Asked who has most impressed West Ham supporters this season, our “Who are You?” interviewee, David Blackmore, editor the Blowing Bubbles online and print fanzine, unsurprisingly replies: “Payet. Full stop. The man’s a genius.”
Big Sam will not have needed David’s confirmation of the obvious major source of threat to Sunderland on Saturday, the last time this fixture will take place at Upton Park. Dimitri Payet, from La Reunion, that volcanic portion of France that lies in the Indian Ocean, has been a revelation in the Premier League.
But he is not the only one. The Hammers are not pushing for Europe and in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup because of one man. Slaven Bilic has them playing often excellent football and dangers to our defence will present themselves from several positions.
It’s another momentous match for Sunderland. With Newcastle’s game postponed, another win would lift us out of the drop zone unless Norwich won at Leicester. Even a draw would be good enough in the event of Norwich losing or drawing.
Bill Cowell, who won the competition regularly when prizes were at stake, correctly predicted 2-1 versus Man Utd (as did Monsieur Salut on tour at ESPN). Let’s hope at least one reader correctly plumps for an away win at the Boleyn.
It’s still just for fun unless you know someone out there who might take the place of our last sponsors. West Ham supporters are, as ever, welcome to have a go.
And come back for David Blackmore’s excellent “Who are You?” interview tomorrow.
Ha’way the Lads.
Join the Salut! Sunderland Facebook group – click anywhere along this line
And follow us on Twitter: @salutsunderland … click along this line
No one thought we’d lose 1-0. Or no one wanted to say so
I wanted to come here to play tribute to a proper Mackem, who must have lived 20 years in the West Ham heartlands, but who never -never- forgot who he was (and never stopped telling us). Good on you Dave. It must be 10 years since he passed.
I find it hard to hate away fans… when I know it my heart there are many who love their clubs with the sincerity we do, and for the reasons we do…
(COYI)
Cheers LTL. The best away days are when you mix with fans of the home club over a few beers before hand or after the game. Most people who follow clubs like Sunderland and West Ham do so because it’s part of who they are and they respect each other and understand because they share the same emotions.
The last time I came up against some obnoxious home fans in the post match pub was after we had lost 4-0 at Chelsea in the late 90s.
I think the thumbs down jobs are from chirpy cockneys.
I have a soft spot for west ham fans when they had a whip round for a couple of our boys that died on the way back from an away match, I think it was the week Bobby Moore had died and we had a wonderful remembrance of him before the game. Then Kieron Brady had his finest game for us….
So let’s hammer the southern softies 4-0.
1-2 to us Revival starts here
Revenge…0-9……to the lads…Defoe gets all 9
Hammers 0 -2 SAFC
The Lads to win 3-1,we’re well capable.
West Ham are a very good side, and this will be tough. But I don’t think we will lose. 2-2
I would be happy with a point. 0-0
Might just go for a big 3-3, goals a plenty.
Fat Sam has a knack of beating his old teams but I’m hoping that we put on an exhibition to show Fatty the type of football that is totally alien to him. Most of us agree that Fatty saved West Ham and he did a very good job for two years. He was clueless after that and instead of progressing – we just played his way of ‘respecting the point’ ie hoof it and everyone stay back except Carroll. So I’m hoping to equal that record 8-0 scoreline from donkey years ago but my head says 0-1 to Sunderland
1968 it was, and the first was punched in, so it’s totally irrelevant.
This is a real opportunity – for me too – with a 3-2 win for us!
A tenner will be charity bound if you’re right Pete.
Really tough game. West Ham are excellent. Hope against hope, a lucky 2 nil to Sunderland. There has to be a clean sheet someday, surely?
Let the K’s at them, 2-1 away win with Big K on the scoresheet again
A point on our last visit to Upton Park (not that I’ll be there at £47 a pop – double what I’ve paid for Southampton) is more than gettable. Yann The Man to shackle Payet. 1 – 1 it is.
Have we been invaded by a “thumbs down” gremlin? I think all “thumbs down” should have a relevant comment justifying this action.
Negative vibes get a thumbs down….Where’s the faith!
Smoggy and the odd Hammer, perhaps.