[Albion] Van Hecke or Webster?

[One Teddy Maybank]

"today he wasn't great"! you are right there, he was very very poor.
In a game like today the first goal is so important and for him to gift them their first with two errors like that was shocking. The thing i cannot get my head round is the second error when surely it was the simplest task just to knock the ball out so we could regroup. Maybe he does now realise it but to me he should have known that already, it was basic defending was it not?

He was trying to be too clever in the same way Dunk has done the same previously and also Ben White versus Palace, it was a row Z job.

So they’ve all done it.

As others have said it’s a mystery that Veltman hasn’t started yet.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

We do look short of legs in the back line, Estupinan excepted.

Igor may improve things, Veltman is not massively pacy, but I trust him to get attacks stopped.

Perhaps we do need further reinforcements, all our pace suddenly seems very front loaded.

Veltman isn’t pacy but he compensates by reading the game well.

 

[zefarelly]

He was trying to be too clever in the same way Dunk has done the same previously and also Ben White versus Palace, it was a row Z job.

So they’ve all done it.

As others have said it’s a mystery that Veltman hasn’t started yet.

That really defies logic . . . . Unless its an integrating Milner issue for the easy opening games . . . .

JV is the man at RB still, for me . . . Maybe JM to shore thing up later.

 

[theboybilly]

Van Hecke. Webster was awful at times today. He takes so much away from Dunk

 

[willalbion]

Veltman. Not Milner. Simple.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Veltman. Not Milner. Simple.

Word

 

[Sheebo]

Until that goal I thought Webster had started really well

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

Having just watched the highlights they showed 6 plus times Webster was completely out of position. Our right hand side played in slow motion all game.

Solly too had one of those games where he didn't do a thing.

 

[willalbion]

Having just watched the highlights they showed 6 plus times Webster was completely out of position. Our right hand side played in slow motion all game.

Solly too had one of those games where he didn't do a thing.

Webster was pulled across because Milner is not a right back. Moyes targeted that gap/unease all game. I was surprised it took so long to bring Veltman on,

 

[scooter1]

Having just watched the highlights they showed 6 plus times Webster was completely out of position. Our right hand side played in slow motion all game.

Solly too had one of those games where he didn't do a thing.

March cut a very dejected figure in the second half, making runs and not being passed to. We could see his frustration for the first 15 mins of the second half and I wouldn’t be surprised if he was relieved to be subbed off.

 

[Ike and Tina Burner]

I think Webster has always flattered to deceive a bit. He's great on the ball and when we're dominanting a team he looks the business. But he is not a player you can rely on over the course of a season. He makes absurd errors too often and his defensive instincts are just poor. JPVH is a proper defender and will, hopefully, soon surpass Webster's position in the squad.

 

[SteveU]

Webster was beyond poor today.

 

[Comrade Sam]

It would be nice to see Igor up to speed, left with Dunk right and JPVH or Gross right back. Maybe Milner Holding until Baleba is tuned in. A nippy right back this week would be nice.

 

[NorthstandRacoon]

Agree, Webster is likeable, but he should be dropped next week. He was bloody poor. Simple as that.

 

[tigertim68]

Until that goal I thought Webster had started really well

Had nothing to do until the goal

 

[trueblue]

Webster was pulled across because Milner is not a right back. Moyes targeted that gap/unease all game. I was surprised it took so long to bring Veltman on,

The trouble is, the way we play, the full backs are rarely in the traditional position. They’re either bombing forward, Pervis particularly, or becoming an extra midfielder. A few times yesterday Milner dropped into the middle as the team attacked. I’m sure that’s why RDZ favours Gross/Milner over Veltman. I think what happens if you have a pacier natural defensive midfielder like Caicedo is that they’re good at reading danger and covering in behind fullbacks when the opposition break quickly, so the centre-backs aren’t as exposed on the flanks.

It was all exacerbated yesterday by us having to chase the game in the usual gung ho fashion and West Ham being particularly suited to counter-attacking and ruthless.

Reading this thread, it’s evident that JPVH is suddenly Bobby Moore and Franco Baresi combined. In reality, while he could hardly have looked worse than Webster, it’s a stretch to assume he’d have done much better when so exposed in the second half. His rash red card pre-season and role in the similarly ragged collapse at Newcastle in similar circumstances suggest he’d have found it equally tough. When we lose, it’s often ugly. It’s the flip side of the fantasy attacking football.

It’s a problem. I’d like to see the calm Veltman in there too and a tweak of tactics until we’ve got the reshaped midfield working effectively.

 

[zefarelly]

March cut a very dejected figure in the second half, making runs and not being passed to. We could see his frustration for the first 15 mins of the second half and I wouldn’t be surprised if he was relieved to be subbed off.

We spotted Ferguson doing similar, making diagonal runs looking for space, not once did he get a pass. Bad day at the office.

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Our attacking options look increasingly class. Our back line is looking extremely ropey frankly.

Exact opposite of where we used to be

Tho the attacking options are clearly reasons to be cheerful

 

[willalbion]

Still Webster for me, just a better player.

Today he wasn’t great, but defensively we were woeful. Milner was poor, as was Pervis in terms of defending.

The first goal, was a disaster for Webster tried to force a pass, and then instead of running the ball out, tried a ridiculous flick, which was stupid, but I bet he realises.

Edit - just seen goals. I don’t blame him on the second , if he goes for them challenge, he leaves the team exposed if he’s beaten, third just poor on his part. (First as I saw it at the time).

Our finishing today was more like a Potter team than a RdZ team, we can congratulate their keeper on a great performance, but most of the shot were near to him.

All in all very disappointing.

Why no option for Igor?

i thought we missed Steele a bit as well (strange as it sounds)

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

I missed Streel

i thought we missed Steele a bit as well (strange as it sounds)

Difficult isn’t it. I did think this, but would Steele have done better on the goals?
I thought Bart was quite commanding, especially when he literally took everything in the first half, and flattened their player.

Not sure what his communication was like though….