ELQ3: West Ham Utd 2-2 Astra Giurgiu (30/07/15)

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ballantine
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Re: West Ham United v. FC Astra - Match Thread

Post by ballantine »

I refuse to believe that the very slight possibility of getting a point or three in the first of 38 PL matches (against a team that will finish well above us anyways) is more important to the club than even proceeding to the actual european competition. IF it turns out to be so, our PL run will all of a sudden, ironically, be much less interesting and important. Qualifying for Europe is our one realistically and exciting goal in PL every year. If that whole competition means less to us than any single PL match, what's the point in qualifying for it? And then what have we left to fight for? Not to get relegated, and however many bonus millions we can grab from where we finish? Yey.
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the pink palermo
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Re: West Ham United v. FC Astra - Match Thread

Post by the pink palermo »

I think people need to understand that not every public utterance made by a PL manager is the truth .

Most of them use their press conferences as a way to negotiate with their employers , sending signals as to the strength of their squads .

In our case Billic faces his opening game in the PL with a strike "force" of Payet , Maiga, Zarate .

Arsene's ****ting himself .

He could play Walcott at centre back and not concede a goal .
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ballantine
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Re: West Ham United v. FC Astra - Match Thread

Post by ballantine »

I quite understand that Bilic doesn't use the pressers to hand out accurate info on how we will approach the next matches - nor his honest, inner thoughts and sentiments. Which is one reason why i said i refused to believe we will send a bunch of juniors and jarvis to Romania, as many here fears. But i notice as well that the signals from the club has gone from "in it to win it" to "it's a bit of a drag, we have more important things to do after all". I guess we'll just have to wait and see how it turns out!
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Harry Hound
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Re: West Ham United v. FC Astra - Match Thread

Post by Harry Hound »

the pink palermo wrote:I think people need to understand that not every public utterance made by a PL manager is the truth .

Most of them use their press conferences as a way to negotiate with their employers , sending signals as to the strength of their squads .

In our case Billic faces his opening game in the PL with a strike "force" of Payet , Maiga, Zarate .

Arsene's ****ting himself .

He could play Walcott at centre back and not concede a goal .
That's the situation exactly. we need as a minimum at least one decent striker and ideally two before the season starts. If not I can see things unravelling very quickly and it won't be pretty. :thdn:
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Re: West Ham United v. FC Astra - Match Thread

Post by the pink palermo »

Not quite true of course, as Sakho isn't banned for the Arsenal game but he's bound to get injured before then


Desperate attempt to cover my tracks after making a prize tit of myself for not remembering him .
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Re: West Ham United v. FC Astra - Match Thread

Post by Roby »

Beavis Danzig wrote:BT have picked up the next leg.
Excellent news.

The Arsenal game is on at the weekend too so I'll be having a few beers with my old man and watching the games.
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Re: West Ham United v. FC Astra - Match Thread

Post by backhouse21 »

Astra drew 2-2 at home today, which means they still haven't won a game at home this season. Surely we'll progress!
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Re: West Ham United v. FC Astra - Match Thread

Post by MD_HM »

Sakho playing the whole game today along with being our only quality striker left at the moment I can see being left out on Thursday or maybe on the bench just in case

Not sure how bad the Reid and Obiang injuries were but both are back in training tomorrow so wonder and not in our current Europa squad so wonder if may feature against Arsenal

Lanzini has been added to the Europa league squad by the looks of it and we know Tomkins and Collins are suspended with Jenkinson not being able to on Sunday but can on Thursday.

There will be some players who have higher fitness levels so should be able to play in both games.

So we might be in a position to play....

Thursday (Payet & Sakho on bench in case)

----------------------- Adrian ----------------------
Jenkinson------ Henry --- Ogbonna ------- Cresswell
------------------------ Poyet -------------------------
----------- Jarvis------ Nolan ----- Kayoute -----
----------------------- Lanzini---------------------
------------------------ Zarate--------------------


Sunday

------------------------ Adrian ----------------------
Burke------- Tomkins ---- Reid ------- Cresswell
------------------------ Noble -------------------------
--------- Oxford ---- Kayoute----- Obiang---------
----------------------- Payet------------------
----------------------- Sakho-----------------------

That's potentially only Adrian, Cresswell and Kayoute needed to play both games but a decent side out in both games
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Re: West Ham United v. FC Astra - Match Thread

Post by Pop Robson »

backhouse21 wrote:Astra drew 2-2 at home today, which means they still haven't won a game at home this season. Surely we'll progress!
I'd take a
2-2 extra time and win on pens, nerve racking but great entertainment
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Re: West Ham United v. FC Astra - Match Thread

Post by LincolnshireHammer »

MD_HM wrote:Sunday

------------------------ Adrian ----------------------
Burke------- Tomkins ---- Reid ------- Cresswell
------------------------ Noble -------------------------
--------- Oxford ---- Kayoute----- Obiang---------
----------------------- Payet------------------
----------------------- Sakho-----------------------
Do you really think we're going to put Oxford up against Cazorla and co? You're having a laugh aren't you? :lol:
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Re: West Ham United v. FC Astra - Match Thread

Post by MD_HM »

Why not?

Who else do we have available that would be better then?

From what I've seen so far the other option would be play Oxford in Romania and Poyet against Arsenal instead
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Re: West Ham United v. FC Astra - Match Thread

Post by Yea Why Not »

Come on, Oxford would get murdered. People say the kids were 'sent to be slaughtered' last year at Forest. Playing Oxford against the best midfield in the country would be painful to watch
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Re: West Ham United v. FC Astra - Match Thread

Post by LincolnshireHammer »

Maybe some of them might have to play on both Thursday and Sunday.

Harsh on them really, isn't it?
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