Blowing Bubbles

12/12/2024

‘All I want for Christmas is to not write about VAR anymore’

There hadn’t been many clangers this season until the Red Devils rocked up to London Stadium.

I’ve been thinking about what I want to put in my letter to Santa. I’m seriously considering asking for ‘not to have to write another piece for this magazine complaining about VAR’. Yes, I know the

12/12/2024

‘We need to find a way to stop the endless flood of goals against us’

We can’t keep conceding at the rate we are to avoid being dragged into a relegation battle.

It doesn’t take much to score a goal against West Ham United. It happens in every game – and sometimes it happens over, and over, and over again, all in the same game. At the

12/12/2024

‘Replacing Ar**la with Fabianski smacks of a short-termism approach’

Should we have stuck with our French shotstopper despite his sticky patch?

I write this after our goalless draw with Everton with West Ham 14th in the table on 12 points. Looking across various West Ham media, the mood is very much doom and gloom. There are

12/12/2024

‘To lose the way we did was painful but even more so against Spurs’

After our 4-1 defeat away at Spurs last month, we reflect on other humbling defeats to our rivals.

When it comes to playing Tottenham I’m a nervous wreck, and I really hate playing them because their fans are just unbearable, and if they win, we really don’t ever hear the end of it

12/12/2024

‘Why is it fair that some home games get you two priority points?’

Should the club look to revamp its points system to reward those fans travelling the furthest?

If there is one thing that causes a regular buzz amongst a large proportion of the West Ham match-going fan base, it’s the quest for that away day experience and the attempt to get tickets.

12/12/2024

‘Football is about to be regulated and fans will finally get a say’

The West Ham United Supporters’ Trust can’t wait for the Independent Football Regulator to start.

Sir Kier Starmer’s new Labour government has updated and improved the previous Conservative administration’s Football Governance Bill. The biggest changes cover the financial distributions between leagues, for example. Parachute payments will no longer be excluded

12/12/2024

Opposition View: ‘We dream of Newcastle qualifying for the Champions League again…’

We catch up with Newcastle fan Gemma Purser ahead of our Premier League clash.

How do you think you have started this season? Not great to be honest with you. It’s been a rocky start for us losing to Fulham and drawing to Everton but then to go on

12/12/2024

‘Why was Hurst seen as our fifth most important World Cup winner?’

In his new book, Colin Whelan reflects on the lives and careers of Bobby Moore and Sir Geoff.

Between 1960 and 1980, you might confidently identify seven outfield players from the UK, who would have played in a ‘World XI’, or at least have been part of a 22-man squad. You would definitely have

12/12/2024

‘Your generosity has made a difference in the lives of the homeless’

We hear from the charities benefitting from the Irons Supporting Foodbanks’ efforts.

This month I wanted to share with you a few words of appreciation from the foodbanks and community groups that we support on behalf of West Ham fans, and details of how they operate. Samantha

12/12/2024

‘The FA Cup final win was Lyall’s finest hour as West Ham boss’

We deep dive into the club’s fortunes during John Lyall’s tenure continuing with the 79-80 campaign.

After a narrow failure to gain promotion back to the top flight at the first attempt in May, Lyall set about identifying the flaws that cost the Hammers last time around. As he had shown

12/12/2024

‘Our visits to the number 1 spot have been infuriatingly brief’

Who has been top of the pops when West Ham have fleetingly hit the summit of the top flight since 1952?

In November 1952 the very first UK singles chart was published. It detailed the 10 best-selling records of that week. The self-styled hit parade soon became the ultimate test of success for any recording artist. This

12/12/2024

‘Football and music do not always make the happiest of bedfellows’

We explore what happens when the worlds of football and music collide for his new book.

We all know that ‘Bubbles’ is one of the best and most famous club anthems in world football. But which of these other statements about it are also true: Full marks if you answered ‘yes’

12/12/2024

Opposition View: ‘There’s still a feeling that Arsenal could win the league…’

We catch up with Arsenal supporter Murray Lyall ahead of our Premier League clash.

How do you think you have started this season? Not great but not bad. We’re only in November but we know we have to be better when it comes to football on the pitch. Arsenal

12/12/2024

‘I’m worried we could be in a battle for survival by Christmas’

We've got to figure out a way to win for some key games in the run up to Christmas.

We all knew this was going to be a season of transition with the new manager coming in along with a heap of new players. But we’re closing in on a third of the season

12/12/2024

George Parris: ‘Things need to change quickly if we want to avoid bring dragged into a relegation scrap’

When a new manager comes in there’s a honeymoon period but that gets shorter if people aren’t seeing what they want to see.

Twelve games into this season and questions are now being asked whether or not there is any difference between Moyes’ team last season and this current side? Aside from different personnel, I can’t see many

12/12/2024

Pub Talk: ‘Sullivan won’t pay Lopetegui off because there are three teams far worse than us…’

Our writers sit down to put the West Ham world to rights...

Where do you stand on Lopetegui and his future as West Ham manager? Meirion Williams: This could be another Pellegrini moment where Sullivan blames the fans for our predicament. With Pellegrini, Sullivan said he gave

12/12/2024

ExWHUemployee: ‘The lack of game time for our younger players sends out an alarming negative message’

I hope with time the manager changes his attitude towards these players and starts to utilise them as we clearly do have the talent, they are just not being used.

As we moved onto another manager and another era, there was one thing more than anything that I hoped would change. This one thing was that we would now see an increased use of academy

12/12/2024

‘The fans, players and manager are all frustrated and disconnected’

https://blowing-bubbles.co.uk/2024/11/20/the-fans-players-and-manager-are-all-frustrated-and-disconnected/