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I dont want to create a scene, but this has been the longest time without a match since forever, and i cant keep reading about politics, millwall, drivel for the rest of the weekend.
Nailed on win for our massive bastards.
Feel free to delete when someone who knows what they're doing comes along.
Irons.
Since you made the first move let's keep this one.
I'll update with all the usual match thread content in the next day or so.
Think that tactic of the keeper sitting down to disrupt play is a regular one for Newcastle and others
As well as dawdling over goal kicks
Of course now keepers use the wheeze of having the centre halves standing next to them & then waving them up when a minute has been wasted
Refs will sometimes make a big show of booking a keeper but I can’t recall a keeper EVER getting a second yellow even though they just carry on wasting time
Lee Trundle" wrote: ↑11 Mar 2025, 09:52
I know it doesn't affect the result or our performance, but the levels of shithousary from Newcastle was at Arsenal levels.
It seemed like every player of theirs was on the ground injured (wasting time) during the whole game.
That's just the modern Premier League, Trunds, unfortunately. Especially for away teams that have a point "in the bag", so to speak.
One of the few things I like about our side is that we are at least largely honest. Bang average, but largely honest. Our lot don't spend hours rolling around like cunts - although even a few of our players go down a bit too easily.
It's a pandemic elsewhere in the league. Watched a Fulham game the other day and a football match threatened to break out at one point. The tetchy, childish play-acting from both sides was just obscene. Man Utd are terrible for it, too. Why do so many fans put up with it?
Refs are so weak with timewasting as well. Ref last night clearly knew what Pope was up to but seemed petrified to brandish a card to stop him doing it. Waving your arm time and again to tell him to hurry up before turning your back and running back up the pitch does nothing, and he continued to waste bundles of time with impunity every time they had a goal kick. Grow a pair and get the fucking yellow card out and stamp it out. Sick of seeing it.
Lee Trundle" wrote: ↑11 Mar 2025, 09:52
I know it doesn't affect the result or our performance, but the levels of shithousary from Newcastle was at Arsenal levels.
It seemed like every player of theirs was on the ground injured (wasting time) during the whole game.
That's just the modern Premier League, Trunds, unfortunately. Especially for away teams that have a point "in the bag", so to speak.
One of the few things I like about our side is that we are at least largely honest. Bang average, but largely honest. Our lot don't spend hours rolling around like cunts - although even a few of our players go down a bit too easily.
It's a pandemic elsewhere in the league. Watched a Fulham game the other day and a football match threatened to break out at one point. The tetchy, childish play-acting from both sides was just obscene. Man Utd are terrible for it, too. Why do so many fans put up with it?
There is no quick fix is what most realise I think. Potter needs a transfer window, pre season and up to Xmas. It’s for reasons we all see ( that squad and esp central midfield ) that home form is not where we want it to be. If we get to next xmas, assuming we do not see the disarray we saw under Lop again, and we still see a team unable to play thru the thirds, it is right to start asking questions of Potter imo.
Just think we need to be prepared to be patient as another change of manager under our owner just adds to the chaos. For the record, I couldn’t name a manager that would be doing much better? Iraola will be suggested, Slot, Silva etc but I have my doubts they would do any better with the squad we currently have.
in true “Groundhog Day” fashion, this summer’s business will need to start fixing squad deficiencies from the Moyes era as we were saying last summer. We have far less budget this time though so need to spend wisely on young, athletic players but ones that are also “ready” now to play in the first 11. I watched that Baleba for Brighton ( how do they find this lynchpin type of player everytime? ) over the weekend and Christie and Adams at Bournemouth, Rice and Partey at L’Arse etc. all providing the platform of pressing, speed, physicality to dominate possession and play thru the press. Thats what we are missing its the critical component for the way Potter, Iraola, Slot, Maresca, Silva, Arteta etc teams play which is about trying to control games. We are unable to do that from a squad where our engine room is picked from Alvarez, JWP, Soucek, Soler, Irvine, Paqueta. Some decent players but all one paced, no “legs” that can get about the pitch at speed. Rice was not replaced “like for like” in that sense and we need 2 players at least with that profile.
last night Soucek was anonymous, unable to get near the Newcastle midfield. Alvarez and JWP were also struggling in that sense but did at least get some possession and compete but poor old Tommy was a yard off the pace. He’s a great guy, committed etc and useful / effective in some games esp. in the attacking third or back to the wall defending but against better possession teams like Newcastle it’s almost like playing with 10 men at times.
Need to be patient. At least be prepared to wait until a few months into next season when hopefully the some of these glaring squad deficiencies will hopefully have been rectified.
The biggest concern is there's no urgency in our play. That's not so terrible when it's 0-0 and we're controlling the ball, but it's a real problem if we are second best like for large parts of last night, or losing.
We just don't play anything like fast enough or aggressively enough to put teams under pressure or in bother. There's far too much lateral play in front of the opposition and no ideas on how to break an opposition down or play through them aside from trying to get a favourable match up on the wings. It's far too easy for an opposition to stop us playing. And our subs made no difference either. Granted some of that is the players and we need to shift some out and some in in the summer, but there's a real change needed in order to fix that'. Their pressing was good but it shouldn't have been impossible to play through. We just looked to go backwards far too often. I can't work out if JWP is an asset in terms of getting some control of the ball and distributing it, or a problem in terms of slowing the game too much and making negative passes which kill momentum.
Potter has made us better and more fundamentally sound which is a big step in a lot of ways but we are absolutely flaccid going forward. Areola is far too slow distributing the ball. We miss so many opportunities to transition quickly, as we did last night, and when the ball is advanced the opportunity is all gone. There is far too much playing it safe. When we were losing last night we played with all the intensity of a preseason friendly and if they were not displaying the score and you walked into the stadium, you'd assuming we were 2-0 up and trying to kill the game. We didn't press and start going for it with urgency until the last five minutes. Very weird. I was half expecting Niall Quinn to come running out of the dressing room shouting 'We need to score a goal guys!'
Lots more work needed. Some down to new players, but the coaching staff have to instil a way of getting us to move the ball from back to front a lot quicker than we currently do.
Russ of the BML" wrote: ↑11 Mar 2025, 08:56
I have faith in Potter. I think with more games and a good summer window and pre-season, we start next season a different proposition. But he has to start winning his home games. Otherwise we will end up 17th and that's not a good look for a club of our size and stature.
Anything is possible, but you are being pretty optimistic IMO as we look miles away from being a good side. The other problem is we have now fell behind even the likes of Forest, Brighton, Fulham, Palace, Brentford, Bournemouth, let alone the gap to the usual top 8 sides. The flat atmosphere at home games really doesn't help either.
I don't believe I am being optimistic. I do not see any reason why, with more games under his belt, a good summer window and a pre-season, we won't be a different proposition. I am not saying we will qualify for the CL, but we will be a different proposition.
Potter has at the very least made us hard to beat. We look more organised and much more comfortable at the back. If Potter can get two more powerful athletic box to box midfielders and find someone with an eye for goal, we will win more than we lose. I am sure of that.
I hear you and it's good to be optimistic and generally I'd normally agree. We have a good basis (I think) for a decent side, but the concern for me is that we look far from a good side right now and don't seem to be improving, so imo it's going to take more than a few tweaks. We need pace, creativity and a goal scorer, that's a lot to address. We also need a more attacking mentality and more aggression.
Thinking everyone is going to be great again on that sunny day in August when the season kicks off is a bit like hoping your life will be much better from January 1st. It don't often work out that way, but I hope you're right, because the fans are bored shitless.
Russ of the BML" wrote: ↑11 Mar 2025, 08:56
I have faith in Potter. I think with more games and a good summer window and pre-season, we start next season a different proposition. But he has to start winning his home games. Otherwise we will end up 17th and that's not a good look for a club of our size and stature.
Anything is possible, but you are being pretty optimistic IMO as we look miles away from being a good side. The other problem is we have now fell behind even the likes of Forest, Brighton, Fulham, Palace, Brentford, Bournemouth, let alone the gap to the usual top 8 sides. The flat atmosphere at home games really doesn't help either.
I don't believe I am being optimistic. I do not see any reason why, with more games under his belt, a good summer window and a pre-season, we won't be a different proposition. I am not saying we will qualify for the CL, but we will be a different proposition.
Potter has at the very least made us hard to beat. We look more organised and much more comfortable at the back. If Potter can get two more powerful athletic box to box midfielders and find someone with an eye for goal, we will win more than we lose. I am sure of that.
honky cat" wrote: ↑11 Mar 2025, 08:43
Think he was right to start with the team that has won twice,
Disagree, we ain't in the 80's anymore, but the wider point is he plays exactly the same way regardless of who the oppo is whether it's Arsenal away or Leicester at home. Makes no sense to me, but what do I know.
Potter has us better set up tactically than Lopetegui or Moyes and has the flexibility in his methods that his 2 predecessors lacked. He is trying to make the best of a squad that severely lacks athleticism, legs in midfield. Get that fixed and a reliable, effective central striker and better back up for other areas and we will be able to compete far better with top half teams imo.
Brighton, Bournemouth, Forest, Newcastle even Palace and the rich 5 or so teams have the players in that central third of the pitch to play thru and around the many teams that now press high and relentlessly. Newcastle pinned us in and we could not get out and had to resort to Areola or other defenders bypassing midfield and punting long giving it back as we also had no effective target man. In other games teams sit deep and this lack of pace and athletes in midfield means we struggle to open them up. No different in many ways to how it was under Moyes and Lop except we do retain it better and try to pass out from the back before it breaks down in that middle third.
We are still hamstrung by the squad Moyes built and one not repaired last summer which was assembled to play low block, sitting deep and relying on fast transitions and set pieces. Its why we do better away from home where the onus is on the home team to play on the front foot and attack us. We then exploit space in behind. Newcastle were very good pressing us and the only few times we looked dangerous were like Kudus missed chance when he ran into space they left but then messed up. But they were well organised and it only happened a couple of times.
This summer, with a limited budget, we have to get recruitment near perfect. Spend most of it on 2 athletic central midfielders and hope to get some free transfers like Walker Peters and Harwood Bellis to improve the squad depth in other areas.
We are a lower mid table team at best. Imo any manager is limited by the squad we have currently but I feel or sense he knows the problems. This summer’s business will prove whether my confidence in him is misplaced or not.
Eerie Decent" wrote: ↑11 Mar 2025, 07:29
I don't think there's anyone I wholeheartedly disagree with more than I do with you, with just about everything, sixty. You're not even answering the points I made properly.
You don't go to the odd game, you ain't got a fucking clue about football. You plank.
Haha don’t I know it! You see my name and froth at the mouth. Lol
its a fucking game of football.
relax.
The point is simply that people decide how the game went by the score and not what actually happens in the game. It’s how the modern fan thinks. We play tight against Arsenal with the exact same squad and the same amount of chances and manage to nick one goal and everyone’s over the moon.
play with the same team and game plan and don’t get that one chance and they moan. It makes no sense. Keep the same energy. If the style of play is shit and we win, then people should still say we play shit. But the modern fan, not just West Ham ones, I see it everywhere, they only look at the score. I’m surprised they bother watching the games. Why bother if your enjoyment only comes from the score?
moyes lived off that for years. Shitty football but got the result so these fans loved him. But he made my eyes bleed with the constant negative bollocks.
so again, he’s picked the same team for 3 games, and we won 2 of them. And the biggest change with Potter is we don’t get spanked. Teams have to fight to get something out of us. And in his mind, maybe that’s what he’s trying to do over the next few months so he beds that mentality in. And maybe he’s right? Why should we expect getting tonked and our defence falling apart every other game. Maybe we do need to learn match discipline for a change. Our GD is disgusting.
perhaps that’s the reason that even though he has nothing to play for he’s not prepared to open up his team to get smashed apart like the last managers were. Who knows?
But someone needs to explain to me what was the main difference in how we played against Arsenal vs Newcastle apart from the 1 chance we converted?
explain that and I will respect their opinion a bit more. Otherwise it’s just noise and bollocks from a lot of posters on here.
Soucek was back to his fucking abysmal best again also.
14 passes, with 8 completed all game. Absolute shocking from a central midfielder, and that's without talking about his Ronnie Rosenthal moment in the first minute.
Russ of the BML" wrote: ↑11 Mar 2025, 08:56
I have faith in Potter. I think with more games and a good summer window and pre-season, we start next season a different proposition. But he has to start winning his home games. Otherwise we will end up 17th and that's not a good look for a club of our size and stature.
Anything is possible, but you are being pretty optimistic IMO as we look miles away from being a good side. The other problem is we have now fell behind even the likes of Forest, Brighton, Fulham, Palace, Brentford, Bournemouth, let alone the gap to the usual top 8 sides. The flat atmosphere at home games really doesn't help either.
Lee Trundle" wrote: ↑11 Mar 2025, 08:25
We were fairly crap again last night, I thought.
The only positive so far about Potter is that we don't look like we're a team that will regularly get tonked 5-0. However, we have no attacking intent.
I don't know how he fixes that when we only have 1 centre back that's capable of playing Premier League football, and it appears he can only play less than 70 minutes due to a financial clause in his contract (I reckon), which forces you playing 3/5 at the back.
the last 3 games he has been subbed after 62, 66 and 65min.
WTF is that all about?
outside of that, i dont buy the excuse that our players are just plain shit.
you've got a decent enough keeper, AWB, Todibo, Kilman, Emerson, Alvarez, JWP, Paqueta, Soler, Bowen, Kudus and Ferguson. You think Palace, Brentford of Fulham wouldn't take every one of those players??
If you cannot get a performance out of that group of players then you're not the man for the job.
Another incredibly disappointing feeling walking out of there. 3 games in 4 we've lost at home without scoring with not many signs of positivity or progress at all.
Apart from Ollie Scarles coming in and looking great what has Potter done with this group so far? It's very underwhelming. We still don't have much of a style of play with the ball. Again last night there seemed to be nothing through the middle. The only threat is from Bowen out AWB out wide that's it. A cross into the box is really the only time it ever creates a chance......its so poor and easy to play against. Off the ball we still lack a consistent press with energy for the majority of the game.
When Kilman or Todibo got played the ball last night, Isak and Murphy set triggers. They pressed with intensity and shape and kept forcing the ball back to Areola who didnt seem to realise that the 6 foot 8 cսnt Dan Burn wasn't playing for West Ham.
We started well first 15 mins then just got into a habit of just watching Newcastle ping it around us. Kudus and Bowen were shit off the ball, they just pinged it into Bruno or Tonali who then broke lines from there with ease. Our midfield lacks pace and energy. Most of our team run like theyre towing a caravan compared to most sides that turn up.
I've been banging the Soucek drum about how shit he is all season. Against arguably the best midfield 3 in the league....at home you cant play that trio there is not enough pace and not enough attacking intent with it. Alvarez played well i though, JWP ticks us over well and shows for it in tight areas. Soucek just gets shown up embarrassingly in games like that when it requires technical ability and us to be good on the ball to have a chance. He's passing is so bad, he trudges off up front to hide from having to get on the ball, then when it breaks down he tries to get back but looks like he will collapse while 30 yards the wrong side of their counter attack. Soler or Paqueta had to start last night instead.
In more positive news thought Kilman was superb last night, keeping Isak quiet is no mean feat. Todibo with the 60 mins stuff is strange, how will he get his fitness up if he doesnt play more than 60 mins?
Another postive is that being the last midweek game over there, fucking depressing coming out of there at 10 clock having watched that shit yet again. I know Potter hasn't got his squad etc.....but i was still expecting him to produce more than what he has with whats available. Everton and Wolves are big for us.
Oh and Ferguson a complete dud, had a shot 5 mins into his debut has he done anything of note since?
Thoroughly disappointing display again. It was clear it wasnt working but we stuck with it. None of the subs had a positive impact and our defense was overworked. Totally dominated in midfield and few chances we had were wasted.
Closer to an own goal.
Same old story. Teams press us and we cant play the ball out. When we try the same they get out easily and counter attack.
A couple of the players had some promising performances but its really clutching at straws to find something positive. Our play is stagnant and negative. The crowd unimpressed, quiet and atmosphere flat. I dont think anyone can see a bright future or any glimmers of improvement and all we have done is concede less but reduced our shot count to next to nothing.
Nobody goes to a game to watch a masterclass in defending. Players are playing with fear of trying something. All of them dont want to take responsibility.
Players are going to have to go in the Summer and we need to find some bargains as we wont have the money to replace them all. I was happy with our summer signings this season but they have been largely a huge disappointment. Injuries have played a big part but the central midfield has been our issue. We are so off the pace and lacking in vision and creativity.
The problem for Potter now is that he is starting to come across as a bit of a loser. I mean, we can't just keep losing home games and saying "But we look alot better than we did under Lope". That has gone now. Its time to start turning performances into results.
In Potter's defence, he has inherited an aging, unbalanced squad with alot of players that flatter to deceive. We don't have a recognised striker at the moment and that is telling. Lot's of possession last night and lots of probing but we only really had two good chances. We bring the ball out well from the back but its in midfield things slow down and last night became pedestrian and we did, in general, lack any bite and zip from midfield.
I like JWP, but he needs to be playing with a physical, athletic box to box midfielder that carries the ball. As time goes on I have realised that Alvarez is simply not good enough. Yes, he puts it about and plays with gritted teeth. He moves the ball well enough. But he lacks 'key' passes and doesn't carry the ball enough or with any control. JWP, Alvarez and Soucek are not going to win you many games in the PL in 2025.
But, on another night, we win that game. Newcastle there for the taking but we let them off with what can only be described as a performance that lacked a knockout punch. We definitely deserved a point and we played well enough to get something, To get nothing was disappointing and very unfair.
I have faith in Potter. I think with more games and a good summer window and pre-season, we start next season a different proposition. But he has to start winning his home games. Otherwise we will end up 17th and that's not a good look for a club of our size and stature.
honky cat" wrote: ↑11 Mar 2025, 08:43
Think he was right to start with the team that has won twice,
Disagree, we ain't in the 80's anymore, but the wider point is he plays exactly the same way regardless of who the oppo is whether it's Arsenal away or Leicester at home. Makes no sense to me, but what do I know.
This is probably the worst set of players we've had in a long time. The only standout players yesterday were Kudus and Bowen and even Kudus fucking annoys me with his lack of an end product.
Potter has his work cut out for him, that's for fucking sure.
he's under no threat of relegation, yet still continues with this minimalist/zero risk/depressing approach. in a system where he should have two genuine attacking players behind a striker, instead he's putting the whole responsibility on kudus/bowen. they're as isolated as mickey/scamacca/haller was in the jock bastard's 'park the bus' set up. why the fuck he feels the need to pack the central midfield while picking five defenders, only he knows
I don’t get this whole ‘let’s see what he does when he gets his own players in’
we’ve got no money to spend
what world class players is he going to be bringing in?
we’ve got to sell in order to buy
we’ve only got 3 players that are worth anything, Paqueta, Bowen and Kudus
Paqueta is probably about to be banned for life very soon and if you sell either of the other two you’ve got to replace them with the money you’ve just brought in
He came in and talked a good game but he’s not delivering, he’s not even trying, he’s just setting us up to not concede. But this is what he does, he went to Chelsea with a multi million pound squad and chose to play in a style that created very little chances, speak to any Chelsea fan and they’ll tell you he was utterly boring. He plays like this by choice, not because of the squad he’s inherited
Think he was right to start with the team that has won twice, but no one to bring on to freshen things up. All players that won't/shouldn't be here next season.
i dont want to dig out JWP particularly, but that a player that couldnt get a sniff in six months at Forest has just walked straight back into our team shows you the state of it.
Have we ever come back from a two week break and played well?
