Having lost to Boro yesterday, it will be interesting to see what AP does with the team for the semi. I'd like to think that he might go for a very attacking combination. Assuming people are fit I wouldn't mind seeing this lineup: Walker (Don't really know why he was dropped after his effort against City) Scaloni Ferdinand Gabbidon Konchesky Bennyoun Mullins Etherington Harewood Ashton Zamora Subs: Hislop, Reo-Coker, Collins, Sheringham, Fletcher AP has'nt tried a 4-3-3 formation but I recall that Sir Trevor did very well with it. The semi is up for grabs and a draw is not the result we want. Go for the win and put 3 upfront. That will give Boro plenty to think about.
Martin Peters views on the semi final; http://www.sportinglife.com/footbal.../19/SOCCER_West_Ham_Peters.html&TEAMHD=soccer
I watched the Boro game against Steuea Bucahrest and even allowing for the injuries that they had, I thought Boro were pathetic. Boateng was his usual hard-working self and he has impressed me the last few games. Downing was AWOL, and Yakubu and Hasselbaink hardly got a kick - not that they got much service. Dunno if Viduka is a doubt for the weekend, I see he was out with a thigh strain. I know Romania is not exactly an easy place to go and get some kind of result, but overall I felt that Boro did not put the effort in, and I think they were fortunate to come away with just a 1-0 defeat. The thing that worries me slightly is that I can't believe they will play as badly for two games in a row. I just pray the travelling has knackered 'em as they sure looked tired tonight.
I don't think Boro really intended to get a win last night. A draw or a low score defeat would suit them fine. An away goal would be a great bonus also, even if they lost the game. So with the FA CUP semi and the second leg of the EUFA semi on their minds I am not suprised that we didn't see them give their all. Steuea Bucahrest looked quick and good in possession but lacked the quality up front to finish their chances. The goal was well taken and the commentators a bit harsh on the defence for not marking the player (there were four defenders around him, three goal side, and he squeezed his shot through a tight gap in the bodies) but other than that their finishing was generally below par for this level of the game. So I think Boro don't have too much to worry about in the second leg as long as their strikers are fit and on form. This is all good news for us, of course, as if they had lost 4-0 last night then they would go into Sunday's match thinking that the FA Cup is their only hope for silverware this season. Add to this the match tiredness, injuries and jetlag and I think we have a slight psychological and physical advantage going into Sunday's game. Also the timing of John Lyall's tragic passing couldn't have been worse for Boro ahead of this game. Being the first match after John passed away I expect there to be some kind of tribute to him, maybe a minute's silence, and also our players to be fired up. AP will probably be inspiring them to roll up their sleeves in a 'do it for John' type fashion. (just found this article http://home.skysports.com/list.asp?...21&lid=&title=Pardew+wants+to+do+it+for+Lyall One final point is that 'Tony Gayle has spoken'. That's right, the footballing oracle was talking about the match this morning and he thinks we generally have the advantage over Boro. He expects the team to be 'fired up' going into the game and said that we need to play a fast, pacey game and go for a goal in the first 20 mins. Coming from a West Ham lad is he disclosing a bit of inside information here?? If we are gonna be fired up we need to take Boro by surprise, hopefully catching them off guard and over confident following last Sunday's result. In all I have a good feeling about this game. Mind you I had a good feeling about the Bolton tie and a bad feeling about the Man City one, so maybe I shouldn't pay too much attention to my feelings eh? The build up to Sunday seems to be scripting a West Ham win. Here's hoping for a place in the final...
According to this from news now, everyone's fit. http://breakingnews.iol.ie/sport/story.asp?j=207957845&p=zx795866x&n=207958731&t=soccer
This is the first cup semi-final for me as a Hammers supporter. I am very excited about it. After coming on board the year we finished 7th, it has been a bumpy ride so far but hopefully Sunday will be a highlight for me.
I remember playing Forrest in the Cup semi final (Littlewoods Cup I think) at Villa Park when we lost 4-0. We hit the post twice and had Tony Gayle sent off contentiously. The center circle was sandy as hell. Never liked Villa Park as a neutral venue ever since. If we have to have a ground located between the two clubs i.e. around the midlands area then what's wrong with ManU's, ManC's, Liverpool's or Everton's? Why is it always Villa Park? I have been told today by a Boro fan at my work that the pitch is quite bad again. Also for you superstitious lot (not me... ) I remember the commentator saying how we had chosen to wear the white away strip as it had been good luck for us in previous Cup ties, notably one particulary match in 1980 with one particular Mr Brooking bending over to tie his boot lace at just the right moment. Needless to say I think (hope) that nonsense has been abandoned if not forgotten completey. We are capable of losing quite competently in either shirt.