Inching closer

West Ham finally played against a fellow straggler the way the side has played against teams in the top six, as they dominated Wigan Athletic in a 3-0 win that wasn't even as close as the score indicates. Wigan had few threatening chances, and when they tried to push the action, they were vulnerable to the countertattack, which was part of the second and third goals scored by the Hammers. I can't think of a single player who looked poor for West Ham. It was quite a reversal from the last time I saw them play, in the 3-0 loss to Sheffield United. Goals from Luis Boa Morte, Yossi Benayoun and Marlon Harewood, keyed by excellent playmaking by Lucas Neill, Bobby Zamora and Carlos Tévez led to the most impressive game West Ham has played in the short time that I have been watching them.

The win did not lift the Hammers out of the relegation zone, but they are in the drop zone only on goal differential now, tied with Wigan. Three results Saturday bode well for West Ham. Charlton Athletic lost 4-1 to Blackburn Rovers. Manchester United has nearly closed the door on Chelsea's ambitions to win the league. Man U beat Everton 4-2 despite a 2-0 lead for Everton at 50 minutes. Chelsea and Bolton drew at 2 goals apiece, leaving the Blues five points back of the Red Devils with three matches yet to play. Chelsea manager José Mourinho acknowledged that the league title "is almost lost, almost." That could work in West Ham's favor, as Manchester United is in the midst of a challenging series of games in the Premiership, Champions League and the FA Cup. By the time West Ham visits Old Trafford on May 13, Man U is likely to have wrapped up the Premiership title, and will have the FA Cup final on May 19 to look forward to. Besides that, Man U is playing the second leg of the Champions League semifinals this week, and could have a May 23 date for the final in Athens on the calendar. Combine the declining meaning of their match with West Ham with their injury woes and the busy schedule, and West Ham may be able to sneak the vital point or three that day that keeps them in the Premiership. Not that I would want to count on that game to stay up, but things beyond West Ham's control are breaking their way.

In other action Saturday, Sheffield United beat Watford 1-0 on an own goal, giving the Bramall Lane faithful some relief, as Sheffield is now two clubs and three points above the drop zone. Fulham, just one point ahead of West Ham, is about to start a fixture against Arsenal at Emirates Stadium as I type this. The table has tightened at the bottom, even as the final standings at the top become ever clearer.

One other important thing happened with Saturday's fixture: The Marquette Grad finally got to see West Ham score a goal. TMG had suffered through three scoreless efforts by West Ham, starting with the 1-0 loss at Upton Park against Watford in the Premiership, the game that we attended in February. She also patiently watched West Ham get smoked by Charlton Athletic 4-0 two weeks later as we sat at home and I made breakfast. And then there was the Sheffield United loss that we took in from the Globe two weeks ago. TMG has already put up with a lot already as I become more interested in football. The least the Hammers could do is score a goal or two every now and then.

TMG and I were getting ready to leave for the Globe Saturday morning when the subject of Jonathan Spector came up. Spector is a native of Arlington Heights, the same suburb that TMG grew up in. She suggested that Spector should be my favorite player.

VG: Well, he rarely plays. How can he be my favorite player if I've never seen him out there?
TMG: Doesn't matter. He should be your favorite.
VG: Um, I didn't grow up in Arlington Heights.
TMG: Uh, your girlfriend did, and you used to work there.

I found these to be insuffient reasons for adopting Spector as my favorite player. Sure enough, though, he came on for Carlos Tévez near the end of Saturday's game. I pointed him out to TMG and her brother as Spector ran on the pitch.

Still, I'm sticking with Yossi Benayoun as my favorite player.