They are perhaps one of the most divided group of fans out there – but we are lucky to have a rather level headed albeit very passionate West Ham fan writing for us.
After a season that spilt fans down the middle, here is her take on the season and indeed where the club needs to go from here.
Best moment of the season?
Beating Spurs at home for our last home game. Watching Adebayor’s face as the goal went in on that vine was also pretty outstanding.
Best goal of the season?
Morrison v Spurs away. Easy.
Best result?
0-0 v Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Yes we parked the bus, but it gave us a massive sense of self-belief, which ended up saving our season.
Best player?
Mark Noble– how the man hasn’t been called up for England is a true mystery.
Worst moment?
Where do I start? Losing to Crystal Palace at home was heart-breaking because we couldn’t even muster a fight after one of our own players bravely lost his battle with cancer, but losing 6-0 to City and 5-0 to Forrest in cup games was also terrible.
Allardyce cupping his ear to fans after we booed winning against Hull was another low; he was completely separate from the fans at that point and I don’t think he can recover from it.
Worst result?
Both Crystal Palace games. The performance was heartless, and soulless from West Ham, and it was painful to see what Palace are capable of when they shouldn’t be so different from us on paper. It’s their self-belief and fighting spirit that made them far better than us this season.
Worst player?
Razvan Rat—had entirely the wrong attitude and also almost hit me with his car when I was walking back to Upton Park station one night after the game. He stopped an inch away from me. After that, I knew he was on his way out.
Biggest f**k up?
Roger Johnson running backwards against Yaya Toure during the City cup game, and James Tomkins misjudging the ball and allowing Wayne Rooney to get that ridiculous shot on goal in when we were at home to Manchester United.
Funniest moment?
Allardyce’s post match interview against Chelsea with the genius quotes of “I knew it! He can’t take it!” and then “He can say what he wants to be honest, I don’t give a s***e.” Even the most staunchly anti-Allardyce supporter respected him for that hysterical interview.
Also couldn’t stop laughing at Upton Park when we scored against Spurs and our supporters started singing “It’s happening again. It’s happening agaaaaaaain! Tottenham Hotspur, it’s happening again.”
What needs to change?
The manager’s lack of confidence in the side and ambition to achieve no more than just survival—also the captain.
What needs to stay the same?
Our ability to defend and shut down strong teams (Chelsea and the fact that near-champions Liverpool needed not one but two penalties to move past us.)
Who should go?
Diame should run, not walk, out of Upton Park. He thinks he should play for a top 6 team and as far as I’m concerned, he is welcome to go fulfil his dream. He is capable of wonderful moments of genius, but only when he wants to display them. He hasn’t wanted to display them enough this season—unless it’s against top 6 opposition that might want to sign him.
Who should stay?
Most of the other players, actually. Noble, Adrian, and Carroll could drive this team towards a comfortable top ten finish. Taylor’s earned a contract extension based on four stand out performances.
Rating out of 10?
6. We stayed up, finished 13th, and got to a cup semi-final BUT the football we played was just awful.
In general:
Best player?
Hate to say it but, Suarez.
Best goal?
Shelvy v Aston Villa.
Best club?
Liverpool– how nice to see a club challenging for the title who didn’t break financial fair play rules. Well that we know of, anyway.
Best manager?
Tony Pulis – what he did with Palace is remarkable.
Worst manager?
Could we say worst chairman/owner instead and just go for Vincent Tan?
Worst player?
Mitroglou. £12.4 million, really?
Funniest moment?
Arsenal supporters bringing out a professionally printed banner for the Arsenal – Spurs game saying “’I’m an Arsenal fan. I love to see them do well.’ Tim Sherwood, Lifelong Gooner.”
Who would you like to see in the PL next season?
Not QPR, aka West Ham’s B-sides.
Who is a waste of space and should go?
Chico Flores. Hideous, awful, nasty person.
FINALLY, Who will win the World Cup?
Belgium. Put money on it!
West Ham fans. How do you think the season panned out? Would you have given Big Sam the boot? Let us know your thoughts below.