Bye-bye, FA Cup and Mr. Abramovich
West Ham yesterday lost their away tie against Southampton, ending their FA Cup hopes. The Saints won 3-1 (1-0) and reached the quarter finals. West Ham‘s goal was scored by Michail Antonio. It was also on Wednesday evening that another collateral damage of the terrible Ukraine war emerged when it was announced that Russian owner Roman Abramovich was going to sell Chelsea.
Southampton’s win was especially impressive considering they made nine changes from their last Premier League game, and West Ham – above them in the table – only made two.
Last season’s FA Cup semi-finalists look in great shape under Austrian manager Ralph Hasenhuttl and are now unbeaten in 12 home games, going back to September.
A different kind of bye-bye also was announced last evening when prior to Chelsea‘s FA Cup game against Luton news emerged that Russian owner Roman Abramovich was going to sell the club.
Luton’s fans drowned out the chants, responding with: “You’re getting sold in the morning.” It will not be that quick but the reality for Chelsea and their fans is the man whose money is largely responsible for that lavish collection of silverware will soon be gone.
Even the traditional Chelsea taunt of “We’ve won it all” brought the cutting response of “You’ve bought it all” from the home support. As regular chants of support rose up for Abramovich from one end, jeers and “You’re an embarrassment” flew back in their direction from three sides of Kenilworth Road.
In the end the Chelsea fans could celebrate a 3-2 win over Luton, just some days after having lost the penalty shoot-out in the League Cup final against Liverpool last Sunday. The latest trophy which Chelsea won was the Club World Cup this February. The Blues beat Palmeiras Sao Paulo 2-1 in the final in Abu Dhabi, VAE, and won this Cup for the first time in their history.
Zwei enorm wichtige Siege
Der Sonntag brachte zwei ganz wichtige Siege für die Hammers und den SK Rapid!
WSG Tirol – SK Rapid 0:2 (0:2). Tore: Grüll (7.), Arase (23.)
Europa League Draw
Vitesse besiegt Rapid
An dem Tag, an dem mit der russischen Invasion der Ukraine der Krieg wieder nach Europa kam, geschah natürlich viel, viel Schlimmeres, als Rapids Ausscheiden gegen Vitesse Arnheim und West Ham’s Abrutschen auf Platz 6 in der Premier League durch Arsenals 2:1 Sieg gegen Wolves.
Während eine verlängerte ZiB 2 über den Krieg in der Ukraine berichtete, erfüllte sich Rapids Hoffnung auf das erste Europacup-Achtelfinale seit 25 Jahren nicht.
Ein Tiefschlag, der die Stimmung vor den beiden entscheidenden Bundesliga-Spielen um die Meistergruppe keinesfalls verbessert! Eine ernüchternde Leistung, eine verdiente Niederlage. Nach dem raschen 0:2-Rückstand durch zwei Tore, bei denen die Rapid-Abwehr mit der offenbar noch immer ungewohnten Dreierkette zu langsam und unbeweglich agierte, war Rapid klar chancenlos gegen die Holländer. Robert Ljubicic vergab beim Stand von 0:1 die einzige gute Chance der Grünen, die nicht zulegen konnten, nie durchkamen, keine Ideen hatten und in der zweiten Hälfte nicht einmal einen Torschuss!
Jetzt ist Ferdinand Feldhofer gefordert, die Truppe wieder aufzurichten, um nach ÖFB- und Europacup-Out zumindest das Ziel Meistergruppe zu erreichen.
Feldhofer jammert über die Personalsituation, aber er richtet sich anscheinend nicht ausreichend nach dem Gegner, er kann seine Spieler nicht gut genug einstellen, sodass der Beginn des Matches total verschlafen wurde (was allerdings auch dem SSC Napoli gegen Barcelona in der Europa League passierte).
Ich muss sagen, heute bin ich nicht sehr optimistisch für die beiden kommenden Spiele und für die Zukunft von Rapid…
England: Remaining Coronavirus Restrictions Lifted
The Telegraph reports that on February 24th the government has ended legal restrictions in England and is instead asking the public to practice specific safe and responsible behaviours as the primary means of stopping the spread of the virus. ‘Be safe’, the public is told as the restrictions end.
From today, the legal requirement to self-isolate following a positive coronavirus test has been removed along with contact tracing.
Close contacts who are fully vaccinated will no longer have to test daily for seven days, while unvaccinated close contacts will not be required to self-isolate.
However, staying at home and avoiding contact with others is still the most effective way to avoid passing on Covid-19 if you are infected.
Dr Jenny Harries, Chief Executive at the UK Health Security Agency, said: “While everyone will welcome the progress we have made with the vaccination programme, it’s important to remember that Covid-19 is still with us and presents a danger to many.
“Vaccines will remain our first line of defence against Covid-19 and it is vital that everyone eligible takes up the offer of their latest jab. Maintaining good hand hygiene, ventilating rooms well, and wearing a mask in enclosed spaces are simple steps that will also help minimise risk.
“Free testing will remain on offer until the end of March and you should still book a PCR test if you have symptoms or take a rapid at-home test if you plan to visit someone vulnerable until then.
“If you test positive you should still stay at home and continue to keep away from others, just like you would if you had another infectious illness like norovirus or flu.”
While the focus on prevention moves to individuals and communities, UKHSA will continue to monitor Covid-19 and its impact and advise policymakers and the public.
➡️ London after two years of Covid-19: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/climate-and-people/pandemic-has-left-london-shadow-former-self/
Krieg in der Ukraine
“No safe place anymore”: Die britische BBC-Ukraine-Korrespondentin berichtet davon, dass auch die Hauptstadt Kiew bereits von russischen Truppen angegriffen wird. Seit Donnerstag in den frühen Morgenstunden herrscht Krieg in Europa, die russische Invasion der Ukraine hat begonnen. Die Welt ist durch Putins Angriff auf die Ukraine schlagartig eine andere geworden.
➡️ BBC Ukraine editor: There is no safe place any more https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-60509493
Es ist wohl das Mindeste, dass nach dem Angriff der russischen Armee auf die Ukraine das in Russland geplante Champions League Finale in St. Petersburg in ein anderes Land verlegt werden muss.
Aufgrund dieses Kriegs gegen die Ukraine und diese massive Verletzung des Völkerrechts in Europa muss es so rasch als möglich die schärfsten Sanktionen gegen Russland geben!
Bobby Moore – 29 years gone
… but never forgotten
West Ham‘s official website pays tribute to the great Bobby Moore who passed 29 years ago today, aged just 51.
The world of football was rocked to the core by the passing of Bobby Moore OBE, when he tragically lost his brave battle with liver cancer in his Putney Heath home at 6.36am on Wednesday 24 February 1993, aged 51.
Ten days later, on an emotional afternoon at the Boleyn Ground, that footballing family united in grief and as one to salute England’s 1966 FIFA World Cup-winning captain and the Hammers ‘ home-grown legend, who made 647 outings during his 16 seasons down West Ham way, when West Ham played Wolverhampton Wanderers at Upton Park. It was a game played in the second tier (1st Division), West Ham won the game 3-1 thanks to goals from Julian Dicks, Trevor Morley and Holmes and was promoted to the Premier League at the end of the 1992/93 season.
Incidentally, Wolves will also be Sunday’s Premier League visitors to London Stadium. Prior to this game, they have to play Arsenal this Thursday, and Arsenal as well as Wolves could leapfrog West Ham in the table ahead of Sunday’s game if the Gunners draw or if Wolves win tonight’s match at the Emirates. Therefore a win on Sunday, 3 p.m. (MET) will be vital for West Ham‘s push for European football and the Champions League.
Could there be a better expression of commemorating East End‘s greatest son than a West Ham win on Sunday afternoon?
I hope West Ham will do just that and keep alive their hopes of being the best out of the bunch of clubs behind the three on the top of the Premier League (Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea).
Remembering the late Bobby Moore makes me think: What a time that was when Bobby Moore played for the Irons for sixteen seasons in the sixties and seventies! Today a player like him would never stay with a club for almost his entire career, and transfer rumours would emerge more often than West Ham match reports in the papers, as it is the case with West Ham‘s stars Declan Rice and Jarrod Bowen today.
Money makes the world go round, but money is also destroying the bond between players, supporters and the Club.
Just had to get this off my chest. But anyway: come on you Irons!
EXTRA TIME 
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