‚ö? Leverkusen v West Ham - Official Match Thread

[charleyfarley]

"Leverkusen V West Ham Bay Arena 11 Apr 20:00 BST Referee:- Artur Dias (POR ) VAR :-Tiago Martins POR Leverkusen:- Kov?°?ô, Stani?°iƒá, Tah ¬©, Tapsoba, Grimaldo, Xhaka, Palacios, Frimpong, Wirtz, Adli, Schick Subs: Hradecky (GK), Lomb (GK), Hincapi?©, Kossounou, Hofmann, Andrich, Borja Iglesias, Arthur, Tella, Boniface, Puerta West Ham:- Fabia?Ñski, Coufal, Zouma ¬©, Mavropanos, Cresswell, Emerson, Ward-Prowse, Souƒçek, Paquet?°, Kudus, Antonio Subs: Anang (GK), Knightbridge (GK), Aguerd, Ogbonna, Johnson, Casey, Earthy, Orford, Cornet, Mubama, Ings Betway:- Leverkusen 4/9 : Draw 7/2 ; West Ham 11/2 TV :- discovery + / TNT Sports 2 ."

[Takashi Miike]

"the cսnt had an inferiority complex when he took over the man utd job, after they'd just won another premier league title. this isn't new or saved for us, it's what he is. a defeatist, safety first, anti football cսnt"

[only1billybonds]

"If not for Fabianski, it would have been slaughter. Nobody expected us to match them pass for pass but fuck me the first aspect of any game in any sport is that you have got to try to win the fucking thing. God only knows what the players say among themselves but surely playing this way must piss them off as much as it does as the fans watching it. Leverkusen must have been shocked at how much of the ball they had, it's almost criminal for a side at that level of the game to concede so much possession. Anyone looking at Moyes with anything short of disgust needs to fuck off and find another club."

[simon.s]

"There was a little period late on before the goals where they were starting to draw fouls on Kudas and Antonio and were rattled, but we never capitalize on it. Any time we broke, it’s like what the fuck are we doing, and quickly reverted to type."

[Manuel]

"''What I don't understand though, is that if you're going to try and contain a team and hit them on the break, you at least try and keep the ball when you've go it. So many times it looked like our game plan was SO defensive that we didn't know what to do unless they had the ball, so we'd just gift it back to them so we can get back to our own gameplan.'' Yep, good observation that, it was like we didn't even want the ball. Moyseball aside, it's a pity for the 60,000 next week that we let that one in at the end, 2-0 is just a horrible result, fully deserved though."

[Surfinglizard]

Moyes mentioning them as Champions League is a disgrace. That’s an anxious manager looking to shift focus and blame.

[Surfinglizard]

Moyes mentioning them as Champions League is a disgrace. That’s an anxious manager looking to shift focus and blame.

[Tomshardware]

"Hoping Leverkusen prevail next week as it would be a travesty if we go through with scrappy set piece goals. They played some lovely football and I enjoyed watching their dynamic play and movement, make no mistake Alonso is going on to great things as a manager."

[scott_d]

"I would have accepted that last night, of any game, was perhaps one to play to avoid defeat. I don't like it, but in the scheme of things, the record Leverkusen have, the fact it's a 2-legged game etc, I would have taken back a 0-0 or 1-0. What I don't understand though, is that if you're going to try and contain a team and hit them on the break, you at least try and keep the ball when you've go it. So many times it looked like our game plan was SO defensive that we didn't know what to do unless they had the ball, so we'd just gift it back to them so we can get back to our own gameplan. However, forgive me if you think I'm mad, but in some ways, I actually think this might suit us. If we'd have come away with Moyes absolute dream result, a 0-0 draw, then 100% he's playing the same way at home against them and we get turned over. No way he's risking a 0-0 draw in a home game but going out for the win. At least now he has to play to score and not just 1 goal. IMO the best football we've seen at that stadium under Moyes is when we've been 1-2 goals down and we've had to score. Burnley recently at 2-0 down we actually dominated that second half and should havecome away with all 3 points. Granted it was Burnley, but at least this forces Moyes to play employ some sort of attacking tactic. It's just a shame that we will be without Emerson and Paqueta and no news yet on Bowen. That will definitely make things allot harder."

[Eerie Descent]

"That's how we approach and 'play' most games of football. The only surprise is anyone is surprised. Utterly utterly weak, feeble, pathetic. Best thing to do is blame the players, like some have done. Having a go at Brazil's best central midfielder for 'over-playing'. West Ham fans digging out players with World Class footballing ability for OVER-PLAYING because the team has been instructed not to play football. Hahaha! That's what this cսnt has done to this football club."

[Fauxstralian]

The 'hopefully the crowd will get behind us' was definitely a snide dig. Totally unnecessary and an insult to fans who have been very patient. Especially those who went to Germany and gave great support. I will be there getting behind the team and staying til the end whatever the score.

[chelmsfordhammer]

"Is this how low we ve sunk that a large percentage of our fans think that putting 11 men behind the ball and playing for a 0-0 or 1-0 is acceptable . They think that the other team having 33 shots to our 1 means we did well and were unlucky this despite a couple being cleared off the line and fabianski puliing off two or three great saves. Leverkusens weakness is their defence as they do leak a few goals but no some of our fans think its fine to play a game of attack v defence . Its not the first time we ve done it because has an inferiority complex but it would seem so do a lot of our fans. God forbid we actually went out and gave it a go . Atalanta did it last night and look what the score was but no we did the same turgid stuff of sitting back and hoping for the best. Disgusting tactics , disgusting way to play football (if you can call it that) and the most disgusting thing of all he seems to have won quite a lot of people with his brand of anti football. What a sad state of affairs"

[bell]

Amazing subs again last night. Has this cսnt ever affected a game in a positive way with a sub?

[twoleftfeet]

"Time to move on to the next match, no need to rest Paqueta or Emerson now though. I‚Äôd rest Antonio and bring Ings in. It could be worse we could be 3 down after the first leg at home ?üòâ I still think an early goal and 60,000 screaming cockneys might make it an interesting tie."

[Iron Duke]

My expectations were low. I didn’t expect us to progress to the semi finals. The lineup and formation was exactly what I expected. I expected us to have very little possession. I knew there would be no attacking options on the bench. Ings doesn’t fit into Moyes’s system. Cornet never gets picked no matter what. Mubama can’t cut it. The average age of the team was almost 30. Legs get tired after chasing the ball for 80 minutes. I wasn’t expecting Moyes to take our 2 youngest players off and push the average age over 30. I take my hat off for that one.

[New Jersey]

Hopefully the crowd will get behind us - What an absolute twatish thing to say!

[Percy Dalton]

Don't think I've ever seen such a one sided game. 4-0 wouldn't have flattered the Germans and they must be thinking how poor the Premier league must be if we're 7th in the table. Fed up to the back teeth of watching us surrender the pitch and hoping that we might get a break and score a goal. Moyes has ruined this squad well I mean the 13 14 players he uses constantly running them into the ground. Massive job for the new manager will take two to three years to make us into a decent team. I've got my doubts that Sullivan will do the right thing at the end of the season

[nychammer]

"Sir Alf All this stuff about a better future under a more progressive manager, recruitment, scouting etc is the hope but it starts at the top and Sullivan and his “17th place jobs a good ‘un” success criteria need to be replaced first IMO, moreover Sullivan can’t be replaced, he needs to sell for real lasting change and god knows when that will happen, we hope sooner than later!"

[Takashi Miike]

*footballer's natural instincts*

[Takashi Miike]

"try playing in this demoralizing system, week in week out, then you'll understand why some players looked so frustrated. it's completely against a football's natural instincts. the game is not about watching the other fucking team have the ball, and it certainly shouldn't be this fraud of a manager's main tactic but he continues to do it"

[tr3bor]

Manuel 8:04 Fri Apr 12 Spot on

[onsideman]

I've just watched The Drop Out. Moyes is Elizabeth Holmes. Difference is I'm not sure some of his disciples will ever see what a fraud he is

[Manuel]

"We have forfeited this game, going out of another QF without a whimper, we have gave Leverkusen a bye. We deserve a lot, lot better as a fanbase."

[Sir Alf]

"“ we dont tend to get results when Bowen, Paqueta, Alvarez dont play”"

[Manuel]

"The man sickens me to the pit of my stomach, I feel genuine hatred for him. ''A champions league team'' Oohhh scary, would he say the same about Young Boys too, who play in the CL most seasons, among other crap? And let's not kid ourselves, if defending a game for 90 mins got us a 0-0 does anyone really think we would have come out next week? The stats in this game for a QF are completely shameful. How does he get away with it? You still have some idiots who defend this coward, though."

[Sir Alf]

"I thought coming into last weekend that we were embarking on a run of games over 14 or so days that decide our season and imo Moyes fate. Being the pessimist ( realist ? ;-) ) I am, looking at the squad, it was relying on everything going right. No injuries, bookings, a charmed goal for us and taking just about every chance we got. Wolves we got away with but Bowen and Alvarez missing was the first wobble of Moyes “house of cards” manage ent with the smallest squad across any professional league in Europe ( 14 effectively ) and the least use of subs. The recruitment by Moyes ( his picks ) also largely restricted us to play his brand of football. His non-use of 10 players in the squad and hardly ever any subs until late on had to undermine our season and has. The Carabou cup qtr final was another example against Liverpool where he wasnit able to play our best 11. We do tend to get results when Bowen, Paqueta, Alvarez dont play. I agree with Vexed and others that European qualification is unlikely now thru the league either based on the what is, compared to every other team, some pretty poor squad development and management over the past 4 years. It will take a divine intervention to turnaround the Europa tie. By Monday 22nd dont be surprised to see that our season is effectively over and Euro qualification run ended. Liverpool looking like they are going out may even mean Conference cup qualification in 8th no longer being possible although thats just a wild guess and a statto can confirm or deny? If as expected, we dont make Europe, we will sell Paqueta hopefully at a premium to City, and say goodbye to the Moyes era and embark on a new longer term journey with a progressive coach that implements a far more expansive approach and aligns the scouting , recruitment and player development across the club under Steidten and team. Will Sullivan and board go for a reset or simply freeze and stick with Moyes and avoid risk and rewards that change can bring?"