West Ham Online

"We've conceded closed to 2 goals per game so far this season, compared to 1.4 last season, when let's face it we were horrible in the league. Moyes will tell you it's because we are adopting a more open attacking style of play, which is absolute nonsense. So why are we conceding so many? A few of my own views:- - We allow too many balls into the box. Both Coufal and Emerson do not stop the supply. - Our CBs have been poor (outside of straight high balls into the box). Aguerd's positing and mistakes have cost us and Zouma's leg's look gone. That goal yesterday when he literally gave up was a good example. - We are ""forcing in"" a midfield 3 of Soucek, JWP and Alvarez. No pace between the 3 of them and they seem to too close together often getting in eachothers way. - Paqueta loses the ball a lot and when played out of position on the left gives Emerson little to no cover. - We play too direct and force pressure back on us. Regardless of why though, it's a big problem that needs fixing. We can't keep conceding so many goals and something needs to give. Any other thoughts? Also not sure Zouma is working as captain. We lack a leader on the pitch."

"Yep, it's definitely the imagination.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uY4cVhXxW64"

Have we ever had a great defence under Moyes? Is it just an illusion? Even in his first successful season and a half with us it felt that we just scored more goals rather than stopped shipping them. There was always a mistake a game in every defender we had. That’s why we’ve always been looking for upgrades on Diop or Fredrick’s etc. but in general we just had more of a goal threat before. Not getting a striker to replace Antonio is just putting the spotlight on an already leaky defensive setup that’s been there for ages.

"love declan, but we still lost twenty league games last year with him. It's the system/manager that's the problem"

"We do not defend very well as a team, protecting our goal is not just a back four thing and it is clear that we are missing the effective patrolling that Rice provided."

The problem is that we are constantly chopping and changing the defensive line ups Including the midfield.. There's no understanding between them yet Moyes needs to stick to a system and the backbone of the team needs to be played... Mavropanos and Aguerd need to be the 2 starters in the middle of defence with Alvarez in front with JWP and Paqueta in the middle... Bowen Kudus and Antonio up front Moyes is gutless and reactionary so he will stick to having Soucek in so will leave Antonio out to fit Soucek in... that may work as long aswell as long as Souceks goal run continues and doesn't push Paqueta out wide. Problem is Soucek Paqueta and JWP all play in the same space and leave the fullbacks exposed... the lack of pace means cover is too slow.. But that is the legacy of Moyes's transfer policy...

"Leroys, I never thought I’d be thinking that because I was 100% against Maguire, but watching the game at the weekend your sentiment is exacty what popped into my head. Our CB’s really are that bad."

….and you’ve got a big CHOMP Nick….hahaha!

We've won 5 and lost 5

Hahaha! Very good Nick QQQ…but it is only Braindead you’ve mugged off…. :-)

Our loss ratio suggests that doesn't happen very often

Who cares so long as we score one more?

I remember the days I was accused of having an AGENDA against Aguerd. Seems hilarious now.

"We have no leaders in this team, there are no do or die attitudes, throw your body on the line etc Just a bunch of poncey foreigners I 100% get Moyes's pursuit of Maguire now"

"I've said before that we really missed a trick with Tarkowski, fuck knows how that didn't happen, and Maguire would have 100% been an upgrade, despite what some might think, but that's been done to death on here."

"Aguerd is so overrated mistake a game, zouma ok but Bambi on ice, mav not quite sure but again mistake a game, oggie getting on, so clean sheets will be rare."

"We have an inconsistent defense due to injuries and suspensions. We have a lot of different languages and nationalities at the bay. Languages include the following: Czech, Arabic, French, Greek, Spanish, German and Italian. English is a second language for all of these players and there is no Dawson or Declan to bring this together. Cresswell, who could do this, is out of the picture. It's just a theory."

I thought it might be because Moyes doesn’t know how to coach defending so spends all of his time on attack…

I thought it might be because Moyes doesn’t know how to coach defending so spends all of his time on attack…

Mainly Declan Rice…

"So in short there is probably a dozen reasons, and you would probably be here all day analyzing it. But let's be honest we have never been great at keeping clean sheets, even under BFS, it is the West Ham way."

"I agree with Moyes we are adopting a more aggressive style of play. We have also been playing twice a week which makes it hard to play press, chasing every ball and husking to shut down every pass takes a lot of effort and energy, we don’t have depth of squad to do that just yet. Zouma is slow, and pace at the back and in the middle is also part of the problem so I agree there. Overall I’d say it’s a combination of all of the above though."

The answer is blindingly obvious: Moyes needs to play even more players out of position.

"So sounds like a general ""Moyesball"" issue on surrendering possession. That said there is no denying individual mistake of late, can Moyes be blamed of that? Regardless though lack of cover at full back and allowing balls into the box over and over again is a big problem in my opinion. I'm also not convinced with Kudos on the right, he doesn't work as hard as Bowen. That and the fact Bowen is wasted as a CF."

"We have been experimenting with pressing higher, particularly in the last two Prem games, in which we have conceded 5 goals. When we are pressing higher we are at our most vulnerable because of our lack of pace at the back."

", 2:45 Mon Nov 13 Re: Most goals conceded outside of the bottom 4 - why? Haha that’s a WALLOP"