One Raducioiu!
3:30 Mon Jan 2
Re: Kouyate in midfield
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Well he did alright for us last season in midfield. And for that reason, you are a cunt.
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Sir Alf
3:05 Mon Jan 2
Re: Kouyate in midfield
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Billy Blagg 2:18 Mon Jan 2
Agree. Its reality. Investment just not there at the level it needs to be for us to really progress. Kouyate is a "makeshift" midfielder who can be effective sometimes but less so these days now teams know his strengths. He does not have the technique to become what we need IMO.
Our owners will not invest so we will continue to be what we have always been. A Premiership B League side that can get relegated when its our turn.
This is not moaning and pessimism although that is my tendency. Just my assessment or opinion. We are in a better position than we were before S&G got involved for sure and there is potential but their financial commitment is now being exposed. We need to be shopping regularly in the 20 + million bracket for younger players and we will inevitably get duds along the way , its the risk that comes with it, but that long term will see the squad get stronger and stronger. Spurs strategy, I hate to admit, is what we need to copy including trying to bring a few through. They have been able to balance the books but also wasted money on the way (Bale).
We would need owners who would now see Schneiderlin as exactly what we need to strengthen the squad longer term even if he is not the priority position.
Our owners will never do this as they do not want to risk their wealth or should I say the inheritance for their children. They want to keep West Ham in the family too.
The Red Bull offer of supposedly 650 million if true (thats what they claim?) was arguably a good one as they would invested more in the playing side I suspect based on their other ventures and need for success for the brand. It would actually have been better for West Ham ? S & G said it was not enough and only the King of Saudi Arabia would be entertained.
They get some sympathy for a while from me for what they have done but I also see that eventually they will be in the way if they continue to turn down bids north of 500million?
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Billy Blagg
2:18 Mon Jan 2
Re: Kouyate in midfield
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Interesting discussions here and just goes to show how hard it is for a manager to get individuals into a decent framework for a team.
I'd never seen Kouyate as a midfield 'experiment' and there is little doubt when he runs at a defence there is a feeling that he could develop into another Toure - or at least that's what I thought when he joined. He does look strong and less exposed at the back though. In reality, I'm thinking there's not enough investment for both a top class defender and a top class midfielder - that's not a dig at the owners just a reality observation - so Kouyate will end up filling whatever spot it is we can't best service.
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Sir Alf
1:19 Mon Jan 2
Re: Kouyate in midfield
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I know its naturally self interest and good for the ego to agree with someone that has the same view as yourself but Eerie is right in my view too (see what I just did there ;-) ). Many of us were discussing this in those first 6 games of the season when Wily was absolutely invisible. It was discussed last season too but the team was getting results so didn't matter. So being compensated for by the form of Payet and others and therefore not noticed. He is not alone btw in this respect. Noble being exposed this season and Lanzini too
Seriously, although stats are just a guide look at his passing alone. Some of the worst pass completion in the league for a midfielder. He is not technically strong enough (passing and control, skill to beat opposition not just legs and knock it and run) to play, as many point out, in tight situations and where teams press. That has what has happened to West Ham in many respects over the last 8 months and was apparent in those early games at home last season against Leicester and others. Press us and we struggle.
What is frustrating about Kouyate is that he does not want to do the less glamourous closing, tracking back and running to deny space. That may simply be awareness and the fact that he did not develop as a midfielder as a youth and only started to really start playing there for Anderlect? He would seem to be suited to doing the grafting with his physique and ability to run but I think he sees himself as a Pogba or Toure and running with it. He is very reminiscent of Mo Diame at this time though.
We need better. Schneiderlin would send a signal that our owners and manager really want to build for the future and a squad of real quality like, dare I say, Spurs did. But I am now totally convinced our owners are never going to risk that kind of investment. Sure Schneiderlin might not work out and would be overpriced potentially as its the Jan window, but we have to face the fact that until we have owners who could afford that risk we will not progress much further. Its not something fans like to hear and you get accused of not being loyal but its realistic I think?
Our owners have totally oversold the move and set expectations poorly by talking about the "next level" "challenging the top 4" etc...
I was thinking they should rename the Olympic or London Stadium as the "Hyper Bowl" much more apt :-(
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Full Claret Jacket
1:08 Mon Jan 2
Re: Kouyate in midfield
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I think it's more to do with the setup of the team and I'll keep repeating that until proved wrong.
Most other teams would have one defensive midfielder as their wide players would be expected to get dirty working both ways.
We play with two who are apparently expected to be be creative and well as defensive in central and wide areas whilst others stand around pointing and looking moody.
I'm not surprised some of you want to pick him out, he's not in sparkling form but he is far from the worst and the whole team looks like strangers every game with no shape whatsoever, I'd say the problems are not down to one player. Do any of the players know their job and where they should be playing? Often it looks like park football where everyone just chooses where they want to play.
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Eerie Descent
12:17 Mon Jan 2
Re: Kouyate in midfield
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Thing is, Kouyate will probably have one of his 'eye-catching' games today, we'll be on the back foot, he'll make some bursting runs, and may even get on the end of a free kick, and everyone will be saying how great he is.
Come the games when we're playing teams around us that we really need to beat, and he'll be MIA
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Eerie Descent
12:15 Mon Jan 2
Re: Kouyate in midfield
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Vexed has definitely got a whiff of the Saville's about him.
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fraser
12:13 Mon Jan 2
Re: Kouyate in midfield
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Hmmm discussing football with Vexed is akin to discussing child care with Jimmy Saville..
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Eerie Descent
12:10 Mon Jan 2
Re: Kouyate in midfield
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' I think it's more that he doesn't have the positional intelligence and instinct that a midfielder needs to make space for himself.'
That's probably a fairer way of putting it, exile. I was more concerned with him letting his runner go several times than anything else, but going forward, his lack of footballing brain and ability in midfield will stop us progressing.
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Eerie Descent
12:07 Mon Jan 2
Re: Kouyate in midfield
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'Yellow card for Eerie foul using Lol on a West Ham forum you big prune'
I was taking the piss out of Pagey, you gimp.
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the exile
12:04 Mon Jan 2
Re: Kouyate in midfield
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Totally with you on this, Eerie. If you take a close look at Kouyate's play (why don't you try it some time Vexed?) the problem is that he will look great when he is given time and space - dynamic runs forward etc. But as we know, in the PL you rarely get that luxury. Add to that the fact that opposition teams will have worked this out and will be working hard to close him down.
It's a similar problem with his passing - if he can make a straightforward pass to a team-mate who is in plenty of space, no problem, but put him under a bit of pressure and get tight on all his nearby team-mates and he can't pass to save his life.
Not sure I agree with you about him hiding in midfield, but I know what you mean. I think it's more that he doesn't have the positional intelligence and instinct that a midfielder needs to make space for himself.
The one positive about playing him as a midfielder is that he will sometimes get into good goal-scoring positions and is good in the air, but on the whole I would agree that his best position is as a CB, where he has put in some impressive performances and really ought to be pushing Ogbonna.
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park chan wook
11:23 Mon Jan 2
Re: Kouyate in midfield
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I personally don't see him has skilful, neither hiding. But when all's said and done its either him or noble who need to be dropped for Obiang. I'd like to see obiang and Fernendes as the attacking CM. So maybe his better off at Center half.
Yellow card for Eerie foul using Lol on a West Ham forum you big prune.
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Eerie Descent
10:11 Mon Jan 2
Re: Kouyate in midfield
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Thanks!!!
Lol!!!
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Pagey
10:10 Mon Jan 2
Re: Kouyate in midfield
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Whelk?
Well done 👍🏼
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Eerie Descent
10:03 Mon Jan 2
Re: Kouyate in midfield
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and I'm telling them they're wrong, you whelk.
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Pagey
10:03 Mon Jan 2
Re: Kouyate in midfield
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It's as if people have different opinions about certain things in life!
Crazy!
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Eerie Descent
9:34 Mon Jan 2
Re: Kouyate in midfield
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This is the problem, you got people like Alex who think he's great when he's given licence to be the advanced CM, yet he doesn't create or score goals from open play nearly regularly enough,and now he's apparently skilful.
People seem absolutely blind to his limitations, which are blatantly obvious when you actually watch him. I do understand its difficult, because he hides most games and has the odd game where he makes some lung bursting runs when we're backs to the wall against the better sides, but he is pony in most games when we really need him.
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fraser
8:43 Mon Jan 2
Re: Kouyate in midfield
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Never seen him as skillful..
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Chigwell
6:37 Mon Jan 2
Re: Kouyate in midfield
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He's skilful and athletic enough to be an excellent midfielder. The problem is his attitude, like others I could mention, when the going gets tough and/or he thinks he's being treated poorly by management.
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fraser
3:17 Mon Jan 2
Re: Kouyate in midfield
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I also think it's a bit harsh, though he's definitely a better defender than he is a midfielder.
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