West Ham v Leicester – Instant Reaction: Positives & Negatives

[WHUDeano]

Negatives

Thought we looked poor. Despite dominating possession, the team had no real attacking intent, just sterile passing, reminiscent of a struggling Spanish side. This was always the fear with Potter, and the reason Brighton fans weren’t devastated when he moved on.

Kudus remains an enigma: undeniably talented but lacking direction. If a £60m bid arrives this summer, it should be seriously considered.Potter’s substitutions were ineffective, arguably weakening the side rather than improving it. They provided no new insights.

Where was Guilherme? Ferguson, although not our player, could have benefited from a longer spell on the pitch. A 60-70 minute performance would have given a clearer picture of whether he’s worth pursuing.

As for Leicester, it's not our concern if course, but replacing Steve Cooper with Ruud van Nistelrooy might be one of the worst managerial decisions in Premier League history.

Positives

Scarles now looks like the undisputed first-choice left-back/wing-back. Despite one or two minor errors, he appears ready for the role.

Jean-Clair Todibo has all the makings of a world-class defender, though his casual attitude, laughing and joking with opposition players, doesn't sit well with me. If he reaches his potential, he’ll be gone in a year or two, but in the right system, he could develop into an £100m Van Dijk-level player.

James Ward-Prowse has emerged as a midfield leader. A £30m signing just 18 months ago, spent this season sitting on the Forest bench while on loan, he's returned playing like a captain. Under Potter, he will be an integral part of the team’s progression I think.

Additional Thoughts

• Ferguson looks lost. For a 20-year-old, you'd expect more spontaneity, but he seems trapped in his own head, lacking confidence. Not our problem as he’s a Brighton player, and if he does click we won't be able to afford him anyway, but still worth noting.
• Aaron Cresswell’s composed presence in the back three was great to see again. It evoked memories of the likes of Alvin Martin stepping in as an experienced head in his later years. He’s no Stretch, but it’s good to see him there.
• Emerson already looks like a player on his way out. Give Scarles 90mins. 

Final Verdict

A win is a win, and back-to-back clean sheets are encouraging. However, the football remains uninspiring. We saw this under Moyes, results without entertainment. Away performances have been solid (Villa and Arsenal in particular), but home form has been consistently disappointing.I like Potter, but my reservations about his tactical approach are growing rather than easing.

[Pshyco scored all 4]

I've been watching last nights claret and booze . Fuck me I felt like slashing my wrists . The negativity on it was ridiculous. Again their believing whetstones horseshite about the club being skint. Season tickets were going up between 2% and 6% according to the camp prick a couple of weeks ago . Only for a freeze to be announced. And last summer according to him we only had £30m to spend yet spent £140m . I'm amazed someone hasn't lamped him as he clearly likes triggering the fanbase . 

[Hammer I am]

I know it shouldn't matter but worth noting we don't really have anything to play for, not that they look like they're not trying but it must dull the workrate a little, it's hard to get up for watching it when the stakes are so low! Obviously there's a chance of finishing above two teams we'd love to beat position wise so there is that at least

[Council Scum]

Anyone who thinks we looked poor, is a fucking idiot with an agenda and has no place following football. 

[cholo]

Got to remember too that our main problem was leaking (multiple) goals and not keeping clean sheets, so two in a row is not too be sniffed at.

We'd been smashed by arsenal and lost to the same poor Leicester team not that long ago under Loppy.

I could get used to this not having enough room to sail an oil tanker through our midfield.

[Sir Alf]

Potter is restricted on tactics / set up by our choices in central midfield imo. So one paced that we have to play 3 in there.  I harp on about it obssessively but saw it once again against Leicester. A very poor team but one that sits deep with 9 or 10 behind the ball.   We managed to score fortunately but still struggled to open them up or stretch them.  It has affected our home performances for many seasons. Moyes sat us in deep ourselves in a low block like the away side and we allowed most teams to dominate possession. It allowed us to launch fast, direct counter attacks which play to the strengths of Kudus and Bowen. This allowed us to get results at home but at the cost of being a hatd watch.

Potter, due to also not having the proverbial “legs” in midfield, has also had to adopt these Moyes-esque tactics albeit we do now try to play out more from the back.  Helped with using the 3 CBs. However, with a choice of central midfield from Alvarez, Soucek, JWP, Paqueta, Rodruiguez, Irvine and Soler, there is little athleticism / pace. Means we cannot play through the thirds and have to resort to moving it side to side but too slowly. At home, its hard to get overloads down the flanks via AWB and bow Scarles due to teams putting so many bodies behind the ball.  

We are still best suited to sitting deeper and launching counters down the flanks or forcing a turnover higher up the field via Kudus, Bowen etc. The squad was shaped by Moyes and then depleted in strength and depth by him. Last summer did not rectify the mess he left and Potter is still severely hampered tactically by it.

In short, we are almost better suited to playimg away and performances under Potter seem to support that. Therefore, I do not expect home performances, and hence entertainment and excitement to improve too much until Potter, Macaulay fix the squad and especially that central midfield. 

[Mr Anon]

3 points and clean sheet , well done.
But there was no need whatsover to play defensive midfielders throughout the game.
As an attacking and performance aspect it was as poor as Brentford.
Soucek got lucky with the goall, his initial shot  was missing the target until it hit his foot. Such a pity Kudus didn't get that luck. 
That midfield 3 will not control or win many games,it will get mullered by Newcastle's 3.
No chance created by any of them. Sorry but JWP may be neat and tidy but he's but he's not a library worker.
His set pieces are still poor. I can't remember an actual shot on target that's he's created from one. Bowen's goal was from a daibolical corner. 
Scarles on many occaisions was in a great position to put in a cross but there was no one in the box,our 2 midfets up front kept coming back into midfield.
The subs were even more negative. To late and why give Emerson game time, he didn't care once he came on.Why not Guilherem on for Kudus and take of a central midfielder. We learnt nothing.
How the fuck is Ferguson going to get up to speed with 20 odd minutes in 2 games.
I was happy with Potter coming in but the last 2 home games he's bored us and could have easily won this game with a 2nd XI.
Can't see us getting more than a point against Newcastle and where and when will Paqueta fit in let alone Ferguson ? he's not going to want to change a winning team. Summerville will be back soon where does he play ?

I can't believe you said Potter's bored us with a straight face, after what we've had to endure in recent years, and fancy complaining about him not wanting to change a winning team. With Paqueta, I think we need to start planning for life without him anyway

In terms of Newcastle, could you see us getting more than a point at Arsenal? I've seen no reason not to be cautiously optimistic 

[zico]

Quite happy with what I have seen under Potter, although I didn't see the Brentford game and heard that it was pretty poor.  At least with Potter I see some sort of plan, under Lop I just didn't see that at all, a similar experience to how it was under Pellegrini.  For sure there was a lot of posession the other night without and end product but at least we had posession, albeit against a poor team.  How many times have we seen us down at the 20/30% region?  I suspect he just wants to make us harder to beat then move on from there with his own signings (hopefully) in the summer.

[SurfaceAgentX2Zero]

BoleynGone

I think your thinking is a bit confused on this one. If Potter not wanting to change a winning team is going to be a long-term problem, then we haven't actually got a problem, have we?

In the unlikely event of this massive run extending to say, three wins on the trot, then the likes of Sommerville will have to wait a tiny bit longer to get back in.

Trust me, we are West Ham, he won't have to wait beyond his girlfriend's next monthlies, that's for sure.

[BoleynGone]

3 points and clean sheet , well done.
But there was no need whatsover to play defensive midfielders throughout the game.
As an attacking and performance aspect it was as poor as Brentford.
Soucek got lucky with the goall, his initial shot  was missing the target until it hit his foot. Such a pity Kudus didn't get that luck. 
That midfield 3 will not control or win many games,it will get mullered by Newcastle's 3.
No chance created by any of them. Sorry but JWP may be neat and tidy but he's but he's not a library worker.
His set pieces are still poor. I can't remember an actual shot on target that's he's created from one. Bowen's goal was from a daibolical corner. 
Scarles on many occaisions was in a great position to put in a cross but there was no one in the box,our 2 midfets up front kept coming back into midfield.
The subs were even more negative. To late and why give Emerson game time, he didn't care once he came on.Why not Guilherem on for Kudus and take of a central midfielder. We learnt nothing.
How the fuck is Ferguson going to get up to speed with 20 odd minutes in 2 games.
I was happy with Potter coming in but the last 2 home games he's bored us and could have easily won this game with a 2nd XI.
Can't see us getting more than a point against Newcastle and where and when will Paqueta fit in let alone Ferguson ? he's not going to want to change a winning team. Summerville will be back soon where does he play ?

[Full Claret Jacket]

Instant reaction is that there is something to build on but that lack of creativity or cohesive play made for a pretty dull affair against a really poor side that the ref seemed to take pity on.
The influence of Cresswell and Ward Prowse was noticable. Everything was involving Cresswell in the first half, he hit some nice cross field balls, pushed up the defense and was trying to get the ball moved quicker and instigate more movement from a midfield that was marked. 
Ward Prowse was communicating with those around him, closing down, getting tackles in and trying to link up.
We were pretty impotent. A couple of scrappy goals, barely a shot on target, few situations to get excited about. Kudus had an off day. Didnt get wide players into the game and generally stifled.  I did think Leicester finished the stronger. We lost our shape a bit with the subs. They were getting bolder and we wasted a really good chance to make it 3-0. 

Overall not a great game to watch, 3 points and a clean sheet and another test of the system. We look more solid but attacking game is missing. Too much possession with no intent. 

[eusebiovic]

Ferguson has spent the best part of 2 seasons largely injured.

He looks well off the pace, like he needs a proper pre-season and an injury free run. There is a player in there but at the moment he looks a bit sluggish and his feet are a bit slow.

I hope he comes good though...he definitely has something 

[,]

We did not need to play well to beat a very poor side last night. So poor were the opposition that for me it was difficult to draw any worthwhile conclusions.

A better test will be how we fare at home to Newcastle. A win with a clean sheet will be a real sign of progress.

[Any Old Iron]

Well, for what it’s worth I pretty much agree with all of what whudeano has to say about the game.  I just take issue with him starting a new thread to say it. It’s a bit attention seeking mate.

[Steady]

We’ve kept a clean sheet in 7 games this season. Todibo has played in every one of these.

[Alwaysaniron]

Well, for what it's worth here's my thoughts on the game.

Leicester came to get a point and try and get 3 if possible, they were determined not to lose so sat with a deep block that is awful to watch and awful to play against.  We don't have the squad to play against that system (it's not been what we do for the past... God knows how long).  

In the first half we huffed and puffed and managed 2 scrappy goals.  2nd half we didn't have to score any more and even though Leicester came out of their deep block (a little bit) they never looked like scoring.  I feel for their fans, watching that week in week out is worse than we we had fat Sam in charge, remember Hull at home at the Boleyn.  

We need pace in the middle and whilst it's nice to see JWP back we have no pace.  Kudus blows hot and cold and like others have said, he could be a total game changer but he goes missing and get the hump.  Not whats needed.

Fergerson is only a young lad and needs to be given some service, in the 2nd half we were playing as if it were a training game and he was isolated and nobody seemed to give a toss.  

I'm not moaning, ffs, we have won 2 on the bounce and not let a goal in (Killman worries me though, he looks like a rabbit in the headlights and is terrified of making a mistake, he also gave away too many free kicks by smashing into thier players uneccessarily.  

Scarles is going to be a great player, and Bowen works his socks off.  Tobido too looks like a beast in the making.  

Once Potter can get his stamp on the team and once we've injected some real pace into the side then I think we will be in a better place than we have been for a long time.

 

[Gentile]

The first half was the best I can remember seeing us play for a long time. We were passing the ball around quickly and looking to go forward as often as possible. We were really digging into their Right Back and the football was brilliant to watch. JWP was magnificent and Cresswell was also fantastic in helping guide the nipper but also organising Kilman and Todibo. 

The second half we contained them and that's all we needed to do. 

I was not convinced by Potter at all but I like what I'm seeing and looking forward to seeing what he builds with us. 

[fraser]

First half was decent but didn't create anything clear other  than the first goal second was poor and I think they bored us into a stupor, which we couldn't get out of once they actually started to put an effort in.. Was a boring game to be fair... 

[Jaan Kenbrovin]

The only negative was we didn’t create more chances. Everything else was a positive.

We dominated the ball, looking comfortable, having about 250 more passes than our average. We looked compact and organised defensively. JWP has improved our CM area and made us more efficient.

Despite not creating much in the second half Ferguson had an opportunity to have made it a 3-0 win.

Most importantly we look like Potter is actually building something now, and the squad look happier.
 

[Manuel]

Good post. Cheers Deano.

I thought there were plenty of positive (good passing, control, aggressive ball recoveries, players who looked like they understood their roles, more encouraging signs from Todibo) and a couple of negatives (mostly the failure to give Guilherme a decent run out, and that Kudus didn't get the first goal instead of Soucek).

Back to back wins for the first time in 12 months, another clean sheet after months of conceding 2 per game, a manager that seems to understand it's horses for courses with the intelligence to deliver the message effectively, and we're back above the Scottish prick.

Bring on the barcodes.

It is a good post and he's right, last night was turgid backwards, sideways shit against a non opponent. Each his own if they are happy with that.

[stubbo]

Good post. Cheers Deano.

I thought there were plenty of positive (good passing, control, aggressive ball recoveries, players who looked like they understood their roles, more encouraging signs from Todibo) and a couple of negatives (mostly the failure to give Guilherme a decent run out, and that Kudus didn't get the first goal instead of Soucek).

Back to back wins for the first time in 12 months, another clean sheet after months of conceding 2 per game, a manager that seems to understand it's horses for courses with the intelligence to deliver the message effectively, and we're back above the Scottish prick.

Bring on the barcodes.

[Pshyco scored all 4]

We barely broke sweat . The players played to the level of the opposition and no more .

[Manuel]

Look at you wankers shutting down an opinion and policing the site. The OP is a decent, long time poster and is entitled to his opinion. Pricks.

[Lee Trundle]

Yeah, that's as far as I got also.

Leicester looked poor.  Fucking awful.

We did a professional job on them.  It was anything but poor.

[Council Scum]

"Thought we looked poor"

Finished reading there, what a fucking idiot you are. 

[BRANDED]

It was fucking awful. How do people pay to watch this mundane shit?

You buy a season ticket and renew. I pay with a debit card.