Let’s all just calm down.
I’ll get to the football in a minute, but first…
This week, I wrote a blog post about how the changing seasons impact us all—how autumn marks the start of a steady decline in our mood and temperament as we approach darker days and the looming expense and pressure of Christmas.
The point of the article was to help my customers (driving instructors) recognise that people may act out in ways they might not during the lighter months of spring and summer. By being mindful of this, perhaps we can pause, think twice, and take a breath before reacting hastily, laying into others, or doing silly things ourselves…
…like writing an angry comment to another person online, behind a mask of anonymity.
[Pause while that sinks in…]Now, I get that we’re all missing Hugh and the unique insight he brought to this website. I also understand that Martin, Gonzo, and others, in their efforts to keep the site going, may not always write things to our liking.
But consider this: if they don’t spend their time writing articles—which we have the ‘choice’ to read—so advertisers can reach our eyeballs and people can get paid, then the site fades and dies.
Like our dreams, perhaps, but I’ll leave that for another article.
If you’d like to contribute your time to write free articles, I’m sure the team would love to hear from you.
There’s nothing wrong with commenting on an article to suggest it could be better—it’s a free world—but PLEASE consider how you go about it because, contrary to some belief, there are real people behind the screens on both ends.
Now, to football…
We also need to calm down about our club. The noise is loud and unnecessary. We have a new manager, a raft of new players, and we’re only 23% into the season.
So far, we’ve played high-flying Villa, Man City, Chelsea, and Spurs, and lost to all of them. Not unexpected results, really, are they?
We’ve beaten a wasteful Man Utd team, as well as Palace and Ipswich, and gained respectable points against useful Fulham and Brentford teams.
Sure, it’s not been a pretty watch (to say the least), and some decisions have left us scratching our heads. But with so much change, can we not afford the team and coaching staff a little more time before we destroy them all with our superior insight and knowledge?
Next up are Forest and Everton—games where I’d expect at least four points—before tough fixtures against Newcastle and Arsenal, from which I’d be happy with a combative, competitive performance.
In December, we have five winnable games against Leicester, Wolves, Bournemouth, Brighton, and Southampton. I’d expect us to pick up at least eight points from these and be around 10th by the time we face Liverpool on the 29th.
So, let’s just calm down. Recognise that autumn and winter are challenging months for everyone, gain some perspective, and reflect a little before we act. Let’s aim to be a slightly kinder, more balanced human.
Both in real life and online; it’s more real than you think.
COYI & much love.
Author: Dan Hill
Just want to close this off by thanking everyone for their comments. It’s really appreciated, and I know the guys will appreciate your support too. Hopefully we can call out the haters moving forward – I know that the C&H team find it tough to be reading constant derision towards their work, so let’s be as forward in our praise as others are in their criticism.
All the very best.
Thanks Dan. Appreciated . I have developed rhino hide in this role. But Yep sometimes the comments make me just hit’ delete’ !
Well said Dan. I know we all came into this season full of hope and unfortunately our spirits have been dampened by subsequent results. However I’m certain that as time passes we will become stronger. Thanks for putting it all into perspective.
Appreciate that, AH.
Great post Dan Hill.
Echoes my thinking (And posts) about where WHU are at, winning & losing games as expected.
Do I like all of it? No
Am I going to shift my allegiances? No.
The point of my posting, is that this is one of the few fan sites that’s allows posts, if posters keep slagging off the writing etc., the facility will eventually get switched off.
Please don’t ruin it for the rest of us.
You’re right – they will turn it off, and that would be a real shame. Fingers crossed, if even one person stops and thinks “Do I really need to write this?” before bashing the Enter key, then that’s one less hit the people on the other end take, and one less reason to switch off commenting.
Well done Dan Hill, I think you said all that’s needed to be said, but here is my 2 Penneth.
West Ham are definitely a team who have there ups and downs, but if you look into not to distant history we were a yoyo team, well we certainly can stand our ground now against the best of them, and win trophies.
I also know a lot of people have been digging at the team and manager but give him a chance, 9 new players, a new manager, a new style of football, did any of us really believe we would be beating the top teams as soon as the season started?
I will be happy with a mid table first year then we will see.
Thanks, David. Totally agree.
Well said Dan Hill. Puts on to perspective doesn’t it. Can’t understand the clamour for Lopetegui out after only a few games. Some of the west Ham social media, the fan sites and YouTube channels etc have much to answer for creating this negative vibe. We’ve not lost against one team that we wouldn’t expect to lose to if we’re honest. Forget all the anti manager anti board anti team anti everything and let’s get some positivity going. Beat Forest and we’re seriously on the march.
B – appreciated, thank you.
I think it’s fine to air concerns and observations. But there’s a way to go about it, and ‘raging’ does nothing but make you look out of control and unreasonable, which takes away from good points.
most of the abuse comes from the “Sullivan” haters (i’m no big fan but why do i have to read your repetitive diatribes every day? boring and childish) and the fans that started spouting “top 4” garbage when they saw our spend and signings. they stamp their little feet on this site because they want to be heard by the people they come to everyday for information instead of realising how stupid and uninciteful they were themselves at the start of the season. i don’t like every article but….so what? i certainly don’t waste my time telling everyone.
also, i’d be more worried about Forest than i would the Toons. Forest are on fire 😉
oh yeah, and….great article
Thanks mate, appreciate it.
Forest humbled us when they came up, and I can see the same thing happening again if we’re not careful. Kilman’s going to have a job on his hands against an on-fire Chris Wood. I bet JWP is gutted he can’t play and show us what we’re missing! 🙂
Spot on Dan.
Life changes and you did a great job and hopefully our new manager will as well.
Thanks, Michael. Appreciate it.
Good article wise words
It all gets a bit much at times and it seems to be continuous. I suppose only a major upturn in form may change that ? Although some who tend to drag their knuckles across the floor may not concur
Thanks, D. Just feel it’s important that we take a moment to reflect on our own behaviour and the impact it has on others, now and again. I’m no saint or hippy, but maybe age is teaching me a thing or two! 🙂
Is this written by Gonzo? Cos mentions gonzo as if it’s someone else
The author was apparently Dan Hill.
written by Dan Hill, posted by Gonzo
Good article I read claret and Hugh everyday I think since Hugh passed it probably not as I’d as it was that’s just my opinion but gonzo and Martin have step
Up in just a change in personnel writing the articles now but West Ham United is what’s in are hearts and that’s the point I’m trying to make
Dan… * LOUD applause *
The thing that irritates me is that certain bloggers for whom Loetegui was deemed to be an error seem to take any opportunity for petty, aside comments.
Lopetegui changes things up, I suspect, more than Moyes changes his underwear and should be praised for that rather than the back-handed compliments that claim how his first half team choices were bewildering and left him no choice. It happens OFTEN.
Just to add my voice of support for the writers on this site.
Without them there is NO site.
Well done guys!!
Here here! Said eloquently and with clarity. People making comments are entitled to their opinions but so are the C&H writers, so let’s show respect for each other.
Dan Hill, I’d buy you a drink if I could!
Well done!👏 👏👏👏👏👏
A bit of sanity-though that tends to often be hard to find in us footy fans!
Chill, relax, find some patience, and get behind the team-not on their backs!
(And give those hard-working people at C & H a bit of support too👍)
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