West Ham vs Manchester United | Pre-Season Friendly | 26.07.2025

[stubbo-admin]

Not sure the merits of chucking this up, but there's a Scoreaxis page for the game so went with it.

 
Match Centre:

Odds:
West Ham: 14/5
Draw: 11/4
Man Utd: 19/20

Pre-Match Press Conference:
TBC

Watch-along:
TBC

Streams:

 
https://en84.sportplus.live/football/cl ... y/6951759/




https://champagne.pages.dev/docs/gettin ... ive-sports


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


 

[El Scorchio]

 

Without having to go in to the entire Squad, I can stop you there straight away with Clubs being interested in Aguerd after his decent season out on loan for Real Sociedad. 



Even Real Madrid were persistently sniffing around him, as were obviously Real Sociedad, Roma, Juventus.

Selling Kudus to raise funds wasn't the only way, it was the easy way. 

How you are excusing Potter entirely is mind-blowing here. "All problems point in one direction only".

And did anyone make a serious bid? Nope. If they had he’d have been off like a shot. If they do he’ll be off like a shot. But they haven’t. Just like with every other one of our players. Who said I’m excusing Potter? It should have been better but I’m choosing to believe that he’ll be able to improve it with those couple of players we sorely need. To suggest anyone other than Sullivan is the root cause of all our problems is mental. Everything happens or doesn’t happen on his whims or say so. Even if you’re blaming Potter for basically everything, who chose to employ the guy?

 

It goes without saying Sullivan is the root cause of everything fucked up at the Club and have and continue to hammer him at every opportunity but you said..

"all of the problems point ultimately in one direction only"

Sorry, can't accept that. All managers deserve their fair share of the blame (yes even Lopetegui who I dug out when we were getting dicked and struggling to get going etc). And Potter continues to make piss poor decisions, so no I cannot pin it all on Sullivan only. 

​​As for Aguerd, now we can get back to the incompetence of Brady/Sullivan for not doing their jobs properly enough sorting that out. It's up to them to make such deals happen but they clearly chose the lazy Kudus route. No agg for them, on top of Potter deciding to keep Aguerd by the looks of it. So he can decide when he feels like working with someone who's much easier to manage. 

Me saying that about Sullivan doesn't absolve anyone else hence the use of the word ultimately, but Potter, Lop, Moyes, the stadium move, the shit state of the squad, the horrendous state of the club finances, it's ALL just a symptom and not the root cause. We all know the true cause of the cancer eating away at us.

You seem overly keen to lump a lot at Potter's feet so it goes both ways. Blaming him in any complicit way for the club selling Kudus and not Aguerd is a bit of a stretch. He'd obviously have wanted to keep both of them. No manager in an ideal world would want to sell their best players. But it's pretty fucking far from an ideal world with Sullivan bending over like a whore and begging clubs to take Kudus before the season even ended (just like he did with Declan Rice) so he can pay his fucking Wonga loan back at the expense of the playing staff. The money wasn't coming from any other source. Sullivan is the only one who chose to sell Kudus.

[Massive Attack]

 I'm no fan of Potter's but don't forget this "nice" squad was largely assembled by others... including your mate, Massive

As an aside it's hugely depressing that Rodriguez, Cornet  and others were taken to the states. Looks like Emerson is the only one certain to go at this stage 




 

First of all Potter would need an owners backing. 

Why would anyone really bother when he was gifted Ferguson in January, only to virtually ignore him the time he had him? The same wasteful manager who along with Macauley brought and scouted Mudryk to Chelsea. His track record in the market isn't great.  

[southbankbornnbred]

Watching this club under this dreadful chairman and board is like observing a never‑ending car crash - and everyone’s ignoring the fact that Antonio's driving.

The manager’s built-in inferiority complex means every game plan reads like an apology letter to the opposition and fans even before kick-off.

Meanwhile, the players resemble a sad convoy of shopping trolleys: lacking pace, vision and (for the most part) an inability to change direction quickly.

It's such a joy to be West Ham. Buckle up, it's a long journey through to May.
COYI!

[stubbo-admin]

Unless one or two of our kids step up faster than we expect, this is going to be a long and hard season.

At this point, genuinely, I'd say we're a strong bet to be one of the three relegated teams. And that's not expectation management etc. I just think we're a bag of shite right now. It's all so underwhelming from the boardroom to the manger, and through to key parts of the team.

We still need at least two top-class players - those who genuinely improve the starting XI, not squad fodder - before the season starts.

If Bowen gets injured, this squad (right now) is screwed. We are so heavily reliant on him that it's shocking.

Totally agree with this. Hard to see how we win games without Bowen either scoring or assisting. 

[southbankbornnbred]

Unless one or two of our kids step up faster than we expect, this is going to be a long and hard season.

At this point, genuinely, I'd say we're a strong bet to be one of the three relegated teams. And that's not expectation management etc. I just think we're a bag of shite right now. It's all so underwhelming from the boardroom to the manger, and through to key parts of the team.

We still need at least two top-class players - those who genuinely improve the starting XI, not squad fodder - before the season starts.

If Bowen gets injured, this squad (right now) is screwed. We are so heavily reliant on him that it's shocking.

[Keep dreaming]

 I'm no fan of Potter's but don't forget this "nice" squad was largely assembled by others... including your mate, Massive

As an aside it's hugely depressing that Rodriguez, Cornet  and others were taken to the states. Looks like Emerson is the only one certain to go at this stage 

 

I agree with this.
343, 541 or 442 doesn't really give a shit with this lot.
First of all Potter would need an owners backing. He certainly hasn't got that so far, so I'm pointing my finger towards Sullivan, Moyes and then Lopetegui, in that order...

[Massive Attack]

And the previous managers have also been blamed for their part, as I have Steidten, Brady and Sullivan for assembling it. It's Potters turn now to get his just deserts for making a pigs ear of it aided and abetted by the BS regime.

[honky cat]

It's painful to say it, but right now I'd take Harry Maguire over any of the centre backs, and I'd even have Foderingham in the side over Areola if he knows how to use his voice box.

 

 

But our 'fans' didnt want Maguire. . . .or McTominay.
Too much importance is placed on the opinions of some nobody, sat in his bedroom talking shit into his webcam and people taking it all as gospel. 
​​​​​
​​​​​​This current shitshow has been years in the making and many factors come into play, managers, owners and even some of our fans. I think the best outcome for this season is to try and shift out more of the deadwood and want aways, somehow not get relegated and gradually bring in players we actually want here.

[onsideman]

 I'm no fan of Potter's but don't forget this "nice" squad was largely assembled by others... including your mate, Massive

As an aside it's hugely depressing that Rodriguez, Cornet  and others were taken to the states. Looks like Emerson is the only one certain to go at this stage 
 

[Massive Attack]

Could say that for most of the Squad. It's all too 'nice', very in-keeping with Potter. Everything's far too nice and easy going ladeda as he skips through a field of daisy's in his head. 

 

[stubbo-admin]

And then another issue....we've a group of defenders all comfortable in the ball, but not one of them is a hard cսnt who will take offence at being outmuscled, and not one of them can organise or talk to the others.

Nice boy mutes all of them. We need some nasty cսnt to come in, sit in the middle of two of them (on yesterday's showing Aguerd or Scarles on the left, and Mavropanos on the right), and scream at them all for 90 mins per match. 

Plus of course a keeper who also knows what it means to talk to his defence, instead of flap around pointing like a mime artist. 

It's painful to say it, but right now I'd take Harry Maguire over any of the centre backs, and I'd even have Foderingham in the side over Areola if he knows how to use his voice box.

[stubbo-admin]

Just sat through the whole game. Across the board we're shite in midfield. 

Lots have raved a out Potts when he came on and yes he was better than Guido, but he also came on after Man Utd had changed their whole XI and were comfortably in front.

Still didn't see enough to suggest he's the answer.

Biggest problem other than midfield personnel is we move the ball SO SLOWLY. Zero penetration with teams happy to let us play around with it in front of them. No one who can really open a team up. 

Paqueta at least came on and looked to dictate the play, but teams are going to low block and swarm us with us playing it around by the centre backs.

And shock horror, our key moment was a goal scored on the break, by Bowen, with the other team turned. 

Any team with a brain will just let us have the ball, and wait for us to shoot ourselves in the foot. 

Crab football alive and well.

[Massive Attack]

Not a single club has been interested at all in any of our other players. 

 

Without having to go in to the entire Squad, I can stop you there straight away with Clubs being interested in Aguerd after his decent season out on loan for Real Sociedad. 



Even Real Madrid were persistently sniffing around him, as were obviously Real Sociedad, Roma, Juventus.

Selling Kudus to raise funds wasn't the only way, it was the easy way. 

How you are excusing Potter entirely is mind-blowing here. "All problems point in one direction only".

And did anyone make a serious bid? Nope. If they had he’d have been off like a shot. If they do he’ll be off like a shot. But they haven’t. Just like with every other one of our players. Who said I’m excusing Potter? It should have been better but I’m choosing to believe that he’ll be able to improve it with those couple of players we sorely need. To suggest anyone other than Sullivan is the root cause of all our problems is mental. Everything happens or doesn’t happen on his whims or say so. Even if you’re blaming Potter for basically everything, who chose to employ the guy?

 

 

It goes without saying Sullivan is the root cause of everything fucked up at the Club and have and continue to hammer him at every opportunity but you said..

"all of the problems point ultimately in one direction only"

Sorry, can't accept that. All managers deserve their fair share of the blame (yes even Lopetegui who I dug out when we were getting dicked and struggling to get going etc). And Potter continues to make piss poor decisions, so no I cannot pin it all on Sullivan only. 

​​As for Aguerd, now we can get back to the incompetence of Brady/Sullivan for not doing their jobs properly enough sorting that out. It's up to them to make such deals happen but they clearly chose the lazy Kudus route. No agg for them, on top of Potter deciding to keep Aguerd by the looks of it. So he can decide when he feels like working with someone who's much easier to manage. 

[onsideman]

 

Then he's even more of a weak cսnt than I thought he initially was then. Stop being such a Yes Man to the Board and have some bollocks and say no, we will do this another way. "He stays, I can get the best out of him again". That's what a good manager does when he has genuine quality on his books, regardless of how difficult they can be. He's such a pushover it's embarrassing. The winners are Sullivan/Brady as they get to manipulate him with ease. Who's next through the door you say Wilson and likely Brownhill... 

Selling Kudus definitely wasn't the 'only' way to generate funds. And make no mistake, Potter couldn't handle Kudus and was more than happy to see him leave ASAP. No great shakes said by him about keeping him, radio silence for the most part happy for the sale to go through.

Also selling Kudus rushed the way that we did, we undersold him by a long way which was long term counterproductive hemorrhaging more money when the potential should be a lot more. Like he was after his 1st season proved. £55M for his talent in todays market?? You fucking sure, West Ham?! Spurs got a right steal there under a much better manager who will get the best out of him.

Not a single club has been interested at all in any of our other players. 

 

Without having to go in to the entire Squad, I can stop you there straight away with Clubs being interested in Aguerd after his decent season out on loan for Real Sociedad. 



Even Real Madrid were persistently sniffing around him, as were obviously Real Sociedad, Roma, Juventus.

Selling Kudus to raise funds wasn't the only way, it was the easy way. 

How you are excusing Potter entirely is mind-blowing here. "All problems point in one direction only".

 

 

Do you honestly believe that if any of those teams *actually* wanted him (rather than being mentioned in online speculation) and then made a concrete offer that a player who allegedly still wants out wouldn't have gone?

[E6 Hammer]

Not a single club has been interested at all in any of our other players. 

 

Without having to go in to the entire Squad, I can stop you there straight away with Clubs being interested in Aguerd after his decent season out on loan for Real Sociedad. 



Even Real Madrid were persistently sniffing around him, as were obviously Real Sociedad, Roma, Juventus.

Selling Kudus to raise funds wasn't the only way, it was the easy way. 

How you are excusing Potter entirely is mind-blowing here. "All problems point in one direction only".

And did anyone make a serious bid? Nope. If they had he’d have been off like a shot. If they do he’ll be off like a shot. But they haven’t. Just like with every other one of our players. Who said I’m excusing Potter? It should have been better but I’m choosing to believe that he’ll be able to improve it with those couple of players we sorely need. To suggest anyone other than Sullivan is the root cause of all our problems is mental. Everything happens or doesn’t happen on his whims or say so. Even if you’re blaming Potter for basically everything, who chose to employ the guy?

Everything happens or it doesn’t…..

no shit Sherlock 

[El Scorchio]

 

Then he's even more of a weak cսnt than I thought he initially was then. Stop being such a Yes Man to the Board and have some bollocks and say no, we will do this another way. "He stays, I can get the best out of him again". That's what a good manager does when he has genuine quality on his books, regardless of how difficult they can be. He's such a pushover it's embarrassing. The winners are Sullivan/Brady as they get to manipulate him with ease. Who's next through the door you say Wilson and likely Brownhill... 

Selling Kudus definitely wasn't the 'only' way to generate funds. And make no mistake, Potter couldn't handle Kudus and was more than happy to see him leave ASAP. No great shakes said by him about keeping him, radio silence for the most part happy for the sale to go through.

Also selling Kudus rushed the way that we did, we undersold him by a long way which was long term counterproductive hemorrhaging more money when the potential should be a lot more. Like he was after his 1st season proved. £55M for his talent in todays market?? You fucking sure, West Ham?! Spurs got a right steal there under a much better manager who will get the best out of him.

Not a single club has been interested at all in any of our other players. 

 

Without having to go in to the entire Squad, I can stop you there straight away with Clubs being interested in Aguerd after his decent season out on loan for Real Sociedad. 



Even Real Madrid were persistently sniffing around him, as were obviously Real Sociedad, Roma, Juventus.

Selling Kudus to raise funds wasn't the only way, it was the easy way. 

How you are excusing Potter entirely is mind-blowing here. "All problems point in one direction only".

And did anyone make a serious bid? Nope. If they had he’d have been off like a shot. If they do he’ll be off like a shot. But they haven’t. Just like with every other one of our players. Who said I’m excusing Potter? It should have been better but I’m choosing to believe that he’ll be able to improve it with those couple of players we sorely need. To suggest anyone other than Sullivan is the root cause of all our problems is mental. Everything happens or doesn’t happen on his whims or say so. Even if you’re blaming Potter for basically everything, who chose to employ the guy?

[Massive Attack]

I really don’t think it was his preference to sell Kudus. It was the only way to get any transfer funds seen as clearly no fucker is interested in buying any other player we have and we know now we had to sell before buying. Sadly the only sellable asset worth a bean. What we need is the fucking owner to pull Salthouses dick out of his mouth and sanction the purchase of players we need to improve the team rather than his and his mates bank balances. 

 

Then he's even more of a weak cսnt than I thought he initially was then. Stop being such a Yes Man to the Board and have some bollocks and say no, we will do this another way. "He stays, I can get the best out of him again". That's what a good manager does when he has genuine quality on his books, regardless of how difficult they can be. He's such a pushover it's embarrassing. The winners are Sullivan/Brady as they get to manipulate him with ease. Who's next through the door you say Wilson and likely Brownhill... 

Selling Kudus definitely wasn't the 'only' way to generate funds. And make no mistake, Potter couldn't handle Kudus and was more than happy to see him leave ASAP. No great shakes said by him about keeping him, radio silence for the most part happy for the sale to go through.

Also selling Kudus rushed the way that we did, we undersold him by a long way which was long term counterproductive hemorrhaging more money when the potential should be a lot more. Like he was after his 1st season proved. £55M for his talent in todays market?? You fucking sure, West Ham?! Spurs got a right steal there under a much better manager who will get the best out of him.

Not a single club has been interested at all in any of our other players. 

 

 

Without having to go in to the entire Squad, I can stop you there straight away with Clubs being interested in Aguerd after his decent season out on loan for Real Sociedad. 



Even Real Madrid were persistently sniffing around him, as were obviously Real Sociedad, Roma, Juventus.

Selling Kudus to raise funds wasn't the only way, it was the easy way. 

How you are excusing Potter entirely is mind-blowing here. "All problems point in one direction only".

[Vexed]

Areola made 2 errors that led to goals
Was reading despite the pressure he was under with a shit Leicester defence Hermansen made one of those errors all last season
Am sure we can get some sort of fee for Areola that will contribute to his cost … maybe £20m for Hermansen & half that for Areola

 

 

Areola will be having a long sit down on the bench to dream about living happily on Fuschal with Dave Lister as soon as someone without biscuits for hands rocks up. There's no way these idiots have time to bring in another keeper on top of the keeper they're currently dithering over. We're averaging a player in every month so far.... we need another four minimum.

[El Scorchio]

And was very happy to clear off Kudus out the door at the 1st opportunity he got because he's too much of a weak cuck manager to handle him. Better manager's work with them and bring the best out of them, even if they are difficult. Redknapp/Di Canio is a great example of that. Some managers can man-manage, others are hopeless at it.

I really don’t think it was his preference to sell Kudus. It was the only way to get any transfer funds seen as clearly no fucker is interested in buying any other player we have and we know now we had to sell before buying. Sadly the only sellable asset worth a bean. What we need is the fucking owner to pull Salthouses dick out of his mouth and sanction the purchase of players we need to improve the team rather than his and his mates bank balances. 

 

Then he's even more of a weak cսnt than I thought he initially was then. Stop being such a Yes Man to the Board and have some bollocks and say no, we will do this another way. "He stays, I can get the best out of him again". That's what a good manager does when he has genuine quality on his books, regardless of how difficult they can be. He's such a pushover it's embarrassing. The winners are Sullivan/Brady as they get to manipulate him with ease. Who's next through the door you say Wilson and likely Brownhill... 

Selling Kudus definitely wasn't the 'only' way to generate funds. And make no mistake, Potter couldn't handle Kudus and was more than happy to see him leave ASAP. No great shakes said by him about keeping him, radio silence for the most part happy for the sale to go through.

Also selling Kudus rushed the way that we did, we undersold him by a long way which was long term counterproductive hemorrhaging more money when the potential should be a lot more. Like he was after his 1st season proved. £55M for his talent in todays market?? You fucking sure, West Ham?! Spurs got a right steal there under a much better manager who will get the best out of him.

Not a single club has been interested at all in any of our other players. Not a single club. If that doesn’t speak volumes about the quality of our squad then I’m not sure what does. I reckon we might be able to shift Alvarez for some ok money but that’s about it. And I wouldn’t pick to sell him out of what we have in an ideal world at all seen as he’s the only one semi useful in CM despite also being slow as treacle and a walking yellow card. Of course it doesn’t help when the chairman blurts out how desperate we are to sell anyone and get some money to pay back our Wonga style loan before we can even do any business. That’s why we got such a paltry fee. And the player being obstinate. Between them they really fucked our chances of getting any sort of good deal. Bet he’s a fucking shit poker player. Sure Potter could have demanded we don’t sell Kudus but then no-one aside from Callum Wilson comes in. It’s clearly the lesser of two evils unfortunately. 

No one is covering themselves in glory here but all of the problems point ultimately in one direction only. 

[Massive Attack]

Its ok blaming potter . And I'm no fan of him either. But how anybody can't see the real  culprit is Sullivan is beyond me . 

Who said he isn't on here?

[Massive Attack]

the football was dire a lot of the time, but he picked up more points than Potter.
the football is still dire and Potter is less capable of picking up points.

And was very happy to clear off Kudus out the door at the 1st opportunity he got because he's too much of a weak cuck manager to handle him. Better manager's work with them and bring the best out of them, even if they are difficult. Redknapp/Di Canio is a great example of that. Some managers can man-manage, others are hopeless at it.

I really don’t think it was his preference to sell Kudus. It was the only way to get any transfer funds seen as clearly no fucker is interested in buying any other player we have and we know now we had to sell before buying. Sadly the only sellable asset worth a bean. What we need is the fucking owner to pull Salthouses dick out of his mouth and sanction the purchase of players we need to improve the team rather than his and his mates bank balances. 

 

 

Then he's even more of a weak cսnt than I thought he initially was then. Stop being such a Yes Man to the Board and have some bollocks and say no, we will do this another way. "He stays, I can get the best out of him again". That's what a good manager does when he has genuine quality on his books, regardless of how difficult they can be. He's such a pushover it's embarrassing. The winners are Sullivan/Brady as they get to manipulate him with ease. Who's next through the door you say Wilson and likely Brownhill... 

Selling Kudus definitely wasn't the 'only' way to generate funds. And make no mistake, Potter couldn't handle Kudus and was more than happy to see him leave ASAP. No great shakes said by him about keeping him, radio silence for the most part happy for the sale to go through.

Also selling Kudus rushed the way that we did, we undersold him by a long way which was long term counterproductive hemorrhaging more money when the potential should be a lot more. Like he was after his 1st season proved. £55M for his talent in todays market?? You fucking sure, West Ham?! Spurs got a right steal there under a much better manager who will get the best out of him.

[goose]

i dont think anyone will argue Sullivan's mismanagement of the club.

but i can recognise that, and also Potter's inability to set up and pick a decent team.

[Pshyco scored all 4]

Its ok blaming potter . And I'm no fan of him either. But how anybody can't see the real  culprit is Sullivan is beyond me . There's still wankers on kumb defending the potless  dwarf imbecile.  simply put Sullivan cannot afford a club the size of WHUFC in  2025 .  He's skint . and kretinsky is no longer willing to bail him out . That's the problem. 

[El Scorchio]

Not what everyone on here was saying at the time. I get that it’s been crap but there seems to be some misty eyes over Moyes coming now. The football was dire then as well and he’s played a big part in why the squad is so inadequate now. 

the football was dire a lot of the time, but he picked up more points than Potter.
the football is still dire and Potter is less capable of picking up points.

And was very happy to clear off Kudus out the door at the 1st opportunity he got because he's too much of a weak cuck manager to handle him. Better manager's work with them and bring the best out of them, even if they are difficult. Redknapp/Di Canio is a great example of that. Some managers can man-manage, others are hopeless at it.

I really don’t think it was his preference to sell Kudus. It was the only way to get any transfer funds seen as clearly no fucker is interested in buying any other player we have and we know now we had to sell before buying. Sadly the only sellable asset worth a bean. What we need is the fucking owner to pull Salthouses dick out of his mouth and sanction the purchase of players we need to improve the team rather than his and his mates bank balances. 

[El Scorchio]

We finished 9th the previous season so very far from shit. We added numerous international players to that squad but both coaches made the team worse.

stop making excuses for the terrible football he has served up.
26% win ratio with those players is embarrassing.

Not what everyone on here was saying at the time. I get that it’s been crap but there seems to be some misty eyes over Moyes coming now. The football was dire then as well and he’s played a big part in why the squad is so inadequate now. 

the football was dire a lot of the time, but he picked up more points than Potter.
the football is still dire and Potter is less capable of picking up points.

 

 

Yup I’m not going to necessarily argue but I am in the minority here who thinks that we can genuinely look quite a lot better with a couple of new central midfielders. They didn’t have to do much under Moyes so their weaknesses really were not exposed. Then cruelly exposed under both new managers.