Alan Curbishley vs Alan Pardew in the clash of the 500 lbs gorillas and it is Curbs left with a massive hangover.
Two coaches going at each other against their former clubs as Charlton took on West Ham in Alan Curbishley’s return to the Valley for The Match of the Relegation Zone Clubs. As it turned out he need not have bothered as Alan Pardew and Charlton took apart the bedraggled and bedfuddled Hammers now in free fall, 4-0. None of West Ham’s big name signings were there to contribute as Luis Boa Morte was down with fever, Lucas Neill and Matthew Upson were out with ankle injuries. Darren Bent again proving he is the best thing that has happened to Charlton. Again, his absence from the English squad continues to bewilder. What does this man have to do to get a call up for even a friendly? His record of two caps is an insult to this fine soccer player. He again leads the scoring for Charlton, a team that has scored just 24 goals.
West Ham has now scored a paltry 18 goals and let in 46 for a league leading -28 differential. Anemic attack. Porous defence. Surely, all those Hammers who were congratulating themselves on Pardew’s dismissal have egg (or is it Eggert?) on their face.