Written by : @ciaran_judge
Honestly, what West Ham fan felt confident for Wednesday night after beating Manchester United on Sunday – I didn’t at all. West Ham have a horrendous record against lower league opposition. Last season’s defeat to AFC Wimbledon came after beating Arsenal only days earlier; it makes West Ham baffling and infuriating in equal measure.
Last Wednesday’s result against Oxford is added to a long list of humiliating results where West Ham have capitulated to lower opposition – but is it the most embarrassing game we’ve seen? Sadly we have quite a list to choose from.
I have witnessed in person three of our most recent ‘hammerings’ from Manchester City (5-0, 4-0 and 5-0) but they are Manchester City so that’s kind of understandable right? The 5-1 loss to Arsenal at home in the 2016/17 season was tough to bear but Alexi Sanchez was still scoring goals then, so these things happen.
The shocks I can accept, but it’s the capitulations that really stick in craw. I can remember sitting down to watch the League Cup Semi Final first Leg against Manchester City with genuine hope, only for West Ham to 5-0 down in an hour; likewise I can remember another League Cup Semi Final where Oldham put six past us in the first leg. Forest beat us 4-0 In an FA cup semi-final, but you couldn’t call that a capitulation that game is famous for two things: Tony Gale’s sending off and the magnificent West Ham fans who sang although the second half as the score mounted.
It is, as they say, the hope that kills you, and one of the most galling defeats was a 4-0 thrashing to a West Brom side in the FA Cup following beating Everton on penalties and everyone widely tipping West Ham as a dark horse – another Saturday ruined. Just like my dreams they fade and die.
Early in Glenn Roeder’s tenure West Ham were hammered 5-1 by Chelsea then 7-1 by Blackburn, with both games on the television for maximum humiliation. I found that tough to take because my Sunday league team was full of Spurs ad Arsenal fans who took great delight in the results.
My most embarrassing moment through is the 5-0 battering by Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup 3rd Round. Watching West Ham’s youngsters completely exposed live on TV was heart breaking to witness.
West Ham fans want a trophy. Its 40 years in 2020 since West Ham won anything. I don’t care about finishing sixth, I want us to win a trophy – desperately. I was one and a half the last time West Ham won a trophy and I’m starting to panic about not being about to see them win another one – it’s a genuine thought!
Every year without fail I have put a fiver on West Ham to win the FA Cup. 2006 still hurts and Lionel Scaloni, where ever you are, why, why, why, didn’t you do anything other than what you did? How many Argentinian players have you witnessed carry out the dark arts of wasting time and gamesmanship. I’ll answer that – loads!
Wednesday was bad and I have news for you – it will happen again – but all these experiences will make us savour it when we lift the FA Cup in May.
It’s the hope that kills you.
