West Ham Online

Match Centre:

Odds:
West Ham: 11/5
Draw: 13/5
Brentford: 4/5

Pre-Match Press Conference: https://www.youtube.com/live/70pHPcA4Abw  

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Lots of negatives around our speed with the ball, link up play, lacking cohesion, lacking leadership etc etc. But one thing must be taken into account is that Brentford at home were horrible. They lacked any creativity and were the football equivalent of a an NFL offensive guard. I doubt they will concede lots of goals this season....But they won't score loads either. Brentford fans are probably not bothered though. Fucking idiots. 

Just another performance where there a no positives

Team selection baffling, subs baffling. Style of play shit. 

Agree with he looks like he has lost the dressing room, subbing off Kudus was strange but then not putting on Summerville was even stranger. 

Antonio was shit through the middle from the start as expected, Paqueta done his usual of losing the ball and chipping it through to their keeper countless times when he did manage to keep hold of it. 

It isn't working at all and there are no signs to suggest it will improve. I'd be lining up and getting a replacement in before other teams make moves before us. 

stubbo-admin wrote: ↑29 Sep 2024, 13:12 Really don't understand why we dont try Bowen on the left?! Kudus clearly can't play there, and Bowen hadn't even been tried there.

" and Summerville, Soucek and Bowen up front"

and you wonder why people tell you to stay away from football.

FFS

My Post-Match Three-Penny Worth

• The Scoreline fair enough though slightly flattering; they really had us on the ropes by the end.
• The Performance - we're just sooooo slow on the ball, aren't we. More of a team performance in the first phase of the second half leading to the Soucek goal as we overpowered them in the box thanks to very good work from Paqueta and a lucky break as Antonio fluffed his lines again. Both AWB and Mavro did a good job and really need to be encouraged to use the acres of space out wide in forward positions
• The Manager - does he really know his best team? He was in his rights to hook Kudus if he wasn't working for the team, and there was a positive response, but why start with him if attitude is the issue? Also, what was he trying to prove after taking off Paqueta when he finally changed the hapless Antonio? If he wanted to see whether Soler can play his role, I reckon he'll be none the wiser today.
• Lessons learnt - surely Kudus must play central and if we are to use Soucek as a goal threat, he's better as a 9 than Bowen. Summerville has to start on the left and when Bowen runs out of puff, why not try Guilherme on the right? Paqueta needs to play deeper in a midfield 3.
• Starting formation for Ipswich - 433 with Mavro, Tobido, Kilman and AWB, Rodriguez, Paqueta and Kudus and Summerville, Soucek and Bowen up front. Areola needs to sort out his distribution - no more long kicks please. 

Try Bowen on the left? and what when that inevitably doesn't work? It seems like we are going to be playing musical chairs all season. This manager really needs to nail down a system and game plan and have a consistent run at it, until then we ain't getting anywhere imo. We've gone from having the side side/formation every week to not having a clue what is going on. Pretty bizarre really.

Really don't understand why we dont try Bowen on the left?! Kudus clearly can't play there, and Bowen hadn't even been tried there.

I also thought Mavropanos did well at RB. Bit of a kick in the teeth for Coufal, but looked more solid all round to me.
Soler is looking a good player, I see him playing close to Alvarez or Rodriguez with Paqueta in front of him. Still needs more time, but looking good.
I like Soucek always have, he is a very intelligent player, knows where to be to score or stop an attack, reads the game exceptionally well, but skill especially passing could be better.

I thought Todibo was good yesterday, was a tough start. Full league debut and a goal down after 38 seconds and he looked nervous immediately after, but who wouldn't. He grew into the game though and got much better 

Soler clearly has ability, the way he let the ball run across his body yesterday is a classic Brooking skill that you see rarely these days with most players placing the emphasis on stopping the ball before they play it.  Problem is JL obviously hasn't worked out his partnerships in some areas and who do you play with Soler in that midfield?  Can he and Paqueta play in the same team or is it one or the other?  Certainly one needs to play deeper, Alvarez, Soucek and Rodriguez aren't really going to purposefully play you out from the back with purpose.  I just don't see enough from Paqueta in that number 10 role, I may be wrong but I am sure he plays for Brazil in a deeper role.  Soler and Paqueta deep would certainly improve ball retention but not sure their tackling success stats would be particularly high.  Plus it seems JL is going to find space for Soucek.  Like him or loathe him his effort can't be questioned and he has this habit of popping up with a goal.  If he had pace he bizarrely may have been the answer up front.  The Kudus/Bowen quandary is an issue that needs sorting though.  I would still try Kudus as either a No10 or up front.

More compact, better defending for the most part yesterday but still 2 glaring issues.

1) inability to keep and regain possession of the ball in midfield. Its central midfield mostly.  A combination of 2 from Alvarez, Paqueta, Rodriguez, Soler and Soucek needs to be found that can control midfield. Think we lack a Caicedo, Kante type player in many games to press, counter press and provide an engine in the middle to make us stronger. Strangely Paqueta looks best suited in more of a defensive role ( alongside Alvarez start of last season b4 betting scandal) but now lacks discipline to play consistently for 90 mins 
2) We are struggling to stretch teams with no effective central striker and aforementioned midfield problems. Antonio, Ings, Bowen cannot either hold it up or in the first 2’s cases lack the speed or craft to get in behind or in channels

With us playing a higher line, the risk of getting exposed on the counter remains high especially against better teams than Brentford

Dontvthink the problems are solved without bringing in another central midfielder and forward. We can work around the full back issues, CB areas but not these 2 key areas imho of course

Is it just my imagination or is Bowen being less "selfish" this season? There's been several occasions such as late first half v Liverpool and a moment yesterday when he was 1 on 1 with a defender and instead of cutting inside and getting a shot off or taking it closer to goal, he's attempted a pass which either wasn't really on or was just less effective.

I hope he's not thinking just because he's skipper now he can't be selfish and try to score himself.

Very early days for Solar 2 x sub appearances and a game at Anfield in a new team, league and country. 

onsideman wrote: ↑29 Sep 2024, 08:05 Has anyone seen anything at all from Soler to suggest he's the answer  to any question?

 

Has anyone seen anything at all from Soler to suggest he's the answer  to any question?

I just find it incredible that, aside from the problems in central defence, we've needed 2 new full backs, a centre forward and a left winger for 3 years.  We bought one full back yet not one who's strengths are suited to the manager's preferred formation but who we often play on the wrong side to replace the basket case that is Emerson. We bought one left winger but don't play him and at centre forward we're still relying on a 34 year old Antonio who has the finesse of a breeze block or the hapless Ings, appear saddled with two of the worst international midfielders I've seen and still need Soucek to bail us out... yet weve spent £150m

You couldn't make it up

I thought Bowen was decent, but yep it's all over the place, can't see the plan or identity of the side, then there is all the random subs and moving players around. On that note, I wonder if Mav at RB with AVB at LB is something we will see more of. Many, many questions still, it feels like we have too many options / players, but we moaned when Moyes picked the same side every week, so I dunno. Jury still out on most of the new arrivals and the Fulk has disappeared. Also, Paqueta and Kudus seemingly not happy.

Manuel - I have no idea, I fucking hope he can be because we have nobody. Bowen can but is off form. Kudus is out of position. 

We have no pace up front to run in behind. 

I wonder if throwing Guilherme on in games last few minutes would help, he has blistering pace by all accounts and would at least make the opposition wary... Hard to see what the actual plan is at the moment. 

fraser wrote: ↑29 Sep 2024, 07:18

Manuel wrote: ↑29 Sep 2024, 03:26

fraser wrote: ↑28 Sep 2024, 18:03

We wouldn't have scored without Paqueta 

Let's be honest if he run over your missus you would defend him, another one of your obsessions where you refuse to criticize a particular player. He was poor once again, which at this point is completely normal and nobody expects anything else.

 

He's been poor for ages but still makes our chances. We had three against Chelsea the penalty claim, Kudus offside goal and one where Bowen took a bad touch.

If you take him off despite him playing poorly which he does a lot of the time who's creating or helping to create our goals, so of course I wouldn't take him off when we're struggling to score. We're are totally devoid of creativity in midfield. 


I honestly don't know anymore, we just don't look very good at all. Do you still have the opinion that Soler is the replacement to create chances?

Monsieur merde de cheval" wrote: ↑29 Sep 2024, 04:11

---

Fraser is a lightweight.
Can't handle a bit of cold weather .
crying for his  warm and cuddly bed at Blackburn he was.

 


 

Manuel wrote: ↑29 Sep 2024, 03:26

fraser wrote: ↑28 Sep 2024, 18:03

twoleftfeet wrote: ↑28 Sep 2024, 17:50 I’d have taken Bowen and Paqueta off, both were passengers. 

We wouldn't have scored without Paqueta 

Let's be honest if he run over your missus you would defend him, another one of your obsessions where you refuse to criticize a particular player. He was poor once again, which at this point is completely normal and nobody expects anything else.

 

I quite like Lopetegui's subs. Kudus was harsh, but Kudus has to start doing better around the box. He has to shot on tarjet or make good passes to his follow forwards.

What pisses me off about Lopetegui, is as said we are not a team and still too much booting it up the field instead of playing passing football.

---

Fraser is a lightweight.
Can't handle a bit of cold weather .
crying for his  warm and cuddly bed at Blackburn he was.

 

 

Monsieur merde de cheval" wrote: ↑29 Sep 2024, 03:45

Manuel wrote: ↑29 Sep 2024, 03:26

fraser wrote: ↑28 Sep 2024, 18:03

We wouldn't have scored without Paqueta 

Let's be honest if he run over your missus you would defend him, another one of your obsessions where you refuse to criticize a particular player. He was poor once again, which at this point is completely normal and nobody expects anything else.

He was a fucking disgrace in the first half and lucky to appear for the second -half....in which he decided to try a leg for all of 15 mins ... (whoopee - fookin- doo )...then resorted back to 
being a cսnt again.
MY PATIENCE IS WEARING VERY THIN WITH THIS FELLA








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Manuel wrote: ↑29 Sep 2024, 03:26

fraser wrote: ↑28 Sep 2024, 18:03

twoleftfeet wrote: ↑28 Sep 2024, 17:50 I’d have taken Bowen and Paqueta off, both were passengers. 

We wouldn't have scored without Paqueta 

Let's be honest if he run over your missus you would defend him, another one of your obsessions where you refuse to criticize a particular player. He was poor once again, which at this point is completely normal and nobody expects anything else.

fraser wrote: ↑28 Sep 2024, 18:03

twoleftfeet wrote: ↑28 Sep 2024, 17:50 I’d have taken Bowen and Paqueta off, both were passengers. 

We wouldn't have scored without Paqueta