West Ham vs. Spurs - Ha Ha Ha
When a striker, who’s been waiting all season to score a goal, opens his account against your club, you just know it isn’t going to be your day. But then when a side with a good squad and a good manager are playing with such astounding relegation form, you know that not even an eight goal cushion would never be enough. So was the ballad of West Ham vs. Tottenham.
After a brief threat to drag my father (the Pita) down the pub and a quick call to those at Sky, we had the sports channels added to the satellite package just in time for kick off at the old Bagel family home. A large shout out to the Pita for that one and a larger shout from the pair of us when Paul Stalteri bagged the winner in added time so deep that you needed an aqualung to witness it. Maybe it was Nitrogen Narcosis but I’m sure I even caught Danny, the family Lilywhite cat, pointing at the screen with one paw mewing, ‘Yiddo! Yiddo! Yiddo! Yiddo!’
It doesn’t get a lot sweeter; to come from behind, to both equalise and win more or less in stoppage time, to do it to West Ham, to keep them bottom of the league, to pretty much send them down, to step on their club and climb a little higher, to watch those Hammers cry…again…
Having truly broken some hearts, let’s tell it how it was. West Ham played well. They outplayed us over the first half. We had plenty of chances but for once they had the team out on the field that they’ve been waiting for all season and they fought well. They chased us, they closed us down, they did all those things to best stop a Spurs side away from home and it served them well. To be two up was probably a little flattering but they were on it. And then, then they weren’t.
Getting relegated isn’t necessarily about being the worst team around, it’s just about getting over familiar with the losing habit. It happened to the East Enders before and it’s happening again. There’s something inexorable, ineffable about the journey down to a lower division. You simply can’t win, no matter how hard you try, no matter how well your ‘world class player’ suddenly performs, no matter how late your ex-Tottenham side grab their ‘winner’. If they had subbed on Pele and we’d been down to just 6 Goran Bunjecevics we’d still have won because everything touched by Claret and Blue this year can only turn to shit and if they didn’t hate us so much I’d pity them. But they do. And I don’t.
It was by no means vintage Spurs, the second goal aside, but a decent to typical effort compared to our league away form on the whole. Great to see Chimbondabonda so assured in the middle. Is there anything he can’t do? Beautiful to see Dimitar the Great scoring the crucial equaliser from the same blades as Tevez and stick it in just the same spot; that steely look of determination in his eyes like he wasn’t going to let us lose, not on his watch; Little Aaron, probably our man of the match with some excellent terrorism of the West Ham defence and an assist to Tainio out of a drawer too high for a normal 5′6″ person to reach, in a move so breathtakingly Tottenham.
The real piece of excitement for yours truly though, was our first glimpse of the new Zidane, Abel Taarabt and although Zizu he may not be as yet, his short time on the field was crucial. His close control against the two or three defending Hammers was alarmingly good, his runs were confident and we should all be looking forward to seeing him again. It was like a delicious taste of who he just might turn out be.
I’d love to tell you the story of the day, the sights and sounds of the rollercoaster ride at the Utpon Park Magic Kingdom (complete with its novelty castle) but as you know, I wasn’t there. Like many of you, I settled for running around the room screaming, laughing and high fiving with glee, which came some way pretty close to the joy of being in the stands at a dramatic game, but this was not a dramatic game. This was an opera. So those who were there to see the fat lady sing, send in the details, the smells, the shouts, even just a fraction of that full time pandemonium.
Toasted ham bagels
The Bagel.
March 5th, 2007 at 4:27 am
“I’m sure I even caught Danny, the family Lilywhite cat, pointing at the screen with one paw mewing, ‘Yiddo! Yiddo! Yiddo! Yiddo!’”
Your cat must be braver than mine. When the winner went in, I went nuts running round the living room punching the air, and my cat looked at me like I was certifiable before running away as fast as he could. What a game.
March 5th, 2007 at 10:35 am
Well like I say, it could have been the Nitrogen Narcosis but if Danny did run away I’m sure it was only to slide down the hall on his knees. He’s a big Defoe fan you see.
Incredible game. Four on the trott now, isn’t it? So just Braga and Chelsea next.
The Bagel.
March 5th, 2007 at 11:38 am
Thanks Bagel - great piece again!
Thrilling game and our run goes on! Happy to see stalwort Stalteri on the scoresheet with the winner - a strong campaigner - more Pamarot than Chimbonda i suppose..
Great character to recover from being twice behind - unbelievable second goal, oh the team effort! and then sublime free kick from our Bulgar man showing his composure and concentration, not just first touch and close control this time! Good he kept his shirt on as well!
Hats off to Defoe ‘n all for dealing with the hostile environment as well - particularly brutish Quashie trying to put him off for the penalty..how he stayed on the pitch we’ll never know..
the line up still seemed unbalanced however - lennon appears 70% of the player he is when on the left and ghaly just aint lennon on the right .. Huddlestone’s vision paid the dividends immediately. As for Babyface.. why? isn’t he a Championship player at best? Where has the loyalty for him come from?
Other observations - we needed the screams of watching-pointing urgency from Hughton and Jol after the pen to spur us on for the equaliser but still it’s great to see the passion we now have, as well as clear team spirit running throughout - something the hammers can clearly envy as they slip through the trap door with 2 other London clubs hopefully (wouldn’t the lack of a few more derbies be good eh?!)..
All in all a perfect workout for our Euro adventure and now just a few points away from that sixth place!
Martin must be overJolled at our comeback antics but still shaken by poor defending - particularly Zamora marked by tiny-o (why didn’t he do a bit more of that for us?)..
Anyroad, i’m in a sweet pickle today Bagel - bring on Braga. Who are ya?
PS: say hi to yiddo Charlie for me (he likes to be called Yngh sometimes..)
March 5th, 2007 at 9:36 pm
Yes, I did notice what very ugly man Quashie is indeed. He has the sort of face could only improve with kicking.
Baby Face has been looking ok. He always seemed poor because he wasn’t Ledley. Now he looks good because he isn’t Davenport.
I’ve been loving the back pages of the papers as I’ve been on the move today. You can spot the Hammers shaking their heads as they read it.
The Bagel.