West Ham Online

". ........... V Emirates Stadium THURSDAY 28th Dec 20:15GMT VAR Craig Pawson Michael Oliver: (12) - 52 4 Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Rice, ?òdegaard ¬©, Trossard, Martinelli, Saka, Jesus Subs: Ramsdale (GK), C?©dric, Kiwior, Jorginho, Nwaneri, Elneny, Nelson, Smith Rowe, Nketiah Areola, Coufal, Ogbonna ¬©, Mavropanos, Emerson, ?Ålvarez, Souƒçek, Paquet?°, Kudus, Ward-Prowse, Bowen Subs: Fabia?Ñski (GK), Johnson, Cresswell, Kehrer, Fornals, Benrahma, Cornet, Ings, Mubama Arsenal 1/3 : Draw 4/1: West Ham 15/2 . Amazon Prime UK ."

Hope I’m wrong but I think our midfield will be given the runaround tonight.

Fuck Arsenal. 3-2 win to us!

Hope we play with more intensity than we did the first 70 mins against Man U otherwise we'll get slaughtered

Everyone expects us to get nothing. We should be going there to attack and try to take three by taking a risk and being brave rather than grimly hang on for one.

"Manuel 2:17 Wed Dec 27 Re: ‚ö? Arsenal v West Ham - Official Match Thread - Preview I don't like the term ''free hit'' much, it sounds weak, but in this case already being on 27 points and coming up against a top side away from home, it probably is. Just hope we have a go at them and minimum let them know they've been in a game. I expect us to lose, but there is always hope, what with our front line who can score pretty much from nothing. __ Absolute loser mentality and you can't even get your facts right whilst hoisting the proverbial white flag. How embarrassing for you, Manuel. As a top half side, we shouldn't be writing off games against anyone. Arsenal are beatable. We just have to play well and execute our game plan effectively."

Very likely Rice will snuff out those counter attacks as he shows why he had to move on…but hey let’s be ok with that we got a shitload of money for him….modern football has us down as fodder for the big clubs….it’s even termed ‘being West Ham’….ffs

"Manuel……I think we have 30 points, not 27. I doubt we’ll change our style and continue to rely on fast counter attacks. It works well, when the players are up for it. This is ‘just one of those ‘hope for the best’ games. ⚒⚒"

"I don't like the term ''free hit'' much, it sounds weak, but in this case already being on 27 points and coming up against a top side away from home, it probably is. Just hope we have a go at them and minimum let them know they've been in a game. I expect us to lose, but there is always hope, what with our front line who can score pretty much from nothing."

"Against the better passing teams who press well and have good technicians we can never go “toe to toe”. It has to be the Moyesball “low block”’keeping in shape and sitting deep and relying on counters or set pieces. Nothing wrong with the fast counters because against “lesser teams” we can exploit a bad pass or them pushing forward too much etc. However the very best ( rich 4 or 5 City, Liverpool, Arsenal and even Spurs, Chelsea in former years ) we will have to hope we don’t concede too early and have the “rub of the Green” so as to speak. It will be the same against Arsenal. Moyes will rely on us staying narrow, deep and in shape to force them down the outside and restrict their chances. Basically nullify Sako and Martinelli and block of channels for Odegaard and Co. 20% possession and a passive midfield. Unlikely to work but that’s what we will do and hope to get a quick counter with Kudus or Bowen exploiting one of Paquetas quick instinctive passes. It has been effective but far less likely against the very best teams. At the root of our problems is obviously this Moyesball thinking or rectify for every game. We’ve never had or played a proper wide left midfielder under his reign. We have one at least but he never gets a minute ( Cornet). All this is to accommodate the lanky, painfully slow Soucek for the low block system. Assuming we are not getting the ball much we need his aerial ability in both boxes and Moyes sacrifices midfield because the brutal reality is Soucek adds nothing to it. Doesn’t touch it much and loses it as he’s easily pressed being so slow. He trundles back and marks space which has some value but is essentially a huge traffic cone. While he is picked and midfield control sacrificed along with possession we will always be limited against better teams. We might pull off a Spurs smash and grab or robbery but most likely a 2 or 3 goal defeat. None of us want that and wish we would “try” to match them but if you don’t pick a proper wide left midfield player or recruit one you will pick it perhaps suggest you don’t see having the ball as a priority Long winded diatribe or ramblings as usual from me ( I have the Samaritans number for those of you who have got this far ) but away from home, against a fast, pressing Arsenal I see little hope. We get a result undeservedly is our best chance. I’d take it, we all would but it’s the reason why Steidten ultimately will replace Moyes. It’s limited. *** takes deep breath, and returns to Xmas book “The art of boring the arse off people “ ***"

No. What’s wrong with mentioning the youth team?

Our record against this lot is not the best. I unfortunately can't see past our lot getting a right walloping here. We just don't set up right against them. Shame as I have grown to really dislike them recently (they were vanilla for me before the Rice thing) as their fans are so fucking noncy. Let's hope I am wildly off the mark.

Has anyone noticed how obsessed daveyg is with the youth team ?ü§î

"I can feel another upset coming on in this game, you just know it makes sense, after all we have already upset the other half of North London! Can feel a gooner getting sent off as well, will get Arteta going i expect for a bit of added entertainment. COYI"

"the exile 1:23 Wed Dec 27 Re: ‚ö? Arsenal v West Ham - Official Match Thread - Vexed 12:39 - what an absolute cսnt of a man you are for saying that about Rice'' Lol, it's WHO, you still take what's wrote on here seriously?? Nobody ''on the outside'' takes this site seriously, it's just a joke, in fact most fans have never heard of this site, and Rice certainly won't be reading, you daft sod."

"ever the optimist and like spurs game you just never know, but I don't see Arsenal making any mistakes here. They are a fit, lighting fast pressing side and will play through the Moyes block like a knife through butter."

"Our record away to Arsenal is poor no matter the side and manager, 3-0."

daveyg 9:36 - spot on. Vexed 12:39 - what an absolute cսnt of a man you are for saying that about Rice.

I’ve had a nice weekend so he’ll play Cornet instead of Soucek and we’ll smash them.

Moyes will set up for the draw and come unstuck. Even Kudus (who Moyes had nothing to do with signing) won't be able to save us. If Rice was to receive a neck high career ender I'd probably take it regardless of score.

Moyes will set up for the draw and come unstuck. Even Kudus (who Moyes had nothing to do with signing) won't be able to save us. If Rice was to receive a neck high career ender I'd probably take it regardless of score.

"Put like that Sir Alf, it sounds like Liverpool and we will certainly be on for another loss. However, we will start with our fearsome front line, (unlike at Liverpool) who at the very least will relieve pressure on the defence. The concern is what daveyg says, the need to control the ball and pass up through the midfield, against a fast press and good passing. That is what will win or lose the game. However, I don't see fitness as a problem, our young chaps have had time to recover plenty of energy and will be fit enough, assuming the boys haven't had too much Christmas spirit. Combined team skill is what we need to find. We will see."

A midfield containing Soucek will struggle to live with an Arsenal side that moves at speed and presses very well.

"We need a squad to win this game. Not 11 knackered souls. Arsenal are fitter than us and we need to pass the ball to each other when we block,head or have the ball.Our current line up can't do that. We'll be chasing the ball,they'll be passing. Not having used the squad correctly or the youth,especially when they haven't been playing is criminal. Having the old gits of Ogbonna,Ings,Cresswell and the repeatedly ineffictive Benrhama is a waste of space and time. Marshall,Casey,Earthy and Chesters would be of far more value."

"Who knows? We could get yet another five goal tonking. Or we could frustrate them and hold them at bay to a dour 0-0 or even a freakish 1-0 win, but we'll need a bit of luck as well as hard work to do that."

Moyes surely won't try to win this... Hope I'm wrong and we have a go.