West Ham United - Season Overview 2001-2002
★ = Dublin Hammers Meeting (Live on television).
✈ = Dublin Hammers Trip.
This page was originally on the news page and started off as a quick-guide to West Ham's results and scorers. As you can see as the season progressed I started to put in my own comments, and then newspaper quotes.
AUGUST 2001
18th-Liverpool (a). 1-2 (dicanio, penalty).
25th-Leeds (h). 0-0.
SEPTEMBER 2001
8th-Derby County (a). 0-0.
11th-Reading (a). Worthington Cup. 0-0 aet. lost 5-6 on penalties.
Oh what a surprise...NOT!
15th-Middlesbrough (a). 0-2.
★ 23nd-Newcastle (h). 3-0. (hutchinson, dicanio, kanoute).
First win of the season!
29th-Everton (a). 0-5.
"We could'nt believe how easily we beat them" Walter Smith.
OCTOBER 2001
★ 14th-Blackburn (a). 1-7. (carrick).
"the West Ham players looked as though they wanted to be elsewhere". The Star.
20th-Southampton (h). 2-0. (kanoute 2).
"It's more professional here now, alot of things have changed". Fred Kanoute.
24th-Chelsea (h). 2-1. (carrick, kanoute).
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA . . . HA! SWEETNESS.
★ 28th-Ipswich (a). 3-2. (dicanio, kanoute, defoe).
"The richness and resolution of their performance would have given Roeder the most satisfaction". The Independent.
NOVEMBER 2001
3rd-Fulham (h). 0-2.
There goes the unbeaten home record!
★ 19th-Charlton (a). 4-4. (kitson 3, defoe).
"The home side's defending had not been too clever, but West Ham's was just appalling!" & "BEHIND YOU! Kitson treble steals show in panto feast". The Sun.
✈ 24th-Tottenham (h). 0-1.
Sick or wot! It made depressing reading . . . "the West Ham defence was simply scattered", "Spurs struck the woodwork no fewer than four times", and this one just about sums it up, "West Ham had their own attempts on goal but overall could not match in attack the threat posed by Tottenham's front pair" The Sunday Times.
DECEMBER 2001
1st-Sunderland (a). 0-1.
"Defoe's ego would have been further bruised when he spurned his second highly inviting shooting opportunity after being cleverly put through by Trevor Sinclair. Small wonder he looked so mortified by Philips goal". The Sunday Times.
5th-Aston Villa (h). 1-1. (defoe).
"Old Calamity James was back in business", then "James produced a piece of magic to keep the Hammers alive" then, "Paulo Di Canio made a breathtaking penalty cock-up" and on defoe "The young striker controlled a long ball in the area and drilled a shot past the Villa keeper". The Sun. Never a dull moment at Upton Park then!
8th-Man Utd (a). 1-0. (defoe).
"A brilliant sweeping move that started in West Ham's half with Michael Carrick and ended with Jermain Defoe heading home Paolo di Canio's deft far post chip, proved the decisive moment of the match, in which both sides had enough chances to have given a result that reflects the problems both are having in defence". from; www.on-the-terraces.com. "All credit to West Ham for following in the footsteps of Bolton and Chelsea and knocking yet another brick out of the wall of invincibility at this famous stadium". The Sun. "In James and Defoe, West Ham had the players of the game". The Sunday Times.
15th-Arsenal (h). 1-1. (kanoute).
"It's the first time we've had a structure to the team since I've been here" Joe Cole on tv. Thank F**k Glen Roeder seems to be steering us in the right direction!
22nd-Leicester City (a). 1-1. (di canio, penalty).
"Di Canios cheeky penalty ensured a fair result", "Cole and Carrick were the forces behind West Hams early dominance, spraying passes left and right, leaving their respective markers shadow chasing" I like that one, however it was then followed by "For all their good work, Paulo Di Canio was in headless chicken mode", and "James repeatedly miskicked his colleagues' back passes". The Sunday Times.
26th-Derby County (h). 4-0. (schemmel, di canio, sinclair, defoe).
"Goal-of-the-month contender from Trevor Sinclair came in the 86th minute. A Di Canio corner was effortlessly flicked on by Joe Cole from the edge of the area to the far post for Sinclair to brilliantly scissor kick beyond Mark Poom". The Irish Times. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
29th-Liverpool (h). 1-1. (sinclair).
It was a game of two halves, des . . . "The key to West Ham's first half excellence rested in the willingness of Cole, Defoe and Sinclair to run at opponents. Cole did not so much frighten Liverpool as terrorise them!", "It was the Hammers as we wish them to be, easy on the eye and yet wonderfully effective", then came "The key element in the second half turnaround was West Ham's mental fraility. They did not so much retreat into their own half, as crawl back into their shells". The Sunday Times.
JANUARY 2002
Rumours that the Mancs want Di Canio!
★ 1st-Leeds United (a). 0-3.
★ 6th-Macclesfield Town (a). FA Cup 3rd Round. 3-0. (defoe 2, cole).
"The club's notorious susceptibility to lesser lights survived yesterday's lunchtime start", and on Defoes brace..."to see the 19 year old excelling suggests that life after Paulo di Canio might not be so depressing afterall" and last but not least "I got 2 yellow cards and a head-butt in the space of 30 seconds" John Moncur after the game. The Irish Times
12th-Leicester (h). 1-0. (di canio).
"Paulo Di Canio, playing as though this was his first and not his last game for West Ham United, scored the only goal, played his heart out and, on the final whistle walked soulfully towards the Hammers supporters in the 34,698 crowd, peeling off his hand bandage and saluting the spectators." and "Di Canio responded with the meanest flick of the heel, the ball was in the net for his 6th goal of the season, his 35th in 89 Premiership games in claret and blue". The Sunday Times. Well on that note, it surely looks like Di Canio will go to the 'red slags' this week? I can just see it . . . Di Canio scoring the winner for the mancs at Upton Park on the 16th March. Just think of all those penalty's he'll win when wearing a 'red' shirt! . . . Would'nt it be nice to read this headline in the week, "Hands Off our Paulo, West Ham warn Sir Alex that he can't have Di Canio at any price" . . . dream on!
★ 20th-Chelsea (a). 1-5. (defoe).
In the end however the travelling Hammers supporters had to endure another away day shambles, as bad as either of the earlier humiliating defeats at Blackburn and Everton, as Chelsea hit four more goals after the break" and "The only bright note on a miserable afternoon for the Hammers was the performance of late goalscoring substitute Jermain Defoe, who surely must have a strong claim for a starting place after another lacklustre performance from Freddie Kanoute". KUMB Website.
26th-Chelsea (a). FA Cup 4th Round. 1-1. (kanoute).
"At half-time West Ham were slinking towards their dressing room, thoroughly outplayed, yet at the final whistle they were cavorting across the pitch", on the introduction of young Jermain, "Defoe helped to ease the burden on Kanoute, freeing up West Ham's most potent striker in a way Paulo di Canio had failed to do" and last "With Defoe on and Moncur replacing the pitiful Hutchinson, Chelsea not for the first time swooned under the heat of pressure". The Sunday Times.
So Paulo's still with us then?
30th-Southampton (a). 0-2.
"It was the same old story for West Ham away from home, a silly goal given away just before half-time, toothless up front, and well out of it after giving away a second goal from another set piece" from; www.on-the-terraces.com "There was absolutely no fight or inventiveness from anyone in claret and blue, bar the supporters, who really deserved better. A 15 minute non-stop rendition of Glenn Roeder's Claret and Blue Army didn't produce the desired goal" from; www.westhamonline.com
FEBRUARY 2002
And Di Canio is still a West Ham player!
2nd-Blackburn (h). 2-0. (sinclair, kanoute).
"Paulo Di Canio, West Ham supporters, like the manager want him to stay, as they made quite clear. His performance here, full of guile and vision and tricks, not to say effort, showed exactly why", "The games best moment was left until last. A lovely piece of skill by Joe Cole, in which he beat four Blackburn defenders through sleight of foot - including a spendid drag-back - was something else." The Sunday Times.
Don't tell me, then his shot was off-target!
★ 6th-Chelsea (h) FA Cup 4th Round Replay. 2-3. (og, defoe).
"John Terry broke West Ham hearts with an injury-time winner at Upton Park last night", "Defoe, changing feet, connected with a shot which was going wide until it deflected off Terry and bounced over the line via Cudicini's legs and the crossbar", "Tomas Repka conceded a free-kick with a deliberate handball, West Ham claimed that Hasselbaink took the kick too early, but the dutchman clearly got the OK from ref Graham Poll befoe curling his effort round the wall and James behind it", "Rising easily to clear a cross, Hutchinson, for some unknown reason headed the ball back towards James and Forssell toe-poked past the stunned West Ham keeper", "The Hammers went even closer still with five minutes to go when only a miraculous escape kept Chelsea in the cup". The Sun.
9th-Bolton (a). 0-1.
"A draw might have been fairer, with Bolton doing little in the second half but man the trenches", "When West Ham pressed, there was little enough quality in their attacks" and "Kanoute's relutance to pass marred several promising positions for his side". The Sunday Times. The Radio 5 Live said that we had 3 good chances to score, but we did'nt...what a week!
23rd-Middlesbrough (h). 1-0. (kanoute).
"The Hammers boosted their crowd by letting in kids-for-quid, but the game was so devoid of real exitement, the suggestion was they were paying a tenner to get out by half-time" and "Schwarzer's 76th minute mistake killed any hopes his team had of snatching a point. He booted the ball straight to Labant, whose pass found Kanoute for a class finish". The Sun.
MARCH 2002
2nd-Aston Villa (a). 1-2. (dicanio, penalty).
Same old story in yet another match! "The fourth official's electronic board had been put away for the afternoon, three minutes of added time long since signalled, when Vassell won this otherwise forgetable encounter" before that we had taken the lead through a di canio penalty, won by defoe, and then... "Barry crossed towards the far post and Angel was too nimble for West Ham's three ponderous central defenders". The Sunday Times. Last but not least a quote heard on the commentry of the game from west hams website... "since coming back from suspension/nice break in Italy, di canio is rubbish!"
6th-Everton (h). 1-0. (sinclair)
"Everton attempted to take the game to West Ham but were let down by poor finishing as the home defence showed little sign of cracking!" The Sun, that makes a change, "West Ham started the second half much more positively and threatened a couple of times before taking the lead. There was a touch of luck about it, but it was the kind of luck that comes with taking defenders on and getting midfielders into the area. Winterburn passed inside to Joe Cole, the young hammer cut inside to find space for a shot that Sinclair diverted past the hapless Simonsen", "The goal came from a deflection that Sinclair could not have intended". The Irish Times.
16th-Man Utd (h). 3-5. (lomas, kanoute, defoe).
"Five good goals, five-star entertainment, was all in the fixtures very best traditions, and West Ham deserve full credit for taking on the best in the country at their own game - open attractive football", "and it was edge of the seat stuff with four goals shared inside of the first 22 minutes", on Lomas's goal, "Hammers club captain was near the penalty spot when he made thumping contact, the ball going in via the underside of the crossbar after Barthez had got his fingertips to it", on their immadiate reply, "Beckham demonstrating a mouthwatering deftness of touch, lifted his shot over James and into the far corner of the net", "Roeder responded to his teams 2 goal deficit by sending on Defoe. Within four minutes the substitute had put West Ham back into the game", "Hammers hopes faded as Repka floored Scholes for a penalty". The Sunday Times.
30th-Ipswich (h). 3-1. (lomas, di canio, defoe).
"Clinical Hammers punish Ipswich for schoolboy blunders", "Three defensive errors by Ipswich, three goals for West Ham, for whom the speed and strategies of Di Canio and the increasingly influential Joe Cole were ultimately too much for the visitors", "There was plenty of action at both ends", "It should have been the goalkeepers ball, but a brave jump by Steve Lomas beat Sereni to it", "Ipswich equalised when an expensive miscue by Repka caused chaos in the home defence", "When Di Canio shot, Sereni could surely have done better than simply parry the ball, Di Canio gratefully took his second chance", "Defoe, on as a substitute, was given an absurd amount of time and room to direct his low shot into the bottom corner of the Ipswich goal'. The Sunday Times.
APRIL 2002
1st-Fulham (a). 1-0. (kanoute).
Freddy Kanoute silenced the West Ham Boo-Boys as Fulham were dumped back in the Premier League relegation battle", "West Ham began to work their way into the game as Fulham started to run out of ideas", "Hammers took the lead when Sinclair and Lomas played a neat one-two before the England winger crossed to Kanoute who headed home at the far post" The Star.
Radio 5 Live suggested the only thing to report about this game, apart from the goal, was the fact that Di Canio had a temper trantrum upon being substituted in the second half?
6th-Charlton (h). 2-0. (di canio, kanoute).
"On or off the park, there is no constraining Paulo Di Canio. He made a penalty for himself, scored it with a simple shot, and then created a second goal that was the upshot of a delightful move", "This was Di Canio's 100th match for the club, after an uncharacteristically hesitant start that included a couple of misplaced passes, it proved to be one of his most compelling", "West Ham's second goal was a masterpiece in terms of cohesion amongst the team", "The referee had to contend with some over-zealous tackling on Cole by Charlton". The Sunday Times. "As for leaving Di Canio out after last week, it did not cross my mind" Glenn Roeder.
7th in the League, our highest position so far!
13th-Tottenham (a). 1-1. (pearce).
With 88 minutes played in this london derby, Ian Pearce ran on to an inadequate clearance by Simon Davies and smashed a left-footed drive into the top corner of Keller's goal. Even Wendy (hoddle) called it... a wonderful strike", "Roeder felt that on balance, West Ham deserved a draw, he was probably right, since they had certainly been the superior side for a good 50 minutes". The Sunday Times.
20th-Sunderland (h). 3-0. (sinclair, lomas, defoe).
West Ham cantered past Sunderland. A goal up at half-time, they raised their game early in the second half, doubled the lead, added a third for good measure, and almost scored a fourth right near the end", "Fresh from his midweek achievements with England at Anfield, Joe Cole had another influential game", "He was crucially present in the third goal, his typically quick, sinuous run ending with a pass to Lomas, who crossed long from the right-hand goaline for Sinclair on the far post to nod on to young defoe, who headed the ball in". The Sunday Times. And last a question from the same paper regarding World Cup squad selection... "It's 0-1 against Nigeria, and England need to win. Whom would you rather put on, Joe Cole or Frank Lampard?"
★ 24th-Arsenal (a). 0-2.
"Once they had weathered the early storm, West Ham grew in confidence and began to pepper Arse with attacks on the break, exploiting Kanoute's pace up against veterans Adams and Keown", "Arsene Whinger's team were indebted to a lineman's oversight in ruling out a first half 'goal' by Fredderic Kanoute even when the ball had clearly crossed the line before a desparate last-ditch clearance", "Then came Ljungberg's rescue goal, and Arse have one hand on the chamionship... Lucky Arsenal?", "Victory went to Arsenal, but West Ham with four wins and a draw from their previous five games, had deserved much better". The Star.
27th-Newcastle (a). 1-3. (defoe).
"Newcastle endured an unfortunate beginning, conceding a simplistic yet superbly executed goal. A long long kick from James (who experienced a slightly calamitous afternoon), was headed on by Kanoute before a decisive finish from Jermain Defoe", "Cole succeeded in thoroughly eclipsing a disappointing Kieron Dyer", "They really should have doubled their lead", "I asked Dyer if he really wanted Carrick to go to the World Cup ahead of him... Bobby Robson at half-time", "Newcastle emerged re-invigorated after the interval". The Sunday Times.
MAY 2002
11th-Bolton (h). 2-1. (lomas, pearce).
"Joe Cole will head for Japan following an afternoon where he did all he could but still failed to score his first premiership goal, so much was he up for this game his temper took over in the first half and he was booked for kicking the ball away after being brought down. But having calmed down he demonstrated the reason he is going to the World Cup", "Cole went past three players, cut inside in the box and fired a shot that crashed back off the inside of the post", "The goalkeeper pushed out a shot from Defoe, straight back to Lomas who fired it back past him from six yards", "Kanoute hit the bar, then put the rebound over", "Ian Pearce appeared in the 89th minute to crash home with an unstoppable header to win the game". The Sunday Times.
We finish 7th with 53pts!
Sebastian-Schemmel is voted Hammer of the Year!
West Ham United Goalscorers 2001-2002
Jermain Defoe = 13. So jermain's top scorer then, what a man!
Fred Kanoute = 12.
Paulo Di Canio = 9.
Trevor Sinclair = 5.
Steve Lomas = 4.
Paul Kitson = 3.
Micheal Carrick = 2.
Ian Pearce = 2.
Sebastian Schemmel = 1.
Don Hutchinson = 1.
Joe Cole = 1.
Own Goals = 1
And finally...
So the football's all over for this season, who would have thought during those gray days of the early season that we would finish 7th overall, when relegation was the more likely outcome!
Well Done to Glenn Roeder on his first season in charge. I hope he can build on this, perhaps a couple of world class signings over the close season, getting rid of the 'left over harry' slackers is a must, but more importantly LETS NOT SELL OUR BEST PLAYERS....
For the record the teams that finished above us were; Arse (Champions) 87pts, Liverpool 80pts, Mancs 77pts, Newcastle 71pts, Leeds 66pts and Chelsea 64pts. A 11 point gap separates us from Chelsea. That made us top of the Rest! A great achievement considering the resouces of some of the clubs below us! And we finished above Tottscum... SWEET!
Enjoy the World Cup over the summer, it would'nt surprise me if France do it again. GOOD LUCK to the Rep of Ireland and England, we could only meet in the final, now would'nt that be something... SWEET DREAMS...