Hammers Help Spread Festive Cheer

Festive cheer arrived today at Whipps Cross Hospital when players from West Ham United paid a visit to patients and staff.

Captain Kevin Nolan led the way along with Andy Carroll, Jussi Jaaskelainen, Winston Reid, James Tomkins, Joey O'Brien, Matt Jarvis and Modibo Maiga in dropping into the Acorn children's ward at the Leytonstone hospital.

The players, all wearing Santa hats, gave out goody bags which contained footballs, scarves and other items and happily chatted with the young patients and their families. They also posed for photographs and signed autographs for the hard-working staff.

Skipper Nolan said he and the players were only too pleased to put some smiles on the faces of those having to spend time in hospital over Christmas.

"It means a lot to see them just smile and that us visiting has given them a boost," said the captain. "I am a dad myself so I can understand what the mums and dads are going through when they are by their children's bedsides and the concerns you have, so if we can give them something positive about by being here, then that is a great thing."

Nolan also had words of praise for the hospital staff: "I think what they do, the doctors and nurses and all the staff, is just fantastic. My wife was a nurse when we lived back in Liverpool, so I understand the work they put in. They were really pleased to see us, which is really nice, but we were only too pleased to be here."

A personal donation from all the players was presented by Nolan to the ward's modern matron Eileen Elms. The money will be used to benefit the patients and staff of the Acorn ward in a variety of ways both now and in the future.

Winger Jarvis said the players were more than happy to help out, adding: "To come here and just spend a moment means a lot to everyone and we were just as glad to be here. To show appreciation for the work the staff put in is important too and if we can help make it a little brighter for those in hospital, then that is a good thing."

The visit is just one of several the players will take part in during the season and the visit to a local hospital at Christmas time is an annual fixture in the team diary.

West Ham 3 Chelsea 1

To tell the truth, I was planning for a month long hiatus for Hammer Time and return after Christmas for the start of the January transfer window. However, after a result like this, I just couldn't miss this opportunity to express my emotions. I am currently feeling more proud than I have ever felt. More than when I received my GCSE results, more than whenever I have received a massive applause from an audience at the end of one of my plays, even more than the Play-Off Final at the end of last season, when Ricardo Vaz Te fired West Ham back into the Premier League with a last minute winner against Blackpool. This tops them all!

Now, I have to admit something to you. During my car journey on the way home yesterday, the result came on the radio. After about 5 minutes of the result being announced, I did something that I haven't done in a very long time. I had a little weep. I'm sure it is very difficult for anybody who isn't a football fan (and most football fans to be honest) to believe that someone can get so emotional over a football team. 'It's only a game?' 'Teams win and lose every week!' 'Why should you care so much?' Maybe that's the special thing about West Ham. We've had our highs and lows, but this club and its fans are special and we will remain loyal and proud, no matter what.

In one of the hottest games of the season so far, the Hammers came from behind to beat Chelsea 3-1 at Upton Park, the first time that West Ham have beaten Chelsea since Paulo Di Canio scored the winning goals back in 2002 (http://domryder.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/matches-of-past-part-2.html). Juan Mata opened the scoring for Chelsea in the 13th minute, after a strong attack found a gap in the West Ham defence and gave Mata the chance to slide the ball into the bottom corner of the net. From then on it was all Chelsea in the first half. However, no matter how many chances they created, the Blues strike force of Moses, Torres, Mata and Hazard couldn't find the back of the net for a second time, helped along the way by some fantastic saves from Jussi Jaaskelainen. The only clear chance for West Ham came late on, when a cross in from Matt Jarvis found the head of James Collins who played it down for Kevin Nolan to bicycle kick it into the bottom corner, only for it to be disallowed after referee Martin Atkinson stated that a slight shove on Ivanovic from Collins was worthy enough of a foul, a decision that commentators and analysts alike disagreed with.

However, in the second half, West Ham turned the game on its head. After two half time substitutions of Mohamed Diame and Matt Taylor, the Hammers completely changed round, becoming much more attacking and creating many more chances. It wasn't long before a deflected Jarvis cross found the head of Carlton Cole who could neatly turn it in for the equaliser. Many said that Cole should have been penalised for climbing on Ivanovic in the build-up to the goal, but in the end it was dividends for the decision that went against Collins in the first half. From this point on, the game became very even, with both sides coming very close to scoring. Most notably a Winston Reid header being cleared off the line by Ashley Cole and a Mata free-kick hitting the post. However, in the 85th minute, Diame struck with a bullet shot on the edge of the box with the assist coming from Cole, and the Boleyn Ground erupted! Into stoppage time, a mistake by Ashley Cole after some fantastic pressure from Diame gave Modibo Maiga the ball who played it through to Taylor, only to have his shot saved by Cech and Maiga to put in the rebound and finish off a crushing defeat of Chelsea. 

In the end, it was our dominance in midfield that secured us the victory. After, Diame came on at half-time, he and Noble completely dominated the midfield not giving the main-man Mata any space to run with the ball or create any chances. Diame's fantastic tackling, passing, pressurising and prowess on the ball when going forward was the key to the win, as well as Matt Taylor's brilliant box-to-box play, strong in defence and incredibly dangerous in attack. This win was also helped by the return to form of Carlton Cole. The big man hardly put a foot wrong in this game, constantly winning aerial challenges, successfully completing headers to team mates and holding the ball up giving his midfielders the chance to press forward. He deserved his first Premier League goal of the season and was made man of the match by the sponsors which was announced just before the end. Our second-half rock solid defence was also vital in this victory, giving Chelsea no chances to run forward and get into the box. Jaaskelainen must also be praised for some outstanding saves.

This is probably the greatest victory I have ever witnessed in my days of watching West Ham, not just because of the result, but of what it symbolises. A team that last year was losing 1-0 to Bristol City is now beating the champions of Europe 3-1. A team that at times last year found it almost impossible to win at home has now made Upton Park a fortress and a rock solid one too that is incredibly difficult for any team to penetrate. A team that last year was worrying about Play-Off places in the Championship is now aiming for a strong top ten finish in the Premiership. And in the end, the praise has to go to Sam Allardyce. He has completely changed around this clubs fortunes and he deserves all the congratulations that he receives. Tonight, I can safely say, that I am one happy Hammer!

West Ham: Jaaskelainen, Demel, Collins, Reid, O'Brien, Tomkins (Diame 45), Noble, O'Neil (Taylor 45), Nolan, Jarvis, Cole (Maiga 85).