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Hammers1993 11:34 Tue Mar 7
Billardyce & Noblan

I remember not so long ago this site losing their minds over the persistence of Allardyce sticking with Nolan, this will soon be the case with Bilic and Noble.

At least Nolan was our top goal scorer for a couple of seasons and from memory got into double figures, he even scored a hatrick. Has Noble ever done any of those things for us?

Right now he is halting the partnership of Obiang and Kouyate in the middle which I feel is our best options on paper at present.

Genuine question, what does Noble offer to our team?

, 11:41 Tue Mar 7
Re: Billardyce & Noblan

Noble was no worse than several others last night so he was worth his starting place. If we get to a position where all of our squad are fit to play it might be easier to drop him but for me he still justifies a starting place at the minute.

As for Nolan back in the day he was a good captain but when the goals dried up he had nothing left to offer. BFS started him too often in the last season for me.

David L 11:45 Tue Mar 7
Re: Billardyce & Noblan

Noble hasnt been worth a starting place for fucking weeks.

ooooh Morley Morley 11:50 Tue Mar 7
Re: Billardyce & Noblan

Most of our players have been average at best this season. Seems a little CHURLISH to single out one player who seems to be most people's scapegoat this season.

Kouyate is equally shit this year too.

And don't get me started on Snodgrass...

Eddie B 11:52 Tue Mar 7
Re: Billardyce & Noblan

Noble needs to be dropped, not fucking rested.

David L 11:55 Tue Mar 7
Re: Billardyce & Noblan

Yeah this idea that he somehow will benefit from a ''rest'' and then come back and have pace to burn is somewhat bizarre. Don't Ipswich need him back?

Rossal 11:58 Tue Mar 7
Re: Billardyce & Noblan

He did ok last night

Obv massive fuck up for the first goal

Think Noble's problem though is two things

1) Obiang sits deep to break up play and spread the ball, that leaves the other CDM to go and be a bit more effective in the oppositions half. Join in the attacks or link up with Carroll etc and Noble just isnt good enough to do that. Thats where playing Fernandes or Kouyate alongside Obaing would be more effective.

2) The second point is just his ability to cover the ground on our big home pitch. He just doesnt seem to get around quick enough to press the opposition or to go box to box to be able to be a threat going forward.

Alex V 12:08 Tue Mar 7
Re: Billardyce & Noblan

Noble's a good player, but shouldn't be an automatic selection each week. Fernandes should be starting games in midfield. Cullen and Quina should be on the bench. Bilic should be exploring the alternatives for next season's midfield.

If it was the case that Noble was so much of a dominant character at the club that he couldn't be dropped, I'd argue the situation has become unhealthy and it's time to move him on.

Hammers1993 12:15 Tue Mar 7
Re: Billardyce & Noblan

I just want to point out this isn't based on his performance from last night, I am not picking him out of the bunch as nobody performed amazingly, and if I am honest I wasn't expecting anything from last night.

That isn't to say you don't pick your best team to give it your best shot though.

For me, he didn't deserve to keep his starting place last night. He has been awful for weeks and his inclusion in the starting 11 means we force players like Kouyate out of position when he would of been the obvious choice to partner Obiang in the middle last night.

Noble doesn't offer anything anymore, sadly.

This isn't a dig at Noble as he doesn't pick the team, but Slav has to drop him otherwise fans will turn, the same exact thing is happening as what Allardyce did with Nolan but on a larger scale as Nolan did actually create, score and contribute for large parts. Noble doesn't do those things

Swiss. 12:16 Tue Mar 7
Re: Billardyce & Noblan

Alex V

Noble is an average player and yes shouldn't be an automatic pick. Maybe he can bully around the Bournemouth's of this world.

Hearney 12:16 Tue Mar 7
Re: Billardyce & Noblan

I've gone past caring!

We are a very average football team who's soul has been sold to the commercial devil.

The West Ham I loved and cherished died on May 10th 2016

Lily Hammer 12:22 Tue Mar 7
Re: Billardyce & Noblan

Nolan's job, apart from being captain, was primarily to score goals, he wasn't doing that for a long time, which is why he offered little towards the end of his time with us.

Noble's job is not to score goals, but to help link up attacking play and break up or hinder oppo attacks, which he still does quite well most of the time, so to say he offers nothing or has been useless is gross slander.

He's not the best, but he's still good.

Understand; I'm not saying he's undroppable, but he doesn't deserve alot of the criticism he's getting at the moment.

Willtell 12:24 Tue Mar 7
Re: Billardyce & Noblan

Noble had a decent game last night. I think he was probably our 4th best player and the comparison with Nolan is not a reasonable one. Nolan's legs went well before he was dropped and it shows that at 34 still his last two clubs were lower division sides where he has played very little.

Noble does have deficiencies in that he is one-paced so lacks dynamism most footballers show. He also covers more ground than most so when he needs to sprint he hasn't the energy left to do it. He usually sees more of the ball than anyone else too.

He does work for the team and has been playing better than Kouyate in midfield for quite a while now. So is Obiang & Kouyate a better partnership than Obiang & Noble? I don't know but why drop the captain when he is doing fine but just because he isn't eye-catching for fans.

Noble also got the blame for not putting in a cross which would always be a hopeful one rather than get to the bye-line before crossing as PL wingers are expected to do. I think it was Snodgrass that actually lost the ball 2 passes after Noble last had it...

In short Noble is limited but nowhere near as bad as some make out. In fact he's fine for a mid-table team which we are so don't hold your breath in a realistic expectation of it changing any time soon.

joey5000 12:33 Tue Mar 7
Re: Billardyce & Noblan

Nolan can't even get in Notts County's team and he's the one picking it.

Lee Trundle 12:38 Tue Mar 7
Re: Billardyce & Noblan

Dreadful suggestions. I'd expect better from WHO.

Slaven BiLOLic
Mark NobLOLe
Mark SLOWBALL

FWIW, I prefer the days when the likes of these 2 have a bit of tefal about them. It's how it should be.

under the thumb 12:42 Tue Mar 7
Re: Billardyce & Noblan

Re: Billardyce & Noblan

Will tell

What a total load of bollocks.
If he'd put the cross in we wouldn't have conceded the first goal.

'When he needs to spint he hasn't got the energy' He is fucking sprinting mate......very slowly

Alex V 12:47 Tue Mar 7
Re: Billardyce & Noblan

Noble's passing accuracy has always been good, always will be. But Fernandes is currently third in the league in passing accuracy - outstanding statistic. Why is he sat wasting away on the bench?

stoneman 12:47 Tue Mar 7
Re: Billardyce & Noblan

Absolute waste of a thread.

You lot would have hounded out Moore, Bonds, Brooking and Lampard.

Oh no sorry should I explain who those players are to you? Fuck off with your anti West Ham threads.

Embarrassing.

Bernie 12:48 Tue Mar 7
Re: Billardyce & Noblan

Noble is just too slow to warrant a place in our side. But he offers a lot as a captain and Bilic loves him. I think Noble has almost made himself undroppable for stuff he does off the pitch rather than on it. We haven't really got anyone that can step into his place at the moment, unless we start playing a RB at RB.

JustAFatKevinDavies 12:52 Tue Mar 7
Re: Billardyce & Noblan

If you're hypothetically dropping Nobes (which I wouldn't btw) I think id rather see Fernandes there above Kouyate in the current set up. You need someone who wants the ball, is comfortable on it and uses it well playing in there. I think Kouyate is probably the weakest option in midfield for that despite his physical strengths.

Willtell 12:56 Tue Mar 7
Re: Billardyce & Noblan

Well I happen to think that Noble is slow but he looks slower than he actually is because he covers more ground than anyone else. He is also available to every player the whole game. There can be little doubt that he is a limited player at the peak of his development but he is a long way from being finished.

You'd have to be a footballer to know that though...

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