West Ham Utd 1-2 Everton: match thread (16/05/15)

[Hockley Hammer]

Crouchy you keep saying it's an Allardyce thing but a lot of what you say has been a criticism here for years. A midfield who break too slowly, lose possession and amble back. We got cut to ribbons near the end because the midfield lost possession needlessly.
All our players have spells of being productive but it's about 10 minutes a half.
Carlton bless him can't last more than an hour. Valencia is the most lightweight striker I have seen. Playing out of position (if he is) is no excuse for a terrible technique.
Downing for his faults has the ability to look for the ball and try to do something with it.
The truth is Song and Noble have no pace and legs to maintain a high level and pace of game. The opposition just need to wait till the 70-75 minute mark and we run out of steam as a unit.
We need a major overhaul with these players. The keeper and defensive unit are sound but we need to build the midfield with players with pace and power like Kouyate. Find a defensive tip of the diamond who looks forward. Another central midfielder who lasts 90 minutes with pace. And somebody upfront with some presence. Will help Sakho. Might help Valencia too.

[shirkhammer]

Is that Kelly Maloney?

I thought he/she was Millwall.

No It's Andy Carroll

[bubbles1966]

They brought on Kevin Mirallas and Aidan McGeady as I watched Kouyate, Downing and Reid on their haunches. We brought on an arthritic 34 year old.

Whatever we do, whoever is managing us, we must not lose sight of the single most important thing which is that the squad lacks strength in depth.

If we play each game with just nine PL standard players and a couple making up the numbers, we'll lose more often than we win.

The regularity of injuries to our centre halves and centre forwards is also an ongoing concern.

Ten out, eight in, whether Allardyce stays or not.

If need be, players who 'may come good' next season need to be sold to buy players who will almost certainly deliver.

[jaybs]

End of season game, but we have to admit it we are not playing anything like we did early season, Valencia out of position again, one up front & Carlton who has served us well over the years. When it was 1 - 1 I always had deem in my heart what the outcome could be, and yes walking away disappointed again, Roll on next season, there has to be Changes! and no way are we ready for Europe! if we do qualify it will perhaps be a blessing if we get knocked out quick!

Feel sure the owners as we have slipped down in the league and the Premiership pay out goes down and down will make Changes!

[hammer1975]

Not excusing Sam as he now clearly needs to go but we can't lose sight of our complacency in January IMO

In that game alone Mbodj would have practically paid for himself

We now can't afford him

[Major]

One particular moment stood out for me yesterday.

Cresswell had a one on one with their right back just before they scored, Song passed the ball out to him, he wanted to take on the right back the crowd were willing him forward very vocally.

He looked behind him and as he had no cover, so he passed the ball back, he stood with his arms out pointing backwards as if to say i can't go I've been told not to unless its on the overlap. Now i understand that, if we were looking at relegation or Europe or something (any fuckingthing), but i don't understand it when the game has no real meaning and we could look to go on and win it.

Its the whole philosophy in a nutshell and frankly its a load of old gash. Its boring, its unnecessary and it is Sam's fault.

[Up the Junction]

Watching Palace yesterday they had five players in the Liverpool box when Zaha scored. And that was away to Liverpool at one all with 30 minutes to go. The chances of an Allardyce team ever doing that are non-existent.

It might have escaped your notice in your haste to have a pop at the current manager but the man responsible for that was sacked by West Ham for losing eight successive matches. (Not to mention the squad.)

[sicknote]

Because pardew had two players forced upon hom pne of whom didn't want to be hrre and was a problem from the off and the other wasn't fit till january, anyone who was at every game then could see those two had upset a very successful the season before and close knit squad,

Pardews main fault was ,without getting into stuff outside football, his rawness and lack of experience dealing with charlie big potato players, and he suffered hugely for that...his football philosophy is as close to our way of playing as a club as ot could get and I for one wished he'd never have left I think he still has the potential to be a great football manager and I hope he succeeds

[richiepap]

They brought on Kevin Mirallas and Aidan McGeady as I watched Kouyate, Downing and Reid on their haunches. We brought on an arthritic 34 year old.

We had Jarvis and Amalfitano, who were bought at roughly the same time for either roughly the same fee or are valued at roughly the same amount, are roughly the same age as Mirallas and McGeady respectively, and play in similar positions.

We left our two on the bench. Why?

[The Old Mile End]

Painful as a last minute defeat is, I have to say that I admire Everton football club and the way they play their football. They play the ball forward at a fast pace, they pressure you all over the park and it keep going for a full 90 minutes plus – something Sam Allardyce’s West Ham certainly don’t.

I can’t think of any club that has scored more late goals against us than Everton in say the last 10 years or so. They simply always seem to do it. Whether it was under Moyes or now Martinez, the end result is the same.

So, I can’t say I’m surprised at the outcome yesterday at all. It’s simply typical.

For what it’s worth, I thought we did okay, and it was much better than of late. However, it’s so obvious that our game plan is all about playing to the big, lone man up front – and nothing else. It’s such a shame that the man in charge simply will not play two up front even when there is no pressure and most supporters are willing him to do so. Valencia should have been up alongside Cole – simple really.

I don’t think we sat back once Cole had gone off. I think we simply do not know how to play Valencia into a game up front. We continue to feed him with the same type of high ball. We do not send him down the channels to use his pace, or attempt to play the through ball behind the centre backs.

I’d liked to have seen Lee and Valencia given this opportunity for the last 20. Giving the Everton back line something to think about rather than allowing them to push us back and venture forward searching for the winner. I’m sure this has been drilled into them and it something that Sam Allardyce’s West Ham is quite vulnerable to.

We could do well to use Everton as a role model as to what we want to be. Instead we’ll just have to listen to more deluded rubbish coming out of this managers mouth. I'm sure it will be the players and their lack of concentration that's the issue. I'm sure he has done all he can but it's simply up to them.

It’s sad to think we might still get another two years of this. Don’t be fooled into thinking we will fail if we let him go. West Ham United does not need Sam Allardyce.

[Roby]

What was the deal with Kouyate at the final whistle?

I was sitting in the East Stand Upper by the away fans so didn't have the angle to see properly but as the whistle blew we were attacking their goal and had men in their box. Kouyate appeared to have a shoving match with one of their players and then it all got a bit daft for 30 seconds or so with loads of players involved.

I though he was gonna get a red card which would have been a bit daft with the whole Europa League thing going on.

Couldn't tell if it was with Stones or Jagielka or maybe their young kid Galloway as he almost cut Kouyatate in half twice with a couple of very sly challenges and I was thought was lucky to have stayed on the pitch.

Anyone know who the Everton player was?

[Odessa]

At one stage at 1-1 we had Song, noble and Kouyate all sitting in front of Burke and Reid, in our own half

That's exactly how I saw it. Left a big gap for Everton to exploit.

[bubbles1966]

We had Jarvis and Amalfitano, who were bought at roughly the same time for either roughly the same fee or are valued at roughly the same amount, are roughly the same age as Mirallas and McGeady respectively, and play in similar positions.

We left our two on the bench. Why?

Fair point.

I suspect that Amalfitano's temperament is an issue, especially as we tippy-toe into Europe. Jarvis at the same price as someone like Mirallas beggars belief really.

That said, they still had Besic, Kone and Naismith on the bench.

More than anything, we need a squad that has more depth and quality. It's probable that it would achieve better results and stand up stronger late in games whether Allardyce is here or not.

Almost all the goals we concede late in games are against teams that are long established in the PL, and generally in the top third of the table.

[arlhe]

Trying to find some Bright spots from yesterday. I thought Song had in best game in ages.

[Romford]

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[chappo59]

Trying to find some Bright spots from yesterday. I thought Song had in best game in ages.

Like an old brass who's been round the block putting on her lipstick in an Amsterdam window

[Chicken Run Supreme]

Trying to find some Bright spots from yesterday. I thought Song had in best game in ages.

Yes, agree with that. Also thought Noble had a good first half but a shocker in the second half.

[Crouchend_Hammer]

It might have escaped your notice in your haste to have a pop at the current manager but the man responsible for that was sacked by West Ham for losing eight successive matches. (Not to mention the squad.)

That was 8 years ago! He has matured significantly then, both in terms of managerial expertise and not acting like such a tool
Good manager nowadays whose teams, in the main, play football with the right mentality

[Up the Junction]

Because pardew had two players forced upon hom...

Now who does that remind you of?

[sicknote]

Mmm I will give that some thought