I’ve waffled on before about how much I love televised weekend West Ham games, and this Saturday has got my excitement going! Saturday lunchtime is a great time for a match, offering time pre- and post-game to partake in other weekend activities.
The morning can be spent with Victoria, walking to a cafe and reading a book, and the evening can be spent celebrating three points (!) with some mates in my favourite pub, The Builders Arms. Alternatively, if the worst happens and we perform miserably and lose, the shops are still open after the game to stock up on comfort cheeseburgers.
Since the turn of the year Palace have won just two of 10 matches and sit 12th in the Championship. Despite their recent form they concern me more than some other clubs. They’ve got great, passionate support and the team will be really up for getting a result at our manor.
When we met earlier in the season at Selhurst Park the game ended in a 2-2 draw, with our goals being scored by John Carew and Kevin Nolan. Suspension and poor form make for a sure bet that – if we manage to score – the goals will come from other squad members. I find it routinely impossible to predict our starting lineups so it’s a waste of time to predict formation and personnel, but I know who I enjoy seeing pulling on the claret and blue.
Nicky Maynard and Ricardo Vaz Te have settled in brilliantly and really look like decent signings, but Big Sam has been talking about fatigue a bit so it’s possible we’ll see other faces. As much as I want to see more of Maynard, we have a similar player in Baldock and it’s important we don’t forget his God-given, goal-getting abilities. The way the team has been playing recently fills me with confidence that we’ll continue to be amongst the goals, but we can’t stop working as hard as we have been, or we could see another Ipswich-style result.
Big Sam has said there will be late fitness tests for Tomkins and Faye, which is a bit of a concern. Who knows, it could open the door for George John to make an appearance?
With Rob Green’s successful appeal we have one less question ahead of the Palace match. His form has been fantastic this season and his pedigree really showed against Southampton; having him in the team makes me much more confident.
I’m going to plump for a home success with the Irons taking the three points to further cement our position at the top of the league.
Come On You Irons!
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Couldn’t agree more about Baldock – let’s hope Big Sam doesn’t know something we don’t. At some stage I’d like to see him start with Baldock and Maynard. Cottee/McAvennie comparisons might be a bit premature but rather them than Carew/Piquonne. Also of the same opinion about The Builders Arms (presuming you mean the one near Gloucester Road) – gotta love those backstreet boozers.
Thanks for reading vanderelst. I sure do mean that Builders Arms – love nipping there for a couple of pints – great pub.
Last chance for another entertaining game. Nolan’s back next week1
Too right. Baldock seems to have become the forgotton man already purely because we constantly play 451 or a variation on it, and baldock clearly needs to play with another upfront. Due to the likely fatigue of Maynard or Vaz Te – i would like to see him start with cole, who has played well this season and also doesnt deserve to be forgotton. I’d put maynard on the bench for this match, along with Vaz Te but definately bring them on at some point. I’d like to see O’neil given a start, he’s come back to fitness from an injury that looked career ending and has played well when hes come on from the bench and never complained, and scored a quality goal last time out. i’d also like to see John given a chance, especially if Tomkins and Faye arent fully fit – he deserves a first team chance considering his loan ends soon. So for me, just to change things up, at least for the beginning, id have cole and baldock up front, faubert, collison, noble and o’neil in the middle, o’brien, reid, john and mcartney at the back. With Maynard, Vaz Te, Lansbury, Tomkins (if fit) and Potts on the bench. I like all the players, old and new (with the exception of piq and carew!) but would be nice to see something different and can bring on the other players if it all goes tits up!
absolutely buzzing for this weekends game had to miss the Southampton game due to being at Uni, I love an early kick off more pressure on the rest if we win, I for one would love to see Maynard and Baldock given ago upfront, feel sorry for sammy B not had a chance in a while, I’m loving our squad at the moment, better than the team we go relegated with, id like to see Lansbury in midfield i feel he offers more passing ability than Tomkins however he has looked decent playing that holding role, read that Demel is on the major injuries list is it worth keeping him next season? Good player I’ve known that for years however will we ever see him haha! Vaz te superb signing tricky player, a few people were disappointed as he was an ex bolton however he was a free transfer at the start of the season Sam must of opted against him and he was superb at Barnsley so we got him on the cheap great business, hopefully greeno stays at the end of the season if not i’d like us to go in for Kasper Schmeichel however I feel we’d attempt to sign Almunia. Must watch out for Zaha i reckon he is their biggest threat, a win and no red card COYI
Love to see Baldock play in a 4-4-2:
……………………………..Greeno
JOB…………..Tomkins……………Reid………….McCartney
Faubert………..Collison……………..Noble…………Vaz Te
……………………..Cole or Maynard………..Baldock
Baldock would thrive on Faubert and Vaz Te bombing down the flanks.
Can’t see Sam going with this though. Baldock must be regretting coming to us, real shame he got that injury.
Great write up ECH (as always chap) I was bulisy winning a darts match on Tuesday night and was getting the score updates via a mate’s smartphone. The over-riding emotion was relief when the fourth one went in. Perhaps if I’d have been watching things would’ve been different and I’d have felt more relaxed.Thought I’d tout my latest crowd chant. After all something really must be done about Vaz Te’s Hairdo: -(To the tune of Volare )Riiiicardo Vaaaz TeRiiiica-a-ardo Va-a-az TeHis goals are pure divineHis head’s a Porcupine(repeat)I’m sure he’d take it the right way