Updated Flying So High: West Ham's Cup Finals

Check out the re-formatted Kindle version of Flying So High: West Ham's Cup Finals. It's yours for just £1.99 and now includes the 1976 Cup Winners' Cup Final defeat to Anderlecht in 1976 and the 1981 loss to Liverpool in the League Cup Final. Plus the1923 White Horse Final, the epic European Cup Winners' Cup victory of 1965, the FA Cup wins of 1964, 1975 and 1980, the FA Cup Final loss to Liverpool on penalties in 2006 and the Play-off Final wins of 2005 and 2012. There's a print version available too. Space has of course been left for the inevitable League Cup and FA Cup wins of 2019 under Manuel Pellegrini.

Adrian should be given a chance

So hopefully West Ham won't be in for Liverpool's calamity keeper Loris Karius. Talking of confidence-shattered goalkeepers, now Joe Hart has gone back to Man City I'd like to see Adrian given another chance. He was treated rather unfairly by Slaven Bilic, who dropped him for half a season after an error against Stoke, and again when Joe Hart was signed last summer. But Adrian fought back to displace Hart and ended the season with a couple of fine performances against Man United and Everton (when he made three fantastic saves). 

Yes, there might be a case for replacing Adrian with an absolutely world-class goalkeeper, but he's a solid Premier League custodian and has an air of exuberance and confidence that transmits itself to the defence, whereas Hart seemed to cause panic. To sign Jack Butland would cost £30m and West Ham have more pressing priorities. We should sign a really good number two to challenge Adrian instead. The other factor in Adrian's favour is that he threw his shirt to my pal Jacqui after the Everton game and she assures me it "smelt of sweat and testosterone". As indeed does my shirt after a season of travail in row 44…

If the kits are United

Not too sure about the kits for next season. Call me an old git, but the home shirt should always have light blue sleeves (rather than cuffs) and a light blue trim on the collar. The new home shirt is basically claret and looks too much like a Hearts shirt for my liking. 

While the away kit is dark blue (or to give it the full marketing speak, it's 'dark teal'). Could the dark teal design be preparing us for a blue carpet at the London Stadium — the LLDC has previously insisted on this colour rather than claret? The away kit looks more like an old Wimbledon shirt. While it's compounded by yellow socks — which have no link to any West Ham colours. Is this some kind of popcorn tie-in? We should be playing away in light blue or white. Still, no doubt we'll get used to it. 

The best kit of recent years was the most traditional, that worn for the last season at the Boleyn. Better news is that Trevor Brooking and Billy Bonds have been wheeled out to don the kits and look like they could still do a job for the boys in claret, dark teal, yellow and blue. 

Start Me Up

Manuel Pellegrini spent his first day with the Hammers watching a group of immobile old geezers at the London Stadium, who then tried hard not to get injured as they attempted to recreate their glory days. So that's the first training session with the back four over. After that he watched the Rolling Stones.

Pellegrini turns to drink

Things that are almost West Ham. No contest for the mineral water we'll all be drinking at the London Stadium next season…

It's Manuel!

So West Ham have finally got their Manuel in Pellegrini. For once we haven't ended up with a fourth choice manager, but someone who can genuinely be described as an A-list gaffer, a man who has won the league in four different countries. David Moyes did a decent job with an unbalanced squad, but Manuel Pellegrini is an upgrade. Real Madrid and West Ham are now both on the same CV.

The advantage of having a top boss who plays attacking football is that the fan base will start the season, for once, fully united. Players like Arnautovic, Lanzini and Hernandez are more likely to stay and his reputation will attract top signings. He might even know what to do with Jordan Hugill. 

It was only four years ago that Pellegrini was winning the Premier League at Man City, admittedly after a shedload of money was spent. He also won two League Cups during his spell at the Etihad. Pellegrini cut a dignified figure at City and rarely criticised referees, which is apt for the club of Greenwood and Lyall. 

There are some reservations. With Sullivan having spent £7m on Pellegrini's salary is he now going to give him the big budget he'll demand for new signings? And will Pellegrini's reputation be sufficient to deter Sully from meddling in deals? We also have to remember that winning the league at Man City doesn't necessarily guarantee success at the London Stadium, as Joe Hart can testify.

But it's still a very exciting appointment and at last the board seem to realise that they have to deliver on their promise to take us to the next level in Stratford and provide attractive football with a top class team and boss. 

Pellegrini's (Iron) Maiden appearance at the London Stadium?

Thanks to my pal Fraser for keeping up to date with Chilean daily paper La Cuerta, which has been reporting on the possibility of Manuel Pellegrini joining West Ham as our new gaffer. Apparently unfamiliar with the Hammers, they’ve settled on describing WHU as, "a team fanatically supported by Iron Maiden." 

"Good to know we have some kind of international reputation," comments Fraser, who wonders if we’ll see Manuel (and heavy metal fan Zabaleta?) down the Cart and Horses. where Maiden played one of their first gigs. He also wonders if Pelly will bring his star player from Hebbei China Fortune with him as it would be nice to see Javier Mascherano again.

La Cuerta seems convinced that Pellegrini is coming. However, Fraser does point point out that La Cuerta is "not exactly known as a paper of record, most readers buy it for the large selection of female nudes featured daily. I guess it’s a bit like Sullivan’s Sport (is that still going?)."

Farewell Ginger Pele?

So it's probably goodbye to James Collins, the Ginger Pele, fans' favourite and a great servant to West Ham. The press stories about him being dumped by email seem to be a bit of media spin, as he already knew he was being released and the email was apparently only a written confirmation. Though the latest reports on BBC and Sky now state that his contract ends next month and the new manager will have the final say on whether he is retained.

Mark Noble made a public plea for the club to keep him at the end of the Everton game. Should we keep Ginge? In purely football terms, probably no, as he's 35 in August, he only played 13 games last season and is increasingly injury-prone. So a younger signing to play alongside Ogbonna, Reid and Rice would make sense. Though in terms of morale, his presence would help both the fans and dressing room, so on that basis he should surely get another year's contract. He plays like he cares and that's pretty incalculable in monetary terms.

Whatever happens, his second spell at the Hammers has seen Collins feature in six eventful seasons. Two of his most memorable performances for me were his role in the 1-0 win at Old Trafford during the 2006-07 Great Escape season and a towering game against Man City when we beat them 2-1 at Upton Park under Big Sam. In between his two spells with the Irons James also played in an Aston Villa side that finished sixth. 

Collins played like he enjoyed defending, getting in tackles and putting his head on crosses. It's a lost art — Rudiger showed a little of that ability for Chelsea in the Cup Final yesterday — and we need more proper defenders. While let's not forget an epic ginger beard (he was likened to Gandalf by Garth Crooks) and the fact he was always the last player off the pitch after thanking the fans. If he does go, he'll be missed.

Managerial limbo at West Ham

Always a dangerous business taking a five-day trip to the Lake District where everything is offline. Returned to find West Ham have lost one manager and might be on the point of appointing an A-list manager in Manuel Pellegrini or, less likely, Rafa Benitez. 

Firstly, David Moyes did a decent job and was treated somewhat shabbily. He'd turned Arnautovic into a striker, clamped down on discipline in instances like those of Antonio and Carroll and done what he was asked to do in keeping West Ham up and ultimately finishing a respectable 13th. Yes, he was defensive-minded and very slow to use subs, but it would have been interesting to see what he could do with his own signings. He would probably have taken us on to be a top eight club in the fashion of Everton, which would have provided some much-needed stability. 

It seemed David Gold wanted Moyes to remain as manager, but it's Sullivan (and Brady?) who now have the main say. When he discovered that Shakhtar Donetsk gaffer Paulo Fonseca was round at Sullivan's gaff having talks, Moyes told the board to stuff their job. Ultimately Fonescu used the episode to get a better deal at his existing club. Moyes' preference for ending the culture of leaks and wanting control of transfers might also have counted against him. He should have been told to his face if the club no longer wanted him and the whole thing has been handled with a predictable lack of class. 

Dumping a middling manager is a high-risk strategy unless we can get the fabled A-list gaffer. Rafa Benitez would be classy (if also a little defensive) but has a history of complaining in public about troublesome chairman and would demand £100 million to spend and cost £6 million in compensation which might out off our parsimonious board. No arguing with what he achieved at Liverpool and Newcastle though. 

The latest likely gaffer appears to be Manuel Pellegrini, who earned he nickname of 'This Charming Man' at City and is a dignified operator. He's won the league at Man City and has done great things at Villareal and Real Madrid. At 64 he's a little old, but he would certainly be an exciting appointment as long as he's capable of working with an interfering chairman. 

And if that doesn't happen we should surely look at promising younger bosses like Eddie Howe (whom Nigel's mum thinks is a nice young man) and Huddersfield's Wagner who would certainly be our most musical boss. 

The next few days could be vital in the history of West Ham United. Unless it's all an elaborate bluff and we're just waiting for Tony Pulis…

Lanzini and Arnie see off Everton

West Ham 3 Everton 1

It’s in to Ken’s Café for old time’s sake with Michael, Lisa and Nigel, where we are greeted by the much-missed Carol and don’t have to take a numbered ticket. The stadium is now a mass of Barrett bunkers, but in Ken’s  the egg, chips and beans is as good as ever and Michael’s big breakfast arrives disturbingly early. No-one does mushrooms like Ken we learn, as a replenished Michael then dons his Spector shirt to become the Spector at our end of season feast. Last time he wore that shirt we lost a stadium.

We take a gentle bus ride to Stratford and walk to the London Stadium to join Fraser, Alison and Steve. The Irons play well in the first half, again looking more relaxed with safety assured. Mario fires just wide of the post and Pickford makes a great save when Noble looks certain to score. 

Masuaku is clogged and has to go off, with Moyes replacing him with Fernandes rather than a striker, although to be fair Edmilson has a workmanlike game. West Ham take the lead when Arnautovic inadvertently dummies and Lanzini gets behind the Everton defence to finish well.

We’re joined by a tardy Matt at half time, sporting a black shirt with a Union Jack on it, which is the old Thames Ironworks kit. The second half kicks off and just as Mystic Michael is saying that Arnautovic is looking off the pace, Arnie powers through the Everton defence to fire a thunderous effort past Pickford. The keeper should have done better, and Arnie seems to enjoy it as in the first half he’s been apparently kicked in the goolies by the Everton custodian, with the referee taking no action.

The Hammers have several chances for a third. Arnie has a header ruled out for offside, but suddenly Everton are back in it as Adrian makes a sensational save and then Niasse pokes home after defensive hesitancy. Zabalata of all people makes several bursts into the box in search of the elusive third. The game is sealed when Lanzini chips a sumptuous shot over Pickford. There’s still time for Ginger Pele to come on and get a rousing reception on what might be his final Hammers appearance. The Everton fans seem to want Big Sam sacked in the morning, while Fraser is ken to wave goodbye to David Moyes

We stay for the lap of honour as for some reason Sweet Caroline plays on the PA and then Heroes, which is stretching it a little for surviving a relegation fight, though we have finished a respectable-sounding 13^th. Strangely there’s no sign of Sully or Lady Brady on the pitch.

Joined by Gavin and Ilona we take a marathon-like short cut to the Railway past the giant bell and along Champions Avenue, eventually reaching the Railway, where the service has reached Central-like levels of delay. 

So in a dramatic bid for colour for the blog we retreat to the Cart and Horses, where Iron Maiden played one of their first gigs. The pub doesn’t make too much of the Iron Maiden connection apart from the huge picture of Maiden on the stage, Run for The Hills on the PA and 57 signs around the bar. But it’s a decent boozer and Gavin and Nigel discuss Diamond Head and the geographical origins of British heavy metal bands. Could we finally have found a decent pub after two years of searching in Stratford?

It’s been a long day and an even longer season. But it’s now over and with Arnie, Lanzini and Mario playing well today we just might have glimpsed a slightly better future, if only the board will invest. Have a good summer all Hammers fans. It's been emotional.

PLAYER RATINGS: Adrian 8; Zabaleta 7, Ogbonna 6, Rice 7, Cresswell 6, Masuaku n/a (Fernandes 6); Kouyate 6, Noble 7, Lanzini 8 (Collins n/a), Mario 7; Arnautovic 8.

United held in London Stadium stalemate

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West Ham 0 Manchester United 0

It makes a change to be at a game where we don’t have to worry. There are gaps in the seats in the Betway Stand and it seems that with the Hammers safe some fans have opted to stay at home. It’s two years since the last game at the Boleyn and Matt and myself are wondering if we can get compensation for extraordinary rendition to Stratford followed by two years of torture. We’re joined by my daughter Lola, a tardy Nigel, Michael and Fraser (who luckily hasn’t read Moyes’ comments in the Standard about being overloaded with strikers) and Scott and Nicola, with Alison away suffering from the survival bends and Steve having gone postal in Cornwall.

It actually turns out to be an entertaining goalless draw with the pressure off. Arnautovic looks to have the beating of Smalling and gets an early shot away. Adrian has to make a springing save to palm away Lingard’s shot. Valencia is proving too fast for Masuaku on the left and from his cross Adrian has to make another good save from Sanchez before deflecting Shaw’s shot on to the post with his leg. West Ham’s best effort is when Arnie dribbles down the right and crosses for Mario to flick wide.

At half-time Nigel has a nugget about this being the first time since nineteen sixty something that a south coast side finishing in the top half of the table hasn’t been either Southampton or Portsmouth. Matt, fresh from a trip to watch hipster side Dulwich Hamlet, has an even more interesting piece of trivia about Boreham Wood FC actually being from the differently-spelt Borehamwood.

The second half half sees Lingard have a swerving shot well-saved by Adrian. A positively demob-happy Moyes makes a substitution as early as the 65^th minute when he brings on Andy Carroll, though he annoys Fraser by taking off Masuaku who can at least cross, but to be fair Arthur has been disappointing tonight. Lola starts to appreciate the aesthetics and says it’s the best goalless draw she’s seen. Carroll and Arnie almost link up in the box but it’s cleared. The crowd also generates a decent amount of noise, perhaps inspired by the memories of Upton Park. Declan Rice has a fine game and is cheered for one mighty tackle on Sanchez. Towards the end there’s a flare up after a foul by Pogba, with Nobes a little lucky to stay on after raising his hands to Pogba’s face.

So it’s a decent point against the PL runners-up and an improved performance after the Man City game. We retreat to the Railway for pints of Doom Bar and a quick reminisce about the “Big Fat Sam went to Spain in his Ford Fiesta” song. Bring on Big Fat Sam and Everton on Saturday and then it’s all over.

PLAYER RATINGS: Adrian 8; Zabaleta 7, Ogbonna 6, Rice 7, Cresswell 6, Masuaku 5 (Carroll 5); Kouyate 6, Noble 6, Lanzini 6, Mario 7; Arnautovic 7.

Goodbye to Boleyn

Hard to believe it was two years ago tonight that David De Gea couldn't hold Winston Reid's header and West Ham were beating Man United 3-2 in the much-missed Boleyn Ground. Looking at the line-ups most of the West Ham players are still here, which makes you realise how much they have underachieved in the last two seasons. 

Only Randolph, Sakho and some bloke called Payet have left. Antonio, Ogbonna, Reid, Cresswell, Kouyate, Noble, Lanzini and Carroll are all still with us. The players were not to blame for the new stadium problems or various injuries, but having finished seventh that season they should surely have a achieved a lot more. Do they have the desire to prove they can be as good again next season? Let's have a bit more of that spirit tonight. Irons!

Ayew sale doesn't look so bad now

Selling Andre Ayew to Swansea is now looking like a master-stroke. When Ayew had a fantastic game against West Ham to inspire a 4-1 win back in March it looked like Swansea were heading to safety and West Ham had made a big mistake in selling to a relegation rival. But Ayew has failed to score for the Swans since his return and the side is winless for eight games since beating the Hammers. Last night's home defeat to Southampton means relegation looks a near certainty. 

Ayew was overpriced when West Ham signed him for £20 million. He was a decent PL performer who could cross and score the odd goal, but to my mind he was a £10 million player at best. For £20 million you expect a quality specialist in either midfield or attack. No-one ever seemed sure what Ayew's best position was. So getting the club's money back when he returned to Swansea for £20 million was decent business. Although the money should have been spent on signing a quality forward rather than the untested £8m Jordan Hugill, but this is West Ham after all. 

Are West Ham really safe?

It's going to be strange to have nothing much to worry about for the final two games. The ingrained pessimism of being a West Ham fan means I'm still thinking of things that can go wrong. Perhaps one of our players will turn out to be owned by a third party? Perhaps Manny Omoyinmi and not Patrice Evra came on as a late sub against Leicester. The FA might deduct 38 points for the pitch invasions against Burnley. Neil Warnock might sue us for something or other. It might be proved that it was West Ham behind the nerve agent attack in Salisbury. But that way madness lies. For the moment it seems we're really safe.

We are staying up!

Leicester City 0 West Ham United 2 (two)

A fantastic result at the King Power Stadium. It's a long time since West Ham fans have been able to sing "Is this a fire drill?" at an away match. It was tense listening to it on Radio London but thankfully Leicester appeared to be playing on sun-loungers and West Ham made a solid start with Arnautovic and Lanzini prominent. Minutes after Arnautovic had hit the bar Arnie created a tap-in for Mario to ease the tension.

The game was settled by a sumptuous volley from Mark Noble, who described it as the best goal of his career. Fitting that Mr West Ham should score it. There was a great moment when a disgruntled Leicester fan ran on to the pitch to be greeted by chants of "Are you West Ham in disguise?" Leicester were not playing for their manager, but still had to be beaten and we've lost to worse sides.

Andy Carroll came on to make some important defensive headers and Adrian make a half-decent save in the 87th minute to ironic cheers from the home fans. You could hear the away crew on the radio going through Twist and Shout and "We Are Staying up!" as West Ham closed the game out. Stoke are down, Swansea and Saints still have to play each other and we're now three points above Huddersfield. Thirty eight points should do it. Now let's have some changes in the summer. Irons!

The tracks of my tears

Interesting to watch the Roma versus Liverpool game in the Champions League. The Roma ground looks worse than the London Stadium in terms of having a huge athletics track going round the stadium and large gaps behind the goals. Yet the Roma ultras were still able to whip up a fervent atmosphere, even more so when they beat Barcelona in the quarter finals. The London Stadium is imperfect and the rake isn't right, but I still think most of our problems are related to terrible transfer dealings, poor management and owners and poor results. Should West Ham ever compete in a Champions League semi-final we'd create a pretty torrid atmosphere too, even in Stratford. Though on current form this theory is unlikely to be tested within the next hundred years,

Sorry seems to be the hardest word

Football gets more and more like nursery school. The Evening Standard reports that after a day on the naughty step Andy Carroll has apologised to David Moyes and the rest of the squad and returned to training. Let's hope the matter is over with and that Carroll now has a point to prove. It would be unlike Moyes to play two strikers and Carroll is not fully match fit, but the prospect of Carroll and Arnautovic up front together would certainly worry most defences, even if it's just for the final 20 minutes.

Arguing among ourselves

Things are continuing to implode at West Ham. The Evening Standard reports that Andy Carroll left the bench for the dressing room when he wasn't used as a sub against Man City. While the Daily Telegraph claims that Carroll snd Moyes had a row at the training ground yesterday with the striker being sent home. Carroll wouldn't have made any difference at 4-1 down, so it's hard to see what his beef is beyond a bruised ego. 

Meanwhile Chicharito looked completely uninterested when he came on, which is another problem as he obviously doesn't want to play for Moyes. While Moyes seems intent on picking a fight with Manuel Lanzin, West Ham's most creative player, having subbed him for losing the ball before City's fourth goal. 

Moyes at least sounded fairly keen on keeping Lanzini onside when he told the Standard: “The players here have got to understand, we play players to keep the ball, to defend. Manu had a great chance to keep the ball for us and we end up losing the fourth goal for it. But hey, no problem – it happens.” Yes, we want to retain possession, but there's always a risk with creative players and by the time the fourth goal went in the game was lost.

Moyes was right to clamp down on discipline when he arrived but is now the right time to play the hard man? Carroll is a player who could make the difference in the last half an hour of our remaining three games.

Meanwhile, with Carroll annoyed and Chicharito dreaming of a move should West Ham perhaps do the unthinkable and play Hugill alongside Arnautovic? He might not have a great touch, but he'll run all day and put himself about. What we need more than ever is a team who will battle for the shirt.