Armchair view v Hammers

[Acker79]

I will also question what we have as a front pair,

We don't have a front pair.

I can't believe this "Gus is costing us" TRIPE that some people are spouting. We're on a bad trot, but we're not playing badly, just haven't had the rub of the green.

I would say for a lot of this bad run we have played badly except second half of leeds, first twenty of palace. We seemed to have a competent, though improved, display v hull, but I thought last night's was a much better performance over the whole game than most of the last 8 games.

 

[The Large One]

In your opinion Im wrong Alan, but others agree. Just coz you dont doesnt mean YOU are right.

No but I would have EXPECTED it by NOW.

Why do people think its advocating hoofball its NOT. Im advocating SPEED and pursose and maybe even a f***ing SHOT every now and then. Just a thought having seen EVERY game so far.

Did I say I was right, just because I think you've got it wrong?

You're expecting us to have hit our stride NOW? Bloody hell, everyone is still learning - not least of which the manager, in his second full season in that role. All you want to do is play the blame game.

I saw speed and purpose last night. I saw an improvement. I saw a team dominate the so-called best team in the league. Admittedly not too many shots, but this is work in progress. WORK IN PROGRESS. To think that this team would be the finished article by now is potty.

 

[fleet]

It is happening - we all said we need a new keeper and one arrives, we need a new full back and one arrives, we need someone up front to convert the chances and help others to do so - I have no doubt that one will arrive soon. As for midfield, we have many options and I am sure that we have enough to take us forward if we convert chances. The shots on target stat doesn't reflect paly for su as no one ever takes a shot! That is what needs to change, get the ball to forwards who will take a shot and score, get the midfield to shoot on sight

 

[Arthritic Toe]

Oh yeah and let me say too, I was a little embarrassed when Sky were showing the droves packing up and leaving with 10 minutes to go.

It was hardly droves, it was 2 old men going for a piss.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

Did I say I was right, just because I think you've got it wrong?

You're expecting us to have hit our stride NOW? Bloody hell, everyone is still learning - not least of which the manager, in his second full season in that role. All you want to do is play the blame game.

I saw speed and purpose last night. I saw an improvement. I saw a team dominate the so-called best team in the league. Admittedly not too many shots, but this is work in progress. WORK IN PROGRESS. To think that this team would be the finished article by now is potty.

Nope what I saw lots of stroking it around without any substance unlike the opposition who seem to go for the jugular each and every time. Mate of mine is an Arsenal season ticket holder. "Its as bad as us with this passing with no end product or trying to walk it in"

I see that THIRTEEN games into the season and we still havent wised up. We are STILL getting caught in possession, we are STILL slipping over on the pitch at home when the opposition are not.

Whether thats the personnell or the manager remains to be seen.

Adkins built for the championship, Gus didnt. Bad planning IMO especially if we want to compete near the top. However a finish of 12-15th is respectable.

 

[jezzer]

I dont believe we havent had the rub of the green at all, weve got what we deserve in the main. 2-0 up against blackpool drew 2-2, 3-2 up with a minute to go v leeds drew 3-3, 1-0 up against palace lost 3-1, 1-0 up against leicester, lost 3-1, 1-0 up against milwall, drew 1-1. That isnt down to not having the rub of the green.

We missed vicente going forward to create better chances and have some bloody shots on goal and it looks like barnes and even hoskins arent good enough for a partnership with cms, the midfield is weak and we need a crofts/horton/case type player and have done for ages but so has 60 other teams in the leagues.

Play navarro i say, cos he does get stuck in and did well in a few home games this season, then try and boost the squad in january, i wouldnt play harley at all, not good enough.

 

[The Large One]

Nope what I saw lots of stroking it around without any substance unlike the opposition who seem to go for the jugular each and every time. Mate of mine is an Arsenal season ticket holder. "Its as bad as us with this passing with no end product or trying to walk it in"

I see that THIRTEEN games into the season and we still havent wised up. We are STILL getting caught in possession, we are STILL slipping over on the pitch at home when the opposition are not.

Whether thats the personnell or the manager remains to be seen.

Adkins built for the championship, Gus didnt. Bad planning IMO especially if we want to compete near the top. However a finish of 12-15th is respectable.

What has Southampton got to do with it?

To compare what Southampton have with Brighton is ludicrous - they were effectively a Championship club with a shithead for a manager. Theirs is a bigger ground with a few years of 25,000-plus crowds and all the revenue that generates. And they had a cute way of conning the creditors. Adkins was in a position to get better players in because he has a bigger budget.

We have had a money-generating stadium for seven league matches. SEVEN.

This is work in progress - and you demand a promotion-chasing squad (your reason, I presume, for comparing us with Southampton) in 13 matches? You should be on the board at Leicester City.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

What has Southampton got to do with it?

To compare what Southampton have with Brighton is ludicrous - they were effectively a Championship club with a shithead for a manager. Theirs is a bigger ground with a few years of 25,000-plus crowds and all the revenue that generates. And they had a cute way of conning the creditors. Adkins was in a position to get better players in because he has a bigger budget.

We have had a money-generating stadium for seven league matches. SEVEN.

This is work in progress - and you demand a promotion-chasing squad (your reason, I presume, for comparing us with Southampton) in 13 matches? You should be on the board at Leicester City.

Im just saying, in the summer when we were splashing cash we didnt replace Murray like for like, nor snap up those players with enough nous or experience and now we are getting caught/found out. Witness Palace, Ipswich, Leicester, Leeds, Blackpool even Hull where we rode our luck and thank god Millwall couldnt finish in the first half. Oh and a good 70 mins against Donny.

It comes back to you see it differently to me.

I said 12/15th is respectable. At the start of the season I said that.

 

[The Large One]

Im just saying, in the summer when we were splashing cash we didnt replace Murray like for like, nor snap up those players with enough nous or experience and now we are getting caught/found out. Witness Palace, Ipswich, Leicester, Leeds, Blackpool even Hull where we rode our luck and thank god Millwall couldnt finish in the first half.

It comes back to you see it differently to me.

I said 12/15th is respectable. At the start of the season I said that.

I agree about the nous/cuteness bit. The Murray issue is a red-herring.

Anyhoo, I'm prepared to exercise some patience till said players wise up themselves, or we get some more players in of Reyes' quality, and I still think we'll finish higher than 10th.

 

[se3eagle]

Don't need you stirring the shit on every thread either........


Edit: He did sign out within a minute or so of me posting this, and he was watching the thread.

What ever you like to think. Did it not occur to you that I have NSC in a seperate window when well im bored.

 

[Hotchilidog]

Im just saying, in the summer when we were splashing cash we didnt replace Murray like for like, nor snap up those players with enough nous or experience and now we are getting caught/found out. Witness Palace, Ipswich, Leicester, Leeds, Blackpool even Hull where we rode our luck and thank god Millwall couldnt finish in the first half.

It comes back to you see it differently to me.

I said 12/15th is respectable. At the start of the season I said that.

In fairness to Gus I don't think he has found his ideal midfield yet. it's a shame that vicente and Buckley haven't been fully available so far, and I think our best team will contain both those players.

I can see why you are frustrated marcus, but sadly I think Al is right, we are a work in progress and to play this style of football in a more competitive division is bloody difficult and it will take a long time before it all finally clicks.

You have just said that 12th - 15th would be a respectable finish and you would be right as it would represent significant progress and provide a platform for us to develop the squad further next summer. I think the squad as it is is good enough to finish in that mid-table spot, but we just lack the nous to finish much higher than that. Patience is required, and the team need the support whilst we are trying to get this all to work.

Everyone just needs to calm down a bit, I do not think there is any need to PANIC just yet. We can save that for next easter.

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

I agree about the nous/cuteness bit. The Murray issue is a red-herring.

Anyhoo, I'm prepared to exercise some patience till said players wise up themselves, or we get some more players in of Reyes' quality, and I still think we'll finish higher than 10th.

I *heart* TLO x

 

[Twinkle Toes]

I would agree that midfield looks rudderless. We're relying so much on Noone down the left with nothing attacking coming down the right side bar the right-back. Hopefully Buckley, when fully fit, will solve this.

I think the term rudderless sums the midfield up at the moment. I think we're crying out for a player in the centre of the park who makes himself available to balls from the back 4 & then has the ability to bring those around & in front of him into play. Gus seems to have Vicente earmarked for that role, although I reckon he's gonna need more protection than Matt Sparrow will be able to offer him. I personally think Bridcutt could play that role, but then are the back 4 capable of defending effectively without him in front of them? In the end I guess it's about making compromises (especially at this level): or going out into the market & spending BIG on a host of players offering greater quality.

As frustrating as it is for many of us at the moment, it's certainly gonna take time to properly find our feet in this Division & build a side capable of getting up & out of it. Unfortunately, the word 'patience' doesn't appear to be part of the football supporters' vernacular these days does it?

 

[Billy the Fish]

Reyes should be in midfield with Bridcutt, Noone and Buckley. CMS and Barnes or Hoskins upfront.

Good call, I was thinking this after last night. Reyes looks pretty mobile and could fill the space in front of Bridcutt.

 

[Twinkle Toes]

What ever you like to think. Did it not occur to you that I have NSC in a seperate window when well im bored.

Talking of being bored, I'm getting bored-f***ing-sick of seeing your inane, illiterate comments on here. Perhaps you could do everybody a favour & permanently bore off elsewhere? Right now would be a good time.

 

[Billy the Fish]

I see that THIRTEEN games into the season and we still havent wised up. We are STILL getting caught in possession, we are STILL slipping over on the pitch at home when the opposition are not.

The thing is, that is down to the quality of the players, it's not the tactics. People can analyze all they want, but the simple answer is that other teams have better players than us and we need to be on top of our game to beat about half the teams in this division.

Gus will bring in better players over time but it doesn't happen over night. Reyes is a start, I'm sure there will be others.

 

[kalinski]

i am seriously thinking we should go for an attacking 4-5-1...CMS up front, vincente, Noone & Buckley behind, Vincelot and Bridcutt holding and a back 4 (but would def swap Reyes for Painter and bring back Calderon)

 

[backson]

Speaking of armchair views, I have a friend who now lives abroard who's a West Ham fan.

His facebook status this morning was "Battered for 90 minutes but we still got 3 points".

It makes me think that if we take our obvious recent frustrations out of the equation, we're actually still pretty good.

 

[Sussex Nomad]

i am seriously thinking we should go for an attacking 4-5-1...CMS up front, vincente, Noone & Buckley behind, Vincelot and Bridcutt holding and a back 4 (but would def swap Reyes for Painter and bring back Calderon)

It's a shout but that would be more of a 4-2-3-1 wouldn't it? Think Chelsea tend to play a similar system.

 

[Jesus Gul]

I think it is all part of Gus's big plan.

Let the midfield take a hammering and come out of retirement thus rolling the years back to Stamford Bridge in the early 2000's and some gritty Uruguayesque Poyet magic to force us into the play offs and score the winner in the final against Palace.

What he did with Tano was just the warm up act.

OK maybe not...