West Ham Utd 2-0 Leicester City (20/12/14)

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giantsteps
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Re: West Ham Utd v Leicester City: match thread

Post by giantsteps »

100% agree Clacton and couldn't of put it better mate.
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Re: West Ham Utd v Leicester City: match thread

Post by only1post »

I find it hard to argue with the majority of supporters that claim Andy and Diafra are our best front two. However I can't stop thinking that Enner has a bit more class. Our front two did not make their keeper work when presented with two glorious opportunities before we scored. My gut feeling is Enner would have buried one if not both.
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Re: West Ham Utd v Leicester City: match thread

Post by Cardiff here we come..... »

Clacton-ammer wrote:
AC has been working his socks off, scored some goals and it is great to see him sharp and fully fit. There is no doubt though that with him in the starting eleven we are playing more direct. People will call me fickle, and perhaps I am, but I enjoyed watching us more without AC in the side. Perhaps it is more to do with the fact we are missing Noble than AC playing??? Either way, we have lost that fluidity we had.

But we are 4th!!! Trying not to come across that I'm picking holes, as the league table says we are doing everything right!!! Funny old game...

I agree. I really enjoyed us with the Sakho/Valencia compo upfront, but its so important in this league to have options. To utilise Carroll's strengths then long balls & getting crosses in, are essential to get the best out of him. He's not much of a deadly finisher on the floor & does not look comfortable running onto through balls & finishing...Saturdays goal vs Leicester was the first I have seen him actually run with the ball, take on the Keeper, one vs one & score. Most of his goals are from headers & smashing them in from close range in the box.

All managers that would have Carroll in their squad would use him in the same way. Redknapp used Crouch like this at Sp*rs & Mourinho with Drogba. Our next game vs Chelsea is a perfect chance to 'mix it up'. As another poster said, start with Carroll up front for the first 65 minutes & batter both Terry & Cahill. When they are both exhausted, then bring on nippy Valencia to do them for speed & make their lifes a living hell on the floor.

Most important thing out of this is to realise that SA is excellent on mixing up our football to suit what personnel he starts in his 1st X1. He wasn't given credit that he can give West Ham some decent football to watch with the right type of player & extra quality in the team. Too many believed he was just a 'Backward dinosaur' that didn't have a clue. How wrong were they?

Great season so far.

COYI :scarfer:
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Re: West Ham Utd v Leicester City: match thread

Post by Sloop John B »

mumbles87 wrote:I think he is probably the best finisher at the club (his goals have been outstanding)
His goal at Everton had a wicked deflection, his goal at Palace was a sweet hit, but he'd hit one very similar two mins before that had struggled to stay in the ground.

The bar for being impressed by Zarate seems to have been set a lot lower than it is for many other players.

I like him and think he's an option from the bench, but he has made a few decent cases for a start...and that's all.
Last edited by Sloop John B on Mon Dec 22, 2014 12:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: West Ham Utd v Leicester City: match thread

Post by carnage »

Irrons wrote:People slagging off Zarate just to get back at people slagging off Nolan!
Yes, that's why some people don't like Zarate. :asleep:

Nolan has done far more for this club the the 3rd rate Argie ever will.
We are a far worse team with him in the side, even allowing for his cameo at Everton.
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Re: West Ham Utd v Leicester City: match thread

Post by Johnny Byrne's Boots »

CHEIKHOU KOUYATE
FROM THE DRESSING ROOM

Saturday’s 2-0 victory against Leicester was an important win and it was tough until the very end because we were faced with a team who desperately want to win points. Fortunately, we scored in the first half, which has made the game easier and we take the three points.

It’s normal for it to become a bit nervous at the end because fatigue sets in and we’d given everything during those first 80 minutes. So it’s normal to have that weakness, but thankfully Adrian protected his clean sheet for us. This is a victory for us as a team. The most important thing was to win the match and to put us in even better shape for the games to come.

Andy Carroll and Stewart Downing scored two great goals and I’m happy for them both because they’re guys who work to make that happen. It bodes well for us that they’re going to continue to score goals like that in the future.

Alex Song calms the game down. To have someone with his experience, who knows how to keep the ball and calm the game is a bonus for us, particularly for me as I’m learning plenty by his side. It’s good for the team.

We deserve to be fourth, we’ve worked hard throughout the season and done everything to keep this place.

We’ve nothing to lose at Chelsea because we’re playing the best team in the league, in the country. They’re first and it’s no fluke. We’ll go there with nothing to lose and without fear. If we’re fearful, we’re better off staying at home! This is football and we shouldn’t forget it, we’ve got to enjoy it and we’re going there to do just that.

Come on you Irons!
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Re: West Ham Utd v Leicester City: match thread

Post by Pulls up Trees »

Cardiff here we come..... wrote:
As another poster said, start with Carroll up front for the first 65 minutes & batter both Terry & Cahill. When they are both exhausted, then bring on nippy Valencia to do them for speed & make their lifes a living hell on the floor.
My concern with that is that it might be too late, let's be honest we will have very little of the ball, and if Carroll does get muscled out of it by Cahill and Terry, then we'll be right under the cosh. If we play with pace on the counter from the off, we might get something.
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Re: West Ham Utd v Leicester City: match thread

Post by Markt85 »

carnage wrote: Yes, that's why some people don't like Zarate. :asleep:

Nolan has done far more for this club the the 3rd rate Argie ever will.
We are a far worse team with him in the side, even allowing for his cameo at Everton.

WHY SLAG OFF ANYONE ???????????????

they have all played there part, all bring different quality's and strengths, Big Sam can see the weaknesses not our boo boys who constantly have to find someone to knock.
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Re: West Ham Utd v Leicester City: match thread

Post by Hammer83 »

Zarate's technique and control of the football is superior to pretty much all of our squad.Look at the cameo's v Everton where he was beating players for fun with pure skill.Plus the Newcastle game where he picked out two superb passes to his on running team mates,and was unlucky not to score from the cracking wrong foot shot he worked himself from nothing.He is a great option from the bench in the main and a good option to start if called upon.
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Re: West Ham Utd v Leicester City: match thread

Post by Irrons »

carnage wrote:Nolan has done far more for this club the the 3rd rate Argie ever will.
We are a far worse team with him in the side, even allowing for his cameo at Everton.
I wouldn't call him third rate at all, and don't agree that we are "far worse" with him in the side. As I said before, he's a very good option to come off the bench. Unless you're fishing, it sounds like you have a pretty strong irrational dislike of the guy. Has he been shagging your missus??
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Re: West Ham Utd v Leicester City: match thread

Post by Johnny Byrne's Boots »

Although Nolan's statto numbers aren't outstanding of late, he offers more than that. He can influence the game without touching the ball by his positioning. He can prevent an opponent's preferred pass by getting close to the intended receiver. He can close down and delay them, giving our lot time to regroup. He can chase and harass them, causing them to rush and misplace passes.

Reading the game is a valuable skill. Sam has us in a Champions League place on merit and still picks him. Let's give the manager some credit for knowing his job.
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Re: West Ham Utd v Leicester City: match thread

Post by Rocketron »

Johnny Byrne's Boots wrote:Although Nolan's statto numbers aren't outstanding of late, he offers more than that. He can influence the game without touching the ball by his positioning. He can prevent an opponent's preferred pass by getting close to the intended receiver. He can close down and delay them, giving our lot time to regroup. He can chase and harass them, causing them to rush and misplace passes.

Reading the game is a valuable skill. Sam has us in a Champions League place on merit and still picks him. Let's give the manager some credit for knowing his job.
We used to have a "Thumbs up" emoticon.
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