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Eerie Descent 6:40 Sat Dec 31
Kouyate in midfield

When is this fucking experiment going to stop?

He is NOT a midfielder, we will never, ever progress as a team when this fucking statue is in the engine room. He doesn't go looking for the ball, doesn't find space so teammates can pick him out, and when he does get the ball, it's like a fucking hot potato.

Noble gets caned at times, but he is twice the midfielder of this cunt. He also left his opponent to run forward and gave up a couple of times, I am absolutely baffled as to what anyone sees in him as a centre mid. As for his long range shooting, the less said the better.

However, he is a very good centre back, better than Ogbonna, and that's where he should be playing. The fact he gets in over our best player this season by a mile in Obiang beggars belief, and I'm starting to lose faith in Bilic over it.

Willtell 6:50 Sat Dec 31
Re: Kouyate in midfield

I agree jibbers but he's a defensive midfielder who didn't start off very well. I also agree that he's a defender but Ogbonna is doing OK for the moment (for a ball watcher) and Bilic needs a better reason to change that position.

I'm also starting to see that the end is nigh for Mark Noble...

tnb 6:53 Sat Dec 31
Re: Kouyate in midfield

Eerie,

I suspect you will get cunted over this as we tend to see Kouyate as a midfielder first and foremost and he has had some decent performances there (Villa at home last season comes to mind) but I completely agree. As I posted elseehete earlier, he needs to compete with Ogbonna - who is getting worse week by week at present - for a centre back slot and that's the end of it. Obiang is twice the player but I still feel we need a proper defensive midfielder and then Obiang and Noble can fight it out.

Kouyate is the new Mo Diame. The odd eye catching performance and at the time it was 'Arsenal and Chelsea want him, they can fuck off!' but now we look back and think yeah, he was a bit shit most of the time.

Full Claret Jacket 7:01 Sat Dec 31
Re: Kouyate in midfield

I've been critical of Bilic but I like Kouyate in midfield to add some height and stength in the middle of the park and going to a back 4 was the right move today.
The problem was the lack of effort from the wide players to defend and both Kouyate and Noble were pulled all over the place chasing shadows. Our team is also so disorganised and static going forward. We are always just looking to hit Carroll.

I don't blame Bilic for leaving out Obiang and keeping him fresh given Kouyate is going to ACON and we may have also lost Noble to injury.

We just aren't a good team despite having some talented individuals. Make your own mind up as to whose fault that is.

Eerie Descent 10:39 Sun Jan 1
Re: Kouyate in midfield

Height and strength? Fucking hell.

Whats it like in the 80's?

Call me revolutionary, but I like a midfielder to do the fundamentals, like make yourself available for a pass, be able to pass when receiving the ball, track your players, and not hide like a cunt.

Willtell 10:55 Sun Jan 1
Re: Kouyate in midfield

We definitely looked better with Lanzini in midfield yesterday. He doesn't have height or strength but he does have guile and work rate.

We had BFS as manager for too long. Midfielders can be small and nippy. Modric is a "slight" sized player who doesn't have height and strength. I think he gets by....

grasshopper 11:33 Sun Jan 1
Re: Kouyate in midfield

I think Kouyate is good in midfield but like most West Ham players he blows hot and cold. My main gripe is Payet he is not showing the form he had last year.

grasshopper 11:34 Sun Jan 1
Re: Kouyate in midfield

I think Kouyate is good in midfield but like most West Ham players he blows hot and cold. My main gripe is Payet he is not showing the form he had last year.

Full Claret Jacket 11:39 Sun Jan 1
Re: Kouyate in midfield

As I said they couldn't track several players at once. I don't think he was hiding, just outnumbered and our team is so disorganised.
I like Lanzini as he is comfortable in possession and likes to go forward but he can give the ball up a lot when there are not players around him for one touch football.
Sorting out the balance of the side would help as we had 4 players up front most of the time and only Carroll did any defending of note and he is the one you do want up front to hold the ball up.

It seems Feghouli didn't make the Algeria squad for ACON so there is an opportunity here perhaps for him to show what he can offer in midfield whilst Kouyate and Ayew are gone. Antonio is certainly more of a threat than Ayew has been and the only one who came close to scoring yesterday.

Watch the good sides and see the workrate the whole team put into winning the ball back. When you only have half the team bothering then you are going to be stretched.

Eerie Descent 12:37 Sun Jan 1
Re: Kouyate in midfield

What are you going on about?

I saw him give up and his opposition runner, on more than one occasion. That is fuck all to do with tracking several players at once, that is basic stuff and he just left it.

Also, as I have said, he does not offer himself as an option to pass to. Not once do you ever see him make space, and give our defenders the option to pass to him. He is shocking, and he gets away with criticism because he hides, therefore limiting the mistakes he can make. We need people brave on the ball, he is anything but.

Alex V 12:44 Sun Jan 1
Re: Kouyate in midfield

I don't mind Kouyate in a more attacking role in midfield making runs into the opposition box. As a group of players the squad is so lacking midfield runners that I think we miss that when he plays in defence. I think Kouyate's forward running with or without the ball was a huge part of the way we sprang forward as a team and caught opponents out last season. Frankly, you could play Kouyate in any outfield role and you'll be guaranteed his strength and running.

But I do agree that when it comes to the actual nuts and bolts of a midfielder there are issues. And as a DM I don't really rate him at all - he doesn't really seem to sense danger, he just kind of hangs around in the position.

Sir Alf 1:45 Sun Jan 1
Re: Kouyate in midfield

Must admit I was seeing Kouyate in midfield as a big problem in those first 6 games where he was totally anonymous. He looked decent in midfield against a poor Swansea side but yesterday was back to those first 6 games of the season. Last season he also went missing in games.

He started his career as a centre back I believe (played there for Anderlect?) and it shows in his passing and first touch / control. He is effective sometimes with his runs forward but teams are now more aware and close him down much quicker. He runs down blind alleys.

He simply isn't a good enough in terms of technique to play midfield but Bilic's weakness seems to be an inability to see what is staring him in the face. What worked before is no longer working Slav.

Obiang has with Reid and Antonio been one if not the best player for us this season. He would not have left Noble or Kouyate out after a 1 match suspension even if we had won the last game I don't think. Payet the same although I can understand that for his "assists".

Slav prefers Noble and Kouyate in central midfield largely because of last season probably?. He is failing to see that this pairing is now a part of the problem and not part of the solution as they say :-)

Obiang will be forced to leave if this trend continues and would look good in a lot of teams better than we are currently. Lets hope Bilic just left Pedro on the bench due to a "keep the shirt" policy? But I suspect we would have seen Noble line up with Kouyate again against United and City if injuries / AFCON did not force his hand.

I know we are all armchair fans and "no nothings" (well I am :-) ) but there a lot of fans feelings about certain players and tactics (Antonio not a right back, Randolph in goal, Noble slow, Kouyate poor technique and work rate in midfield) that Slav takes a long while to get. With Antonio it took the players and board allegedly to get him to change his mind? Perhaps fans at all clubs feel the same? Or would it suggest Bilic is lacking the emotional fortitude to make some difficult decisions that would upset his favourites?

Obiang, Lanzini and Nordtveit need to tried in central midfield combinations at some point (when we get a proper right back) and we desperately need to get mobility options up front alongside Carroll. Ayew is not quick enough.

Eerie Descent 1:51 Sun Jan 1
Re: Kouyate in midfield

Alex V 12:44 Sun Jan 1

10 goals in 90 domestic games for us, most of them as a midfielder with licence to go forward, and probably most of them from set pieces. That's good enough for you?

The fella is a shit midfielder, who hides. He wouldn't be a pro footballer if he was under 6ft.

Alex V 2:58 Sun Jan 1
Re: Kouyate in midfield

I didn't claim anything about his goalscoring. Wherever he plays he brings that physique and work ethic - can't ignore that - I think he's a good midfielder, but a great defender.

The best argument for him as a defender is his age. Approaching his late 20s, it may be that the dynamism in his game is starting to fade - if he wants to play well into his thirties it will be as a centre-back.

Vexed 3:25 Sun Jan 1
Re: Kouyate in midfield

He's a midfielder. I'd like to see defenders playing in defence and midfielders in midfield. It doesn't matter how much you bang on about this, he's still a fucking midfielder.

You're a fucking idiot mate. Do us all a favour and top yourself so we don't have to read your tedious broken record whining about this.

FFTDUSOPYNLM

chedylan 2 3:27 Sun Jan 1
Re: Kouyate in midfield

Obiang and lanzini to start there

Sir Alf 3:31 Sun Jan 1
Re: Kouyate in midfield

Opinions :-)

He can play as a midfielder and probably where he wants to play but is not good enough in terms of passing and control for me to play there. Shame he does not work much much harder off the ball to make a case for his inclusion in the middle.

He is a good versatile player for the squad but IMHO we need better than him in central midfield. Same as Noble long term as age catches up. We need better.

Eerie Descent 10:02 Sun Jan 1
Re: Kouyate in midfield

Vexed 3:25 Sun Jan 1

I called it 100% right, and you're gutted.

Proper gutted.

Iron2010 10:25 Sun Jan 1
Re: Kouyate in midfield

Defender for me. May be nervous about him in a two though.

Vexed 10:39 Sun Jan 1
Re: Kouyate in midfield

I'm gutted we concede so many despite him being such a brilliant defender.

Idiotic thread this. Absolute kids stuff.

Eerie Descent 10:41 Sun Jan 1
Re: Kouyate in midfield

Give us your score, on a scale of 1 to 10, of how gutted you are, Vexed?

No lying, just be honest.

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