Biggest surprise of the season so far?

[Hazy2]

We do not get going as fans until the ref has pissed us off, needs sorting we should be loud and proud from K.O

[Swales4ever]

for us.......our lackluster displays (hopefully in the past now)..

(cant understand why people feel QPR is a big surprise)

Have ever read from our Anti-Rags Attorney, before he went fully busy either with engeneering and nappy changing?
Made Your homeworks Lass, and You'll find out an all new world of football competence and much entertainment.

cheers

[walmai]

Thirdly, the fact that we have the best defence in the league. I did not see that coming.

You're actually joint best defensively, with Stoke.

Then, its Chelsea, Arsenal and West Ham on 11 goals conceded. That surprises me no end.

Even more surprising is our clean sheet tally: 5 from 11 games is unheard of in our parts, it truly is.

As for the other surprises.
I am not surprised about QPR - all fur coat etc, basically.
I'm mildly surprised that Steve Clarke has done that well in his first senior coaching role.
I'm also surprised about Sunderland's moribund start - having taken over from one of truly one of the worst coaches in Prem-history, I thought O'Neill had turned them around.

[Cocacolajojo1]

Thirdly, the fact that we have the best defence in the league. I did not see that coming.

You're actually joint best defensively, with Stoke.

Then, its Chelsea, Arsenal and West Ham on 11 goals conceded. That surprises me no end.

Even more surprising is our clean sheet tally: 5 from 11 games is unheard of in our parts, it truly is.

As for the other surprises.
I am not surprised about QPR - all fur coat etc, basically.
I'm mildly surprised that Steve Clarke has done that well in his first senior coaching role.
I'm also surprised about Sunderland's moribund start - having taken over from one of truly one of the worst coaches in Prem-history, I thought O'Neill had turned them around.

Yeah, but as I said in my original post, it doesn't seem this season will be remembered for its defending.

What would Allardyce have to do to get all West Ham fans to accept his style of playing football? Listened to a football podcast the other night where a West Ham fan of the sensible kind said he found it hard to tolerate Allardyce's tactics, despite the results. Do you have that problem as well?

[Dubaimancityfan]

Balo hasn't scored in the League yet and also that he's not been sent off yet !!

Edit: Has he scored at all ??

[Dubaimancityfan]

Balo hasn't scored in the League yet and also that he's not been sent off yet !!

Edit: Has he scored at all ??

Edit 2: of course he did, against Dortmund.

[Mikhail Chigorin]

Thirdly, the fact that we have the best defence in the league. I did not see that coming.

You're actually joint best defensively, with Stoke.

Then, its Chelsea, Arsenal and West Ham on 11 goals conceded. That surprises me no end.

Even more surprising is our clean sheet tally: 5 from 11 games is unheard of in our parts, it truly is.

As for the other surprises.
I am not surprised about QPR - all fur coat etc, basically.
I'm mildly surprised that Steve Clarke has done that well in his first senior coaching role.
I'm also surprised about Sunderland's moribund start - having taken over from one of truly one of the worst coaches in Prem-history, I thought O'Neill had turned them around.

I wonder if O'Neill thought he could do it without his old sidekick John Robertson, but is now finding out he can't.

[walmai]

What would Allardyce have to do to get all West Ham fans to accept his style of playing football? Listened to a football podcast the other night where a West Ham fan of the sensible kind said he found it hard to tolerate Allardyce's tactics, despite the results. Do you have that problem as well?

I don't have a problem, per se. Its a culture shock, having gone from Cones'n'Bibs Gianfranco to Avram and then on to Big Sam.

Sure, he's not everyone's cup of tea, but

At home we've beaten two teams by 3 goals, and
Away, we've won twice.

The proof is in the 'tickets sold' pudding. Practically sold out most games, home and away. That's the true answer. Of course some will still moan. But the majority are happy enough.

Oh, and by the way, the stats show that, of the two teams resorting to long ball yesterday, Newcastle were way in front, so the 'style' isn't as bad as some will have you believe.

[Cocacolajojo1]

What would Allardyce have to do to get all West Ham fans to accept his style of playing football? Listened to a football podcast the other night where a West Ham fan of the sensible kind said he found it hard to tolerate Allardyce's tactics, despite the results. Do you have that problem as well?

I don't have a problem, per se. Its a culture shock, having gone from Cones'n'Bibs Gianfranco to Avram and then on to Big Sam.

Sure, he's not everyone's cup of tea, but

At home we've beaten two teams by 3 goals, and
Away, we've won twice.

The proof is in the 'tickets sold' pudding. Practically sold out most games, home and away. That's the true answer. Of course some will still moan. But the majority are happy enough.

Oh, and by the way, the stats show that, of the two teams resorting to long ball yesterday, Newcastle were way in front, so the 'style' isn't as bad as some will have you believe.

I would like to emphasize that I have no problem with Allardyce what so ever, nor his tactics (although I found the fake twitter-account really funny at times). In certain aspects he's been a visionary, especially when it comes to analysing the quality of certain players that don't really sell any shirts. Gary Speed in Bolton comes to mind. I was just asking as I know that West Ham has its philosophy of how to play football and that BIg Sam doesn't really fit with that philosophy.

But as you say, he's grinded out some good results so far. We had a good game at Upton Park but you nullified us, although we nullified Carrol (let's call it even). I hope you lose at the Etihad, otherwise I don't care and wish you the best as long as you don't threaten our race for the title.

[walmai]

I'm afraid the days of seeing you as our equals has probably gone forever now. Getting a single home point is, in its own way a victory.

I didn't like Allardyce a great deal before he came to us, it has to be said. I'm not just saying this because of the site I am posting on, but he's one of Fergie's yes men.

However, he promised to get us up, when we all knew that he'd inherited a squad in total disarray. He deserves some credit for that.

The fake twitter account is comedy gold.

[kinkylola]

our defensive record being joint best is the most surprising for me. They way we looked early doors, I thought we'd be shipping goals for fun and scrambling to score 1 more. I thought I was having a flashbacks to ol' sparky!

I'm very optimistic for what it could mean for our second half form if we can keep the d solid now.

[Im_Spartacus]

Uniteds have been a huge surprise.

So far they have scored 44 goals from 17 games, compared to 43 from 17 last season. However they have had to come from behind on 8 occasions to date, meaning they often have no choice but to throw the kitchen sink at it, so whilst last year they were steamrollering teams, this year they are scoring the same number of goals just to scrape out a 1 goal win.

That has to be a positive for us, as I cant see it lasting all season without some pretty big slip ups.

Looks like one thing I was proved right with though, is that the impact of RVP is minimal - i said when he signed that they would not be any better for it come the end of the season in terms of goals scored, and it was the defence they would have to tighten up if they wanted to win the league.

They are scoring no more, but conceding a lot more which eventually will come to bite them on the arse.

[Mikhail Chigorin]

I'm afraid the days of seeing you as our equals has probably gone forever now. Getting a single home point is, in its own way a victory.

I didn't like Allardyce a great deal before he came to us, it has to be said. I'm not just saying this because of the site I am posting on, but he's one of Fergie's yes men.

However, he promised to get us up, when we all knew that he'd inherited a squad in total disarray. He deserves some credit for that.

The fake twitter account is comedy gold.

I suppose a curious, hypothetical parallel between the West Ham/Allardyce scenario and City, would be if Mancini were to leave and be replaced by Mourhino (which was until fairly recently an ongoing media obsession).

A lot of City fans, me included, would be less than enthusiastic about such a, now unlikely, (Mourinho) development, given the allegedly boring methods the Portuguese Maestro would supposedly bring to bear, but if he ground out titles and trophies in his own inimitable fashion, we could grow to love him (.......and the media would have a real dilemma on their hands :- loving Mourinho as much as they do, how could they continue to hate City and perpetually slag us off).

If Allardyce were to achieve a European spot at the end of the season, he'd win over all the Hammers fans (even the current doubters) - and quite rightly so as it would be a fine achievement - and there would always be the lurking hope in supporters' hearts that, in the not too far distant future, he would get the team playing the cultured football that West Ham have always been famous for.

[HeyMark]

Definitely Steve Clarke doing so well in his first managerial role. I thought he'd be one of those people who would always be a number 2.

[City64]

Everton for me .

Always a passionate and well supported club , David Moyes may just get the season he thoroughly deserves . Maybe Everton,s great start to the season has born from the confidence of there magnificent never say die performance @ Stretford coming back to draw 4-4 ? :)

[Peter Doherty (AGAIG)]

Everton for me .

Always a passionate and well supported club , David Moyes may just get the season he thoroughly deserves . Maybe Everton,s great start to the season has born from the confidence of there magnificent never say die performance @ Stretford coming back to draw 4-4 ? :)

I'd have to add, on a personal note, that I'm much surprised by my lack of hatred for all things Moyes and Everton this season. Given, I suppose, their 4-4 draw at the Theatre of Cockerneys last season, I'm more than happy to see them doing well this. Doesn't take much....

[johnny crossan]

our defensive record being joint best is the most surprising for me. They way we looked early doors, I thought we'd be shipping goals for fun and scrambling to score 1 more. I thought I was having a flashbacks to ol' sparky!

I'm very optimistic for what it could mean for our second half form if we can keep the d solid now.

joint best with Stoke is unfortunate tho'

[johnny crossan]

..I'm also surprised about Sunderland's moribund start - having taken over from one of truly one of the worst coaches in Prem-history, I thought O'Neill had turned them around.

much as we all despise the elephantine one, Hull aren't doing too badly atm and his record at Wigan was almost OK. Personally I think O'Neill is more of a liability.

[Pretty Boy Lee]

West ham and west brom for me. Both doing brilliantly.

[PALUS]

Our defending of Set-Pieces. Now i have fear from free kick on 40 meters from goal.How we get this problem is beyond me .