FA Cup Final

[sufcintheprem]

Can't believe there's not a post about this already. Never before can I remember watching an FA cup final without a real vested interest and enjoying it so much. I was saying before the match that I thought West Ham would win it and it looked that way until Gerrard's fantastic late goal. It might have been a faff, a fumble and a fluke that got the lead but I thought that they were just about worth the win in normal time and if Harewood hadn't got injured then I think they would have won either by virtue of him putting the ball in after it came back off the post or by him sticking the first peno in and putting West Ham on the front foot.

They tried not to make it look as much but generally taking first should be an advantage because you can heap more pressure on your opponents who follow. I can't believe Pardew stuck Konchesky in to take one. Sure he was close to scoring but I would have picked him above Gabbidon and Dailly only.

Still, the only thing to take the shine off the game today was the BBC's refusal to replay shots that went in after the whistle had gone. First Gerrard's scorcher in the first half that hit the bar and then Scaloni's beautiful scissored volley that went in off the post!!

Well, that's Lincoln Grimsby and the Cup final down, now on to Cheltenham Wycombe!

 

[stickyboy]

Heartbreak for the Hammers - Get in there!

 

[Bluesmanager]

Absolute stunner from Gerrard for his second, and just as they announced 4 minutes added time as well. The perfect final for anyone (except West Ham fans obviously), and fitting considering it's the last at Cardiff.

 

[shrimper4life]

what a goal by gerrard! from fully 35 yards

 

[Xàbia Shrimper]

Very bad luck to West Ham United. I really thought they were going to nick it until Gerrard's superb equaliser in the 91st minute. It was a great final, two teams playing their hearts out for the cup made it a perfect Cup Final spectacle ... at last. I expect we'll see a few ungracious people on here later on "celebrating" the defeat of the Hammers; unfortunately they'll have no concept of football ...

 

[Murkey_Mouse]

Iam glad W@nk-Ham lost, one minute there is W@nk-Ham flags & shirt all over the place in Benfleet, but now they will have to take it down as they lost. I cannot believe there are loads of hammers coming out of the woodwork once Hammer have an sucess!

 

[Sussex Shrimper]

A game of drama over quality - sh*t defending for four of the goals, one fluke and one absolute cracker (Stevie G's second).

I don't mind admitting that I was bricking it for most of the game but in hindsight I wouldn't change a thing about the way the game panned out, a real rollercoaster ride with a euphoric ending. As soon as they went 1-0 up the "we're just here for a great day out" mentality went out the the window and the Shammers started giving it large, only to end up crying on the telly all over again.

Of course such schadenfreude has no place in football and I should be sat here respectfully applauding them as I would an opposing batsman at the Oval - if only football could be more like cricket.

 

[sufcintheprem]

Quote[/b] (Xàbia Shrimper @ May 13 2006,18:18)]Very bad luck to West Ham United. I really thought they were going to nick it until Gerrard's superb equaliser in the 91st minute. It was a great final, two teams playing their hearts out for the cup made it a perfect Cup Final spectacle ... at last. I expect we'll see a few ungracious people on here later on "celebrating" the defeat of the Hammers; unfortunately they'll have no concept of football ...

Didn't take long did it!

I feel really bad for them cos no-one deserved to lose that game. Reminded me a little of the Sunderland Charlton playoff final. This one was slightly better I think though and I never thought I would say that!

 

[canveyshrimper]

Quote[/b] (Bluesmanager @ May 13 2006,18:13)]and fitting considering it's the last at Cardiff.

That is what we were told last year.

That was the best FA Cup Final I have seen in many years, and as much as I dislike West Ham they made it a classic match.

Condolences to the Spammers and well done Liverpool and Steve Gerrard in particular.

 

[Bluesmanager]

Fair point, but can it really take a whole year to put some seats in and lay the turf?

 

[sufcintheprem]

Also everyone is going on about Gerrard's performance and he was outstanding but Yossi Benayoun was also exceptional for West Ham where I thought Etherington would be their best hope. I think if it wasn't for Gerrard's amazing second equaliser, I'd have given MOTM to Benayoun

 

[The General]

Brilliant game and i went mental when Gerrard got his 2nd of the game! Loved the fact West Ham lost (sorry, Mike!) and all those plastic cockney boys at work will be quiet at work for a few weeks now ... and i'll be even louder.

Kev

 

[Xàbia Shrimper]

Quote[/b] (The General @ May 13 2006,19:41)]Loved the fact West Ham lost (sorry, Mike!)

 

[Hockley_Blues]

The looks on the faces of spammer fans in Brighton town centre was priceless today

Funny how they all come out of the woodwork now they reach a major final....

 

[Xàbia Shrimper]

Quote[/b] (Hockley_Blues @ May 13 2006,19:55)]Funny how they all come out of the woodwork now they reach a major final....

Pots tumbling. Kettles crashing. Pot utters "you're black" as they pass.

** cough **

11,375 v Bristol City? Two years ago Southend United were struggling to attract even a third of that figure on a regular basis as they battled at the bottom of the Football League. Funny how all the fans came out of the woodwork when there's a bit of success ...

 

[stickyboy]

Worth having a look around to watch them sheepishly take down all their flags in Southend.

 

[Xàbia Shrimper]

I think they would be proud of their team's contribution to a fantastic FA Cup Final. Disappointed, yes. But certainly not sheepish.

 

[The General]

Quote[/b] (Hockley_Blues @ May 13 2006,18:55)]The looks on the faces of spammer fans in Brighton town centre was priceless today  

 

Funny how they all come out of the woodwork now they reach a major final....

Indeed. All those flags that were up this morning wont be around Monday!!

 

[Xàbia Shrimper]

Hmmm. Rather like the Southend United ones after two defeats in the LDV Final? Let's get some sort of perspective on this; any team who reaches the FA Cup Final (or any final) will have fans "coming out of the woodwork". Remember the 20,000 plus who travelled to Cardiff for the first LDV Vans Trophy Final? Where did THEY come from? It was because of the team's success and they applies similarly to West Ham United.

 

[Murkey_Mouse]

I hope W@nk-Ham get relegated next season while we finish outside the bottom 3 - the derby will be back on in 2007/08 season.