West Ham Online

"Posted the same last year. Nothing has changed, except win don't win matches anymore. I'm fed up, we can do much better"

"Thursday night, Chelsea lose to Fulham and Potter is quickly dispatched. Saturday West Ham lose to Wolves and Moyes is dispatched, Saturday Everton lose to Southampton and Lampard is dispatched, This could be a 3 way swap with West Ham ending up in an unexpected better place. Moyes go Everton Potter to West Ham Lampard back to caretake at Chelsea Everyone back in their rightful homes. The way brighton played is the West Ham way."

"Russ of the BML 11:12 Mon Jan 9 Agree 110% :-) Maybe it won't transform our play but looking at Downes and the games he has played, he is a central defensive midfielder in everything he is good at which is ball recovery and very good short passing through a tight midfield. The ability to play a little ball ""around the corner""ù is sorely needed to beat the opposition press. Soucek has and will never do that. It's got to be worth trying but Moyes or Nevin or both must have a problem with Downes? Sure he will never be knocking a 30 yard pass but that's not his job. He intercepts / tackles and recycles it to Rice or Paqueta and provides cover for them and the defence. Old fashioned ""water carrier""ù. Kante was the best there has ever been and had real pace and no surprise he was key to the success of every side he played for. Downes is not that level but is much quicker than Soucek and can do a decent job in the role imo. Fornals should also never be out wide. He should be a no 10. That's where he played before he came to us mostly. Fabianski is one of the best at saving shots etc but the modern goalkeeper has to be able to play with his feet. If Areola cannot do it get another keeper. It limits us to having to hoof it out far too much when pressed high and give it back to the opposition. That was the game 20 years ago. As Tex and others say, Moyes has simply passed his sell by date and not open to changing to way the game has changed via Klopp/Pep etc. I was looking at Rice now been moved back to anchoring in the 3 midfield. Exactly what he did for England at the WC and Imo negates his ability to run at teams with the ball. Nevin the England coach may well be a far bigger influence on Moyes than we think?"

"Russ I said it was an aside. I'm not interested in the ongoing debate about the merits or demerits of Soucek, I just asked what evidence you had to suggest he was good in the air. Turns out you have none. Just as I thought"

Russ Ag! That's the second time you've made me chuckle this morning.

And what's the other option? Keep Soucek in the side lumbering around like a fucking lanky spastic?

onsideman 12:55 Mon Jan 9 Oh for fuck sake - He's six foot and an athlete. The cսnt can jump to compete and win a fucking header. I'm not asking him to solve the Da Vinci Code.

"Russ of the BML 11:18 Mon Jan 9 Sorry, as an aside can you point me towards any evidence whatsoever that Pacqueta is good in the air?"

"Teams have sussed our set piece tactics anyway, time to try something new or we won't score Soucek or no Soucek."

I think the future could be big. A team of giants where we head the ball down the field and never let it touch the grass. It could revolutionise the sport üòÇ

Soucek has the height but unfortunately not the ability.

claypole 11:16 Mon Jan 9 Rice and Paqueta are good in the air so can't see the problem. Our defenders are also good in the air. Are you are saying we should have Soucek in the side for his height at set plays then?

With Downes in the team I don't see how we can defend or attack the set piece!!

"Sir Alf 10:29 Sun Jan 8 Stick to your guns mate. I personally enjoy your posts. They are knowledgeble and balanced. Anyway, I've been saying this for ages - Now we know Paqueta isn't a 10, I don't know why Moyes doesn't go with Rice, Downes and Paqueta. Push Paqueta up when we have the ball and give Rice licence to carry the ball forward when he can. Let Downes do alot of closing down and then when he has the ball just popping it between the lines. Its such a more dynamic midfield with loads of options."

If we lose on Saturday surely he goes then . It's strongly rumoured if we're in the bottom 3 after 19 games the club can sack him for next to nothing. I hope the dwarf is kept away from picking his replacement thou . given he will in all probability be out the club within months .

"Sir Alf""¶ Also need a left back""¶ Why would Areola be better than Fabianski ? Saved us points in recent games""¶ Agree with your other comments""¶Moyes is not the answer""¶he's outdated""¶"

Sorry if I'm one of life's optimists and actually enjoy West Ham winning and having a cup run rather predicting we are going down to the Championship

joyo 8:58 Sun Jan 8 Did it ever occur to you that if we played some nicer football to watch people wouldnt be as miserable instead of being forced to watch the same boring tactics every week!

"You're a youngster 62Hammer :-). Well a few years younger. My drivel is a kind of therapy for me really. Sort of a ""let it all out""ù type thing which now I think of it is beginning to be associated with my toilet habits too :-)"

I personally enjoy Sir Alf's daily drivel. But we're around the same age I think!

Nothing wrong with Alfs post at all.

No problem Hopper :-)

I've given up on reading Sir Alf's daily drivel.

"Whoever is manager needs another forward because Antonio is not the answer and we don't set up and play in a way that Scamacca might thrive. Moyes has lost most fans due to continued perseverance with players and a system of play that has been failing for 12 months. I will qualify it a little and concede that I can see he and Nevin, his chief ""tactician""ù, are trying to get us to keep the ball better and pass more as our counter attack set up of sitting deep in numbers and keeping it tight etc (Plan A) started to get rumbled earlier this year. However, his version of us trying to keep the ball is half baked IMO. Partially because he is still picking 4 or 5 of his old guard who are not suited to this style ( Soucek, Dawson, Cresswell, Coufal, Antonio, Fabianski and even Johnson ) as they all are either technically wanting ( passing and control ) or lacking in pace / mobility or both. Allied to this is a half cocked approach where we are not coached, or due to aforementioned players, cannot play at a high enough tempo, do not press very well and lack the movement to do anything much but pass it back and forth, side to side as teams sit deep. We may need another right back and midfield in addition to another striker but until we see a Moyes team including a few more of the new signings and coached / drilled / with fitness to actually play out from the back ( relies on a keeper who uses his feet ) and holding onto possession better and pressing far better when out of possession, we will not be certain. Downes for Soucek and Areola for Fabianski needs to be tried. Downes to be the holding midfielder with paqueta and Rice in the other 2 spots but allowing Rice to carry the ball at teams. Moyes as I say, shows no sign of taking the risk of playing a higher press, getting players forward quicker in numbers and generally playing at a high tempo, lots of movement etc. We will continue to see his old favourites picked and Scamacca isolated, Fornals out wide , Soucek chasing shadows in midfield etc. As mentioned, Wolves have improved noticeably and will beat us. They don't score enough ( like us ) but 1or 2 will be enough and they will have 70% or more possession."

Joyo should be book the open top bus now or wait until after derby?

Joyo Good for you chum if you happen to think everything is hunky dory with Moyes at the helm. Let's have a conservation again in April you might very well be right with your predictions. The Moyes out fraternity have a completely different outlook. Can we tempt you to come on board?