West Ham vs. Tottenham Preview

Sunday the fourth of March 2007. If you’re tantalizing over our current predicament, consider the plight we were faced with in the season we fondly recall as; ‘The Great Escape’. On that Sunday, Tottenham travelled to Upton Park for what was to be one of the most memorable matches at the Boleyn Ground in recent history, an amazing feat considering it was ultimately a loss.
On that day, we had less than three months to save our season, today we have eight. On that day we had Nigel Quashie patrolling the centre of our midfield, today we have Scott Parker. And by the end of that day, we remained 10 points from safety, by the end of today; we could be trailing by mere goal difference. The fact is, despite our supporters’ unquestionable loyalty, we can elaborately request too much of our present team. We demand brutal passion, flowing football and obviously; points. All on a diminutive budget in comparison to the monstrous flexibility of rivals, including today’s visitors. Out of our three, admittedly ambitious lusts from those wearing claret and blue, passion is one which can be employed by a budding Lionel Messi or a hung-over, obese father of three on a Sunday morning at Hackney marshes. But it was the one obvious factor lacking in our disappointing performances earlier in the season.
What has changed is unknown to me, but something has. The term ‘battle’ is one which has rarely been used for Hammers teams of late, but we certainly battled for our point at the Britannia Stadium last weekend. Many a team of great quality has faltered at the intimidating home of Stoke City since their rise to prominence, and the fact we were able to gain our first point in such a ruthless fixture has convinced me that the writing is not yet on the wall. And it was with such irony that the poster-boy of this season, Scott Parker, was the man who managed to stab the ball over the line for the moment we will possibly look back on as the turning point.
And then, what can only be described as an outstanding victory at the Stadium of Light was celebrated during the week. The fact our first away win for over a year was against a serious Sunderland side sporting the key duo of Darren Bent and the new, big-money import Asamoah Gyan is certainly something to shout about. Maybe that will provide us with the confidence-booster we required to earn some valuable points today.
It could be argued that in 2007, it was the hiding fortune of our illegal Argentinian superstar, Carlos Tevez, who was the catalyst for our eventual survival. And I wouldn’t disagree. But who is to say that Victor Obinna can’t have a similar effect? Of course he hasn’t arrived in such a dramatic soap-opera of a welcoming, and he perhaps hasn’t got the same loveable dogged approach, or even the magnificent ability of the terrific Tevez, but he has taken a lot less time to open his scoring account, along with partner Frederic Piquionne, and he is unattached to the burden of expectation carried by the Argentinian. Today could be the day that our Nigerian forward cements a position as a fans’ favourite, a status his media appearances suggest he craves.
Tottenham Hotspur at home is one of them games our supporters’ instantly scan for as we receive the fixture list for the coming season because it can potentially hold such a wonderful atmosphere. The boisterous rivalry between the two sides always creates a lively occasion and despite the omission of the injured Jermain Defoe this afternoon, preventing us from our annual Jermain-jeering, it is certain to be a heated affair that could not have arrived at a better time. Whilst we have surfed backwards and forwards on a wave of mediocrity since our last memorable match, Spurs have enviably gate-crashed the top four and challenged for silverware, but, traditionally, these derby matches can launch the most unexpected of results at the fans. A win is certainly not out of the question.
Flowing football provides nothing more than self-indulged pride with occasional recognition from irritating TV pundits like Andy Gray. We must be patient, if today Avram Grant makes us subject to the most mundane of tactical performances we must understand that you have to earn the right to improve ‘the match-day experience’ with pretty football, and the way to earn that is by getting a sufficient amount of points on the board. Yes, today is about passion, but more importantly, it is about points. We have never been dealt a better time to beat Tottenham, so let’s get behind the boys, and who knows, perhaps one day we will be affectionately reminiscing on the twenty-fifth of September 2010. But this time, it was an unforgettable victory.

Uruguay and Ghana progress. Will England do the same? Yes.

Well that’s it. Before you could blink two countries have been ferociously eliminated from the tournament at the expense of two proud, progressing nations. Although the games have not been of such scintillating quality; the passion, commitment and ‘do or die’ attitude displayed in this ruthless knock-out phase had made these games an exciting advert for what is still to come.
With Uruguay going unbeaten and topping their, admittedly, rather difficult group, the South Americans would’ve fancied their chances when drawn against South Korea. The Koreans appear an organised unit with useful assets but the quality of the likes of Diego Forlan and Luis Suarez would surely be too much for 2002’s surprise package. The efficient duo quickly got to work when a dangerous ball in from Forlan was hit low with power, the Koreans casually ignored it as their goalkeeper deliberated whether to clear it up or calmly watch it cannon past his goal-mouth. Mistake. The goal-scoring prowess of one, Luis Suarez should not be underestimated as he gratefully smacked the ball into a half-empty net to strike an early lead.
Uruguay’s attempts to crowd the box from a deep free-kick proved flawed as the Koreans happily bundled the ball home to gain the necessary equaliser and open the game once more. Chances to clinch victory came and went but as the tension built from a Uruguay corner, you could feel the sense of a landmark moment. The ball fell to Suarez who shimmied inside and whipped a magnificent shot curling away from the goalkeeper, onto the inside post and in. The expressive Suarez galloped around the pitch, attacking the Uruguayan badge with his thankful lips until, finally, he was met with an emotional embrace from his team-mates as the rain pounded on their grateful shoulders. This siege mentality continued until the final whistle and Uruguay were the first team to enter the quarter-finals.
Who they would face was, for now, a mystery until the decider began at the traditional 7:30. An early goal from artificial Ghanian, Kevin Prince-Boateng put the Africans on the front foot with the inexperienced Americans chasing the game from the word go. Boateng’s goal would certainly have pleased the Portsmouth administrators by adding a few millions to his price tag with Avram Grant, possibly waiting to pounce and transfer the midfielder to West Ham United. However, just after the hour mark, John Mensah, rather foolishly committed himself to a sliding challenge as Clint Dempsey advanced within the box, as the Fulham man pushed the ball away from the Ghanaian defender and forced the challenger to bring him to ground, their was no question as to whether it was a penalty. Landon Donovan dramatically blasted his spot-kick into the back of the net and in the words of Barack Obama, their was ‘hope’.
However; despite holding onto this position until the final whistle blew, extra-time proved, immediately, to be more decisive. In the 93rd minute, Ghana’s predicted hero, Asamoah Gyan managed an expert finish to win the match for the Africans. After the game, Gyan shrewdly dedicated the victory to his continent which will result in great support for Ghana from many match attendees and gives Ghana, a genuine, yet unexpected chance of victory. Only once has the world cup been won by a nation from outside the continent which hosted it, and it is, a distinct, yet momentarily ridiculous proposition to suggest Ghana could be lifting the trophy on the 11th June. Even without the unfortunate Michael Essien.
So now the frantic build-up is drawing to the main event itself. Germany vs. England. What a spectacle this has the potential to be, and hopefully, it doesn’t falter like many of the matches we’ve witnessed this term. Can England win? Yes, they most certainly can. Will they win? I hope so. We have better players, a more experienced team, I’m sure of it. Whether we can create the self-belief always displayed by the Germans with their winning mentality is debatable, and if England dwell on their typically cynical attitude it’s possible this could be the end. But believe; and we will win.