West Ham vs Crystal Palace | PL | 18.1.25 | Predictions and Match Thread

[stubbo-admin]

Match Centre:

Odds:
West Ham: 9/5
Draw: 5/2
Crystal Palace: 17/10

Pre-Match Press Conference:
Official Press Conference

Tactical Preview: 
Babbling Irons

Watch-along:
Hammers Chat Watchalong

Streams:

SportHD 

(With all live streams be mindful they can carry viruses etc.  Don't click on any ads and use a VPN).
  

[El Scorchio]

It's mental how much we've spent on our defence and they're so shit, especially the centre backs.


Massive Attack STILL going on about Iraola?  That's proper obsession.

Agreed some money wasted however I don't think Kilman is a bad player, stick him in a decent side with a midfield and he's nowhere near as bad as he's been for us.  

Not really sure how having a better midfield would make him not back off unless you mean a midfield so good that he'd never have to defend one on one. 

Would a better midfield also enable him to use his fucking eyes and not be behind the rest of the defence playing every cսnt onside.. 

Exactly. An experienced 40 million quid defender should help his midfield play better and give them more confidence to step up. Not have to rely on help from them to cover his deficiencies or poor decision making.

[fraser]

It's mental how much we've spent on our defence and they're so shit, especially the centre backs.


Massive Attack STILL going on about Iraola?  That's proper obsession.

Agreed some money wasted however I don't think Kilman is a bad player, stick him in a decent side with a midfield and he's nowhere near as bad as he's been for us.  

Not really sure how having a better midfield would make him not back off unless you mean a midfield so good that he'd never have to defend one on one. 

Would a better midfield also enable him to use his fucking eyes and not be behind the rest of the defence playing every cսnt onside.. 

[Massive Attack]

I thought taking of Paqueta was strange too. Someone said he was injured in the warm up before the game? That would explain it I guess, if true.

Potter confirmed after the game he wasn't taken off because he was injured. 

[El Scorchio]

I thought taking of Paqueta was strange too. Someone said he was injured in the warm up before the game? That would explain it I guess, if true.

[Massive Attack]

[onsideman]

You should try spending less time on Google while believing hearsay and everything you read, Massive Twat... you're likely to get gaslit

Iraola's team turned around 2 and a half months into his tenure. Your boyfriend had nearly 6 months with no indication he even knew what team to put out, never mind showing signs of improvement

[Rossal]

One of the worst games I have seen over there. Could still be playing now and doubt we would have a shot on target. Thought the team selection was all wrong, far too defensive and playing passengers in Cresswell and Guido. 

Then taking off Paqueta when 1 down I thought was very strange, how are we going to score a goal with him off? 

The two centre backs are both shit, but especially Dinos. Kilman can also be moved on for me, not quick enough, doesn't read the game well enough and isn't solid enough. What is he doing for the opener? 

The only positive from sat is that least the board have pressure now to make a few signings. If we carry on with that squad for majority of the games left we will come close to being in the bottom 3. 

Potter has some job on his hands to turn it round, Moyes and Jlop have left one hell of a mess to clear up will take some time. 

[Lee Trundle]

It's mental how much we've spent on our defence and they're so shit, especially the centre backs.


Massive Attack STILL going on about Iraola?  That's proper obsession.

Agreed some money wasted however I don't think Kilman is a bad player, stick him in a decent side with a midfield and he's nowhere near as bad as he's been for us.  

So we've got to spend even more money on the team to get anywhere near the £40m value we paid for him?

I'm not seeing the sense in that.

[Tomshardware]

It's mental how much we've spent on our defence and they're so shit, especially the centre backs.


Massive Attack STILL going on about Iraola?  That's proper obsession.

Agreed some money wasted however I don't think Kilman is a bad player, stick him in a decent side with a midfield and he's nowhere near as bad as he's been for us.  

[Massive Attack]

As I said, despite them having made a profit in the summer transfer window after losing their best forward player the Palace hierarchy were obviously confident he could turn it around having previously seen what he could do for them

And as for Iraola, you're quoting The Sun whilst also claiming you know what Iraola was thinking...? and I'm the one spinning it?

Damn those pesky facts, eh?

 

 

 

 

Yeah, damm those pesky facts...

Asked if he feared he could be sacked during the club’s poor start to the season, Iraola said: “It was a possibility, for sure."

https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/sport ... urnemouth/


Glasner faced a similar fate this season although Palace held their nerve...

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football ... ore-target

Even one of his former Frankfurt players recalled the time he was struggling in the League at the bottom end of the table but patience was the key to turning it all around come the end of the season..

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.mirr ... 960746.amp

[Lee Trundle]

It's mental how much we've spent on our defence and they're so shit, especially the centre backs.


Massive Attack STILL going on about Iraola?  That's proper obsession.

[onsideman]

As I said, despite them having made a profit in the summer transfer window after losing their best forward player the Palace hierarchy were obviously confident he could turn it around having previously seen what he could do for them

And as for Iraola, you're quoting The Sun whilst also claiming you know what Iraola was thinking...? and I'm the one spinning it?

Damn those pesky facts, eh?

[Massive Attack]

 

All true, Massive.

But I would add: their manager has got a group of players he believes in - and he signed quite a few of them. I wonder how many of our squad Potter actually rates? We’ve got a lot of dead wood who would be a millstone for any manager.

But I am worried, longer-term, about his reputation for shot-shy sides. Hope that’s something he’s thought about while on the sausage.

Not that he'd last 5 minutes with us with how he started his time there for the first 6 months. Take Glasner as another good example this season, a proven winner who couldn't buy a win earlier this season just 1 win in their first 13 matches sitting 19th in the table and now breeze past us in the League without much of a fuss. Funny what patience can bring to a Team when trying to overhaul a whole new way of playing.

 Glasner won 6 and drew 1 of his last 7 games last season 

Has fuck all to do with this seasons horrific start, having only just won his first back-to-back wins in the League against our hapless lot. And Iraola was half expecting the sack after a terrible start to life in the League last season. But nice try at spinning, Obsessedman.

https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.thes ... acked/amp/

[onsideman]

All he used to keep saying at Chelsea in post match interviews was "we must learn as a group" but ultimately never did. 

Some excuse his lack of Strikers and yet when you look at Bournemouth, they too are without their main Strikers having to turn to Outtara as a makeshift Striker instead scoring 4 yesterday, whilst ours can't even get a single shot on target. They've also got 10 players out and yet are 1 point off the top 4. 

 

All true, Massive.

But I would add: their manager has got a group of players he believes in - and he signed quite a few of them. I wonder how many of our squad Potter actually rates? We’ve got a lot of dead wood who would be a millstone for any manager.

But I am worried, longer-term, about his reputation for shot-shy sides. Hope that’s something he’s thought about while on the sausage.

Not that he'd last 5 minutes with us with how he started his time there for the first 6 months. Take Glasner as another good example this season, a proven winner who couldn't buy a win earlier this season just 1 win in their first 13 matches sitting 19th in the table and now breeze past us in the League without much of a fuss. Funny what patience can bring to a Team when trying to overhaul a whole new way of playing.

Maybe Iraola's 22 points from 9 games just 10 weeks (not 6 months) into his tenure, including 4 wins on the spin, and the fact that Glasner won 6 and drew 1 of his last 7 games last season, convinced those clubs that they knew what they were doing. It was your hero's inability to win even 2 games on the bounce in 20 attempts that did for him. But then deep down I'm sure you know that

[Maverick180180]

The worrying thing I’m seeing with Potter is he’s been in charge for 3 games now and his starting line up has progressively got worse with every game 

I was buzzing after I saw the line up for the Villa game 
Scarles absolutely embarrassed the fuck out of Moyes and Lopetegui for never starting him, he was brilliant, won man of the match, also very rare for someone to do that on the losing side 
next 2 games dropped 
Rodriguez who’s dreadful finds his way back into the side, he’s just an Argentinian Kovac, offers absolutely nothing 
And now Cresswell for fucks sake 
he had to field a worse team than he did against Villa cos of the injuries but fuck me it didn’t need to be as bad as what he’s gone with 
that was the worst starting XI I’ve ever seen from us in the premier league 
Sullivan’s gotta get his finger out and make some signings fast but I also expect better from Potter and don’t wanna see Cresswell or Rodriguez starting again otherwise it was pointless getting rid of Lopetegui, cos expecting to get a decent performance out of either of them two is the sort of brain dead stupidity I’d expect from him

[Mad Ferret]

All he used to keep saying at Chelsea in post match interviews was "we must learn as a group" but ultimately never did. 

Some excuse his lack of Strikers and yet when you look at Bournemouth, they too are without their main Strikers having to turn to Outtara as a makeshift Striker instead scoring 4 yesterday, whilst ours can't even get a single shot on target. They've also got 10 players out and yet are 1 point off the top 4. 

 

All true, Massive.

But I would add: their manager has got a group of players he believes in - and he signed quite a few of them. I wonder how many of our squad Potter actually rates? We’ve got a lot of dead wood who would be a millstone for any manager.

But I am worried, longer-term, about his reputation for shot-shy sides. Hope that’s something he’s thought about while on the sausage.

Not that he'd last 5 minutes with us with how he started his time there for the first 6 months. Take Glasner as another good example this season, a proven winner who couldn't buy a win earlier this season just 1 win in their first 13 matches sitting 19th in the table and now breeze past us in the League without much of a fuss. Funny what patience can bring to a Team when trying to overhaul a whole new way of playing.

I do agree with that, to be fair.

But Lopetegui just seemed like an unpleasant character who could barely speak English properly.

I must say, Potter’s last couple of team selections do make me wonder how much of an upgrade he actually is though.

[Massive Attack]

All he used to keep saying at Chelsea in post match interviews was "we must learn as a group" but ultimately never did. 

Some excuse his lack of Strikers and yet when you look at Bournemouth, they too are without their main Strikers having to turn to Outtara as a makeshift Striker instead scoring 4 yesterday, whilst ours can't even get a single shot on target. They've also got 10 players out and yet are 1 point off the top 4. 

 

All true, Massive.

But I would add: their manager has got a group of players he believes in - and he signed quite a few of them. I wonder how many of our squad Potter actually rates? We’ve got a lot of dead wood who would be a millstone for any manager.

But I am worried, longer-term, about his reputation for shot-shy sides. Hope that’s something he’s thought about while on the sausage.

Not that he'd last 5 minutes with us with how he started his time there for the first 6 months. Take Glasner as another good example this season, a proven winner who couldn't buy a win earlier this season just 1 win in their first 13 matches sitting 19th in the table and now breeze past us in the League without much of a fuss. Funny what patience can bring to a Team when trying to overhaul a whole new way of playing.

[southbankbornnbred]

All he used to keep saying at Chelsea in post match interviews was "we must learn as a group" but ultimately never did. 

Some excuse his lack of Strikers and yet when you look at Bournemouth, they too are without their main Strikers having to turn to Outtara as a makeshift Striker instead scoring 4 yesterday, whilst ours can't even get a single shot on target. They've also got 10 players out and yet are 1 point off the top 4. 

 

 

All true, Massive.

But I would add: their manager has got a group of players he believes in - and he signed quite a few of them. I wonder how many of our squad Potter actually rates? We’ve got a lot of dead wood who would be a millstone for any manager.

But I am worried, longer-term, about his reputation for shot-shy sides. Hope that’s something he’s thought about while on the sausage.

[twoleftfeet]

All he used to keep saying at Chelsea in post match interviews was "we must learn as a group" but ultimately never did. 

Some excuse his lack of Strikers and yet when you look at Bournemouth, they too are without their main Strikers having to turn to Outtara as a makeshift Striker instead scoring 4 yesterday, whilst ours can't even get a single shot on target. They've also got 10 players out and yet are 1 point off the top 4. 

Let's face it, he was out of his depth in the Chelsea job. The question is, is a man with a 29% career win percentage in the Premier League the right man to take us to the next level. I have my reservations.

[twoleftfeet]

Writing Potter off already

Fucking hell we deserve every bit of shit that comes our way, no wonder others clubs fans laugh at us.

No one in their right mind would want to manage us, we have basket case owners and basket case fans.

Lets get Klopp in

[Come On You Irons]

All he used to keep saying at Chelsea in post match interviews was "we must learn as a group" but ultimately never did. 

Some excuse his lack of Strikers and yet when you look at Bournemouth, they too are without their main Strikers having to turn to Outtara as a makeshift Striker instead scoring 4 yesterday, whilst ours can't even get a single shot on target. They've also got 10 players out and yet are 1 point off the top 4. 

Let's face it, he was out of his depth in the Chelsea job. The question is, is a man with a 29% career win percentage in the Premier League the right man to take us to the next level. I have my reservations.

[Massive Attack]

All he used to keep saying at Chelsea in post match interviews was "we must learn as a group" but ultimately never did. 

Some excuse his lack of Strikers and yet when you look at Bournemouth, they too are without their main Strikers having to turn to Outtara as a makeshift Striker instead scoring 4 yesterday, whilst ours can't even get a single shot on target. They've also got 10 players out and yet are 1 point off the top 4. 

[southbankbornnbred]

Potter confirmed after the match to the in house Reporter who presumed Paqueta went off injured actually wasn't when he took him off soon after the restart for Ings. What's the point in doing that when Paqueta was 1 of the very few in the Team tasked to create and he takes him off for a genuine Striker. Bizarre decision. 

Bizzarre from the very start if you ask me. Who picks a team with 8 defensive players and two attacking players and expects to have an attack. Surprise surprise it was shit.
Potter's credibility for me has plummeted. If this is how he approaches games with teams close to us in the table, I do not see much hope.

 

You think it's bad now, wait until he starts getting the hump with Fans calling for the Team to shoot..

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/20 ... t-putting/

THIS could easily become a problem for him at West Ham unless he’s learned his lessons from Brighton and Chelsea, where both sets of fans used to get frustrated at how few shots the team had in key matches.

Realistically, we can’t moan about him now because he’s just taken over and we’re without so many attacking players. Plus, he’s signed nobody of his choice.

We’ve got to give him some time. But, for his own sake, I hope he spent his 18 months out of the game thinking - and learning - about how to create more chances and get his teams to work the oppo goalkeeper. Couldn’t care less about Chelsea, but their fans, and many players, thought he was gun shy. 

[Mex Martillo]

Thats unfortunately the truth Branded. We played 8 defensive players. We could have played Ings and Soler but who else is not defensive? Irvine? Do we count him and Orford? 

Soler was apparently not risked from the start because he had a tight hamstring from Tuesday’s game.  He could have started him I suppose and Ings but the point is there were not too many options to avoid playing 8 defensive players. 2 in fact ( Ings and risk Soler early on?) the others were a youngster Orford with zero experience and Irvine if we are calling him an attacking option. Oh I guess Guilherme ?   Do we think that would have led to us matching or dominating possession, giving us an outball, pressing better?  I’m doubtful but the natural reaction from a defeat is to point to selections and tactics and the coach.

Potter may not be the answer long term but Im not sure he had much room for manoeuvre?

I would certainly have preferred to have seem Irving and Guilherme start. I know we don't see training and we haven't seem a lot of these 2 in games, but what I have seem for me is enough to give them a start when really there were not many or any alternatives. A back five with Alvarez, Soucek and Rodriguez was a depressing start, which played out as you might have expected. Didn't even defend very well!

[Sir Alf]

Thats unfortunately the truth Branded. We played 8 defensive players. We could have played Ings and Soler but who else is not defensive? Irvine? Do we count him and Orford? 

Soler was apparently not risked from the start because he had a tight hamstring from Tuesday’s game.  He could have started him I suppose and Ings but the point is there were not too many options to avoid playing 8 defensive players. 2 in fact ( Ings and risk Soler early on?) the others were a youngster Orford with zero experience and Irvine if we are calling him an attacking option. Oh I guess Guilherme ?   Do we think that would have led to us matching or dominating possession, giving us an outball, pressing better?  I’m doubtful but the natural reaction from a defeat is to point to selections and tactics and the coach.

Potter may not be the answer long term but Im not sure he had much room for manoeuvre?