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HAMMERAMA 4:11 Wed Sep 28
There is hope [maybe along way]

I don't know if many of you have taken a Distict Line train down to Dagenham East to watch our PL2 team.
Just recently retired lots of time on my hands and curious if Dagenham had changed from the days I took girls out I had met at Ilford Palaise 40+ years ago. Dagenham is still a shit hole.
After watching our A side 4 times live and several times on the telly I like everybody am very disappointed and worried about where we are going.

So Friday went watch our youngsters against a very big and physical Wolves side.What a different type of match than the puerile crap that used to be served up . Fast skilful,brave football was played by both sides 2-2 draw Wolves undeservedly scored in injury time they did score 2 unstoppable goals though. Very competitive about 8 bookings no diving or other antics.
Several West Ham players stood out but more importantly the style of play was quick incisive and had some end product. All the allotted seats were taken.

This Monday I gave it another try and after the Southampton game I need some cheering up.
well for the 350 people who turned up they were served up a treat. Yes the end result was 0-0 but what a great performance.
I am going to pick a few players out who really impressed me.
Alex Pike when I have seen him before its not just the blond hair that reminds me of Stuart Pearce
this boy plays like but with a right foot.Great tackler,fearless,quick,defendswell,bombs down the wing as did our left back Neuville.this lad has also grown now a six footer and hard as nails.
The Captain Declan Rice what a player, never got beat must have won every fifty fifty great leader and never wasted a pass and almost every pass was along the deck. He appears better than the shambles we have playing in the 1st Team.
They need to give this boy a good contract or he will be gone. I rate him better than Oxford and Burke.
Marcus Browne he was the best [technical] player on the pitch. He looks and the way he plays like Ravel Morrison and has bit of temperament,looks as if he is not interested then pow he is quick,direct,skilful and brave as soon as he gets the ball.
Spanish Tony, I like this lad again powerfully built got a good leap and a eye for goal.No he did not score and several chances none easy as Brighton had a very good back 4 ,extremely good keeper and had to defend most of the match because of the great tempo the boys played .

Lastly as I got to the ground in good time I sat directly behind the West Ham dug out,in fact I could hear every command from Westley and his assistant,those two never sat down and barked out orders the whole game and got listened to.
one lad came over to the dugout and I thought he was the ball boy looked about 14 had not started shaving yet and to my surprise he was part of the team.This West Ham side are big and physical and he looked at least several inches shorter than anyone else.Amazingly they put him on for the second half his name is Dan Kemp,he has the quickest feet I have seen for some time and gave their right side of defence a headache for the whole of the second half.
What was great nobody left until the final whistle and they were loudly cheered by 350 people even though it was 0-0. I came away with new hope for the future if only they would blood some of these players because this could be a very exciting unit in years to come.

the exile 5:56 Fri Sep 30
Re: There is hope [maybe along way]

Good read - cheers.

Marco Boogers 5:22 Fri Sep 30
Re: There is hope [maybe along way]

Declan Rice was shocking in the Europa

That's all

threesixty 4:28 Fri Sep 30
Re: There is hope [maybe along way]

I dont know much about youth training etc..
So I might sound silly.
But why dont the youth teams regularly play matches against the first team for training purposes?
Like a full match.

Its one thing to test yourself against people your own age but in the real game your up against 30yr old defenders with 12yrs experience of playing at the top level.
It's like night and day.

I dont see how it prepares you for the reality of the league. I just cant believe so many of our talented youngsters dont make it because they lack the skill. Maybe they just lack the confidence and experience playing with the experienced pro's.

Biggie Biggs 4:20 Fri Sep 30
Re: There is hope [maybe along way]

Alan 3:37 Fri Sep 30

One of my big irritations with Billic is his reluctance to give any kids a try, how he can keep on ignoring players like Pike and play shit like Nordveit out of position is a mystery. I really fail to see how he be as bad. Fay Boy got slaughtered for the way he treated our young players , i can't see that Billic is any better

Coffee 4:11 Fri Sep 30
Re: There is hope [maybe along way]

Are you fishing, Alan?

Agree re more please.

Alan 3:37 Fri Sep 30
Re: There is hope [maybe along way]

Great post Rama, more please.
Alex Pike is currently training with the first team, and as Nordveit is carrying a knock I suspect we'll see Pike at least on the bench against Boro.

gph 3:16 Fri Sep 30
Re: There is hope [maybe along way]

Good stuff, AMA

HAMMERAMA 3:14 Fri Sep 30
Re: There is hope [maybe along way]

Dom Quina has played in both games I have seen. He plays in the same role as Noble in front of the 2 Centre Backs. Very good on the ball everything goes through him.
For a 16-17 year old is a skilful presence. My mate who is a avid Chelsea supporter was quite disappointed Chelsea let him come to us.

Bungo 9:10 Thu Sep 29
Re: There is hope [maybe along way]

Very encouraging read. Thanks Rama.

Please keep posts like this one coming!

Crassus 8:40 Thu Sep 29
Re: There is hope [maybe along way]

Thank you for the time, enjoyed it
Any news on young Quina? Looked lively pre season.

percyd 5:37 Thu Sep 29
Re: There is hope [maybe along way]

Good read Hammerama, and thanks for the effort. Have to admit I'm starting to wonder about Bilic.....we all gave Sam heaps for not giving the kids a chance but things seem the same (worse?) now. Send Burke and Cullen on loan, won't give Oxford a start. Can Martinez or Fletcher possibly be any worse than Zaza*? Without much doubt the kids will make some mistakes in the pocess of stepping up, but they'll be learning fast.






* Rhetorical

Tomshardware 12:36 Thu Sep 29
Re: There is hope [maybe along way]

Great read and hopefully some of these kids will make it.

Eerie Descent 12:19 Thu Sep 29
Re: There is hope [maybe along way]

Whisper all that positivity about the youth set up quietly next time please mate, as we don't want anyone praising anything that Terry Westley has had anything to do with.

In fact, anything good you did see, that was down to Tony Carr.

Got it?

chedylan 2 11:42 Wed Sep 28
Re: There is hope [maybe along way]

Not much chance of making the 1st squad based on bilics record and now being filled up with free and loan foreign jouneymen

jimmy iron 10:11 Wed Sep 28
Re: There is hope [maybe along way]

Enjoyed reading that, thanks for the report.

DoubleDouble 8:37 Wed Sep 28
Re: There is hope [maybe along way]

Good thread mate. If it continues to go pear shaped we should all make it PL2 for awhile

Sven Roeder 8:07 Wed Sep 28
Re: There is hope [maybe along way]

Good stuff, RAMA, great to hear some positive news
Saw the 5mins of highlights of the Wolves game that was on the official site and we did seem to play all the football and got pegged back by a couple of goals out of nothing that looked flukey to say the least.
From what I saw Fernandes stood out & good to see him get promoted. Hope he starts Saturday

Hammer and Pickle 7:58 Wed Sep 28
Re: There is hope [maybe along way]

Cheers - been missing this kind of thread.

Iron Legend 7:55 Wed Sep 28
Re: There is hope [maybe along way]

I went to watch the U18's away to Southampton a month or so ago and was equally delighted with the quality of the football match. Declan Rice had been pulled up to the PL2 squad which was a shame as I'd heard good things but the team played well under Pottsy even if they were beaten 2-0 by two break away goals in the last 5 minutes.

Players that stood out.

Ben Johnson played right back in the first half and looked okay but nothing special. Second half he went CM and mopped up everything in front of the back four. Strong and athletic and good on the ball.

Anthony Sulley - Played on the wing and was constantly looking for the ball and looked dangerous when running at defenders. Was on the receiving end of some tough tackles as Soton looked to bring him down but he jumped straight up and carried on running.

The keeper is also an absolute beast at about 6ft 6in. Collected every cross Soton put in the box.

Hopefully something to look forward to in years to come.

Noah 7:38 Wed Sep 28
Re: There is hope [maybe along way]

Good work RAMA. Cheers.

OccupyGreenStreet 7:03 Wed Sep 28
Re: There is hope [maybe along way]

Great report. Hoping to catch them away at Motspur Park soon. Declan lives near us and OGS jr knows him. Still very young, but all credit to him, captain and CB at such a young age.

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