really does need to get a grip, and that unlike him, we are not just passing through.
Yes, my 60+ yrs as a WH fan counts for nothing-impatience must be right!
With such poor ‘character assessment capability’ it’s amazing I’ve survived this long!
Long live FIFA mentality!🤣⚒️
I totally agree with your view point Yvonne.
These blog sites should be our (Hammers) safe haven,
articles that are devising and carrying a damaging narrative shouldn’t be given oxygen on these forums.
Yvonne, many years ago I noticed this mainstream media trend of an anti West Ham propaganda, half truths and innuendos. I cancelled my subscription and began seeking my daily fix of Hammers news here at C & H. I must say that since Hugh (RIP) passed away, the content formatting has altered somewhat.
Sometimes, less is more, or if ” you haven’t got anything good to say, it’s better to say nothing at all !
You make an interesting point. If every article was so ‘pro’West Ham that it didn’t offer alternative positions on teams, choices, selections, transfers, it’d be a tad boring, don’t you think? So we try and strike a balance between different opinions but not sensationalistic articles of rubbish. It has to be interesting or you’ll not be back more than about once a month. And ‘good’ is like Beauty, very subjective. If we only wrote your opinion of ‘good’-then even you’d get bored of that kind of endless sycophantic tripe. So we do walk a delicate path, but we do read what you think. thank you.
Trouble is DJ, there are positive posts but nobody interacts with them.
Yesterday is a prime example. “Bowen credit where its’s due”, “Promising Soler” & “Kilman Mr Reliable” were all yesterday and positive.
I guess my point is, when positive pieces are written, they are not registered in peoples mind. However, if we write something criticising a defensive tactic people say “Oh, you lot are always moaning”.
The truth is we are not always moaning, but many have decided we are so the positive pieces are ignored. I definitely get the impression (and the numbers & comments back this up) that people skip the happy stuff and keep scrolling until they find something a little more juicy.
I am so glad someone has posted what I think is good old fashioned reason, every one knows and says it going to take time to gel yet not everyone can accept that this means be patient and stop bagging everyone. Thankyou for saying what I suspect is what many of us feel. Negatives can always be found if that’s what your looking for.
Here here! Spot on! Positive thinking positive talking, time to get behind the lads. COYI ⚒️⚒️⚒️
Completely agree Yvonne, well said!
Can we please keep reminding people that is was always going to take time with all the changes.
The new style is far more entertaining and will only get better as the players understand each other more, the managers way of playing is understood better and he decides what is the best player combination.
Excellent article, well said!
As per the two above.
No knee jerk required, no sublime to the ridicilous.
A few more articles in the same vein wouldn’t go amiss.
Thank goodness for common sense!
Couldn’t agree more