Willtell 8:06 Mon Sep 18
Re: ⚽ WBA v West Ham - Official Match Thread FT 0-0

Alfs 4:20 Sun Sep 17
Very good post Alfs. Your observations are all correct but I'd add another. That environment of not losing has created a breed of manager like BFS and Tony Pulis that get to be revered for "surviving" for several years in the PL by boring the fans to death.

J.Riddle 6:29 Mon Sep 18
Re: ⚽ WBA v West Ham - Official Match Thread FT 0-0

Sir Alf 8:41 Sun Sep 17

January will be interesting.

Alfs earlier post is spot on and utterly depressing. January about sums us up at the moment, crap football/ers and nothing to see that change anytime soon until 2018 when we live in hope that the 2bobs will finally find the money that Gold said we must find! Let's hope he has found it down the back of his sofa and not already blown it pre-ordering another new roller.

Lovejoy 3:43 Mon Sep 18
Re: ⚽ WBA v West Ham - Official Match Thread FT 0-0

http://www.101greatgoals.com/news/social/hilarious-picture-emerges-stands-west-brom-v-west-ham/

Sir Alf 8:41 Sun Sep 17
Re: ⚽ WBA v West Ham - Official Match Thread FT 0-0

I think even Bilic now realises we need 3 at the back.

We also need rotations in the squad and before the 80th minute in games. When things are not working we need a manager who can use different combinations and not have any player who must start every game. We have options of Hernandez, Carroll and Sakho, Ayew(although I am still not sure what he is) and even Antonio as a front pairing or a three up top in some games. We have fewer options out wide with Arnautovic, Antonio the only obvious wide men ? Central midfield is another area where options are more limited with Obiang the mainstay IMO and combined with Kouyate, Noble and Rice?

Still lack another creative force in addition to Lanzini. Noble could in theory be pushed further forward now as he still sees a pass and is less of a liability defensively? But we are lacking depth for sure. The defensive midfield partner for Obiang has to be the technically limited Kouyate? I am not sure who else can play alongside other perhaps Rice.

January will be interesting. If Bilic survives will Sullivan get the cheque book out and give us the DM we need? I am not holding out too much hope.

Iron2010 8:04 Sun Sep 17
Re: ⚽ WBA v West Ham - Official Match Thread FT 0-0

352 makes it hard for Antonio but suits Chic and Lanzini more. In that formation we could go:

Hart
Reid Ogg
Zab Fonte Cress
Obiang Kayoute
Lanzini
Antonio Chic

I'd personally prefer Zab in the Fonte role and Byram as a wing back. This side also has Carroll. Ayew and Arnie on the bench.

ornchurch ammer 7:57 Sun Sep 17
Re: ⚽ WBA v West Ham - Official Match Thread FT 0-0

Haven't seen yesterday's game but cannot understand why we buy a proven goal scorer who has scored ALL of his goals inside the penalty box and then play him wide.

For me we have to get Hernandez in the box and maybe that means going 3-5-2.

Iron2010 7:50 Sun Sep 17
Re: ⚽ WBA v West Ham - Official Match Thread FT 0-0

Strangely as I typed that last post Carragher was demonstrating Williams and Keane's lack of pace as a reason for Everton conceding so many goals.

We have to stick with three at the back because it's giving one of our many slow defenders the confidence to squeeze the ball. The responsibility seems to have fallen to Fonte but I'd love to see Oxford there.

Iron2010 7:45 Sun Sep 17
Re: ⚽ WBA v West Ham - Official Match Thread FT 0-0

This quote is from one of yesterdays match reports.

"using a tight 3-4-3 system that suited West Ham’s slow defence."

Even the club stated that we needed more pace before the window opened. It's so strange that we didn't get some quick players in.

eswing hammer 7:31 Sun Sep 17
Re: ⚽ WBA v West Ham - Official Match Thread FT 0-0

We are out of the bottom three!

w4hammer 6:51 Sun Sep 17
Re: ⚽ WBA v West Ham - Official Match Thread FT 0-0

can we finish the season now please? Ok maybe get out of the bottom three first

Game after game of utter fucking pony from just about every player at west ham. We are laughably bad.

Lertie Button 5:53 Sun Sep 17
Re: ⚽ WBA v West Ham - Official Match Thread FT 0-0

The stats would indicate that are strikers are just getting in each other's way when they try to play together
The fact Hernandez touched the ball just once in the box says it all

Sven Roeder 11:56 Sun Sep 17
Re: ⚽ WBA v West Ham - Official Match Thread FT 0-0

The little & large partnership doesn't work because we can't pass the ball without Lanzini and our crossing is atrocious
You'd imagine that with Andy Carroll in your squad you'd spend hours and hours in training working on the quality of your crossing until your FEET BLEED.

It looks like we are going to stick with 3 at the back but have always said it requires the centre man to be able step out rather than 3 defensive lumps.
In the Bolton game I'd look at Rice in that role with Masuako as a more natural left wing back than Cresswell

roedsweeper 11:41 Sun Sep 17
Re: ⚽ WBA v West Ham - Official Match Thread FT 0-0

Did anyone at the game yesterday happen to find a bunch of keys? My son claims they must have fallen out of his pocket. TIA

GreenStreetPlayer 11:26 Sun Sep 17
Re: ⚽ WBA v West Ham - Official Match Thread FT 0-0

Alfs 4.20
Believe the change from 2 points for a win to 3 was designed to make teams go for the win with the greater reward.
How the fear has taken that away (although not sure if the above really did anything anyway).

The rulemakers love tampering with what they have. Was a simple game but too many rules. Its harder for the refs, they need more help.
Wouldn't be surprised to see 5 points for a win in future making even a draw point negligible to have.

Keep dreaming 11:16 Sun Sep 17
Re: ⚽ WBA v West Ham - Official Match Thread FT 0-0

No wonder the little and large partnership doesn't work.

Carroll is good in the air, and cheastng down a hoofed pass with his back to the goal.

We have the past few games a midfield pasted with players petrified to contain possession, and rarely if never looks for a breakdown pass on the ground.

It's a mix between bad management/tactics and bad skills.

Both should be assessed in training ASAFP

Lertie Button 10:53 Sun Sep 17
Re: ⚽ WBA v West Ham - Official Match Thread FT 0-0

A point and a clean sheet but the little and large striking partnership isent working

aldgate 10:43 Sun Sep 17
Re: ⚽ WBA v West Ham - Official Match Thread FT 0-0

Totally baffled seeing Antonio at right back again - looks like bilic wants to get sacked. Fear for us against Spurs if we leave our traditional void in the middle and keep giving the ball away. Desperate for lanzini to come back to add creativity - unless bilic plays him in goal!

dealcanvey 9:59 Sun Sep 17
Re: ⚽ WBA v West Ham - Official Match Thread FT 0-0

We never looked like conceding but neither did they. 3 at the back makes as much more solid but we are even less effective going forward. Not sure what Bilic will plan to do now lanzini is close to a return and arnie is no longer suspended. They dealt with Carroll really well and like many said on here before the game maybe this was a match Carroll should not start. Need Hernandez playing more centrally but we also need to create some clear cut chances in games which we looked incapable of doing yesterday. What a strike by Obiang though.

BubblesCyprus 8:21 Sun Sep 17
Re: ⚽ WBA v West Ham - Official Match Thread FT 0-0

Both sides were poor IMO just a totally boring effort at a game of Football.

Hammer and Pickle 8:16 Sun Sep 17
Re: ⚽ WBA v West Ham - Official Match Thread FT 0-0

Alfs 4:20 Sun Sep 17

Best thing I've read on here in years.

Lovejoy 7:51 Sun Sep 17
Re: ⚽ WBA v West Ham - Official Match Thread FT 0-0

Not sure what some are expecting having shipped 10 goals in our first 3 matches.

2 cleans sheets in a row has to be seen as some sort of improvement.

However, without Lanzini we lack creativity and hopefully Arnie can step up.

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