West Ham Utd 1-2 Bournemouth (18/08/18)

[Cuenca 'ammer]

^^^^^

obviously don't go but when "we" did (me and mates) we stayed to the bitter end but we were lucky, we lived about a 20 minute or so walk home.

plus we just knew that that one time when we left early we would make a miraculous come back and/or one of the team (ours hopefully) would score a worldie and we would get no end of grief....

I can understand people leaving though for various circumstances......the management have always complained about lack of atmosphere, not getting behind the team, fans leaving early, but if the team gave out more in the way of entertainment week in week out, maybe things would change.

However you can't tar everyone with the same brush, people do come in from far away if you look at locations listed by posters, and I would imagine that British Rail (see how old I am) don't hold up trains for the odd fan who has a ways to travel.

Some might leave early because they have the hump, but I would imagine that there are loads of folks who have to leg it for transportation purposes.

Did the manager make that differentiation ?

[Gsbgsb]

First two games Anderson has been deployed in essence as a left winger, Antonio or yesterday Snodgrass as the right winger. Only real difference was as opposed to the extra body in midfield against Liverpool we played the extra attacker yesterday.

Liverpool was us beaten by a far superior team, was always likely. Yesterday was us losing to a team that identified and then focussed on and exploited our weakness which was the mobility of our central midfield. They outnumbered us in there. Unless you have a lot more confident quality players than we have I am not sure you can afford to be outnumbered in the middle especially when those further forward do not retain the ball.

Statistics are fine but it is not about how often you give the ball away or miss a tackle or interception but whether, when you do, that leads to a chance of a goal.

Until we get the core of the team settled and some confidence in the players we need first to shore up the defensive side of the game. MP apparently will not play 3 at the back so Sanchez becomes crucial as the central midfielder who will in essence play the 3rd CB in front of the 4 not as part of it.

Yes everyone missed Wilson but the crucial tackle was Noble’s. Had he prevented him from turning and running at players the goal would never have happened. Had he not got a usual unnecessary yellow card first half he would have had the card to give when Wilson ran away from him.

Personally Wilshere is first choice to play with Sanchez but the 3rd midfielder is far from clear, probably Obiang maybe Snodgrass. Anderson, Arnie and Yarmolenko then provide the attacking threat.

If MP were prepared to play a 3 then Cresswell comes in on the left side got play behind Arthur. This gives you the ability to change in game to a 4-5-1 should you choose. Sanchez (or Obiang)and Wilshere are the 2 central midfielders.

Either system also needs to adapt to release Anderson and Yarmolenko/Perez from a winger role to a freer role behind the striker in the way Lanzini/Mario had last year. Again I suspect easier in the 3 at the back than the 4 but it appears that trying to tie Anderson to a wing is neither the best thing for him or the team.

[ryanrc]

Sad to see so many people not understanding pellegrini's comments about leaving before the end.
He wants to change the mentality of the entire club, from the fans right through to the players. He wants us all to be a confident unit that believe we can gain points in the last ten minutes of a game. It's going to be important going forward that we start to think like a big club and it's important for the players to have supporters.

Every loss hurts but some of the overreaction is shocking. We haven't just got a new manager we're trying to completely change everything at the club. The players, the manager, the style of play, the expectations, the ambitions. It's going to take time and so far we've lost to one of the top few sides in Europe and a side that we rarely beat anyway. It will start to click soon and I saw signs in that first half that we will begin to control and dominate games in a way we haven't done for decades. Not going to happen overnight but I'm excited

[goa127]

I felt after the game that it was basically a game which could have gone either way. Although statistics can be total bollox I was surprised to see in today's Sunday mirror that in most areas we shaded the game. More possession, more territorial advantage, more passes, more pass completion, more tackles same amount of shots and shots on target. Also having watched MOD I have to give Wilson some credit for his goal. When I was at the game I just put it all down to crap defending. He actually does really well(the defending was poor though) Yarmolenko was very impressive in his 10 minute cameo. Very good ball control and worked well with Zab(who I thought did well). The idiots behind me were screaming that Anderson should do better cos he cost £40m. Does that mean Rice can be rubbish cos he cost nothing?

[Crouchend_Hammer]

Don't get me wrong we didn't play well and certainly didn't deserve to win but I thought a draw (which was my prediction) wouldn't have been undeserved

[Colours never run]

would've rather he played either chich or anderson in when he had the chance to (after he'd already been given a goal from the spot) and kept his boots to himself personally.

1 million percent. He's got to remember at times he is still part of a Team and it's not all about the Arnie show. Love him in general but he does have a nasty selfish habit at times that tips over the edge of acceptability.

[brothernero]

Every loss hurts but some of the overreaction is shocking. We haven't just got a new manager we're trying to completely change everything at the club. The players, the manager, the style of play, the expectations, the ambitions. It's going to take time and so far we've lost to one of the top few sides in Europe and a side that we rarely beat anyway. It will start to click soon and I saw signs in that first half that we will begin to control and dominate games in a way we haven't done for decades. Not going to happen overnight but I'm excited

Problem with that and getting excited is if we are in the bottom three come Christmas or early new year, Pellegrini will be sacked and replaced with someone like Big Sam or Pullis.

A team like West Ham and what with being in a new stadium where being in the top flight is pretty much a MUST, they wont be able to afford time and patience.

Oh and no I do not want to see him sacked, I think he does need time. I just don't think the club will see it that way or even want to take that risk.

They will claim the money they spent this summe should have seen us top half and not bottom 3 (or close)

I'm almost tempted to put a tenner on Sam or Tony being our next manager this season. My god that thought scares the **** out of me. :cry:

[Colours never run]

Ogbonna our worst defender according to WhoScored, yet he’s the one most want to see in the team next week. You’re all mad.

Not all of us.

He's the ever present (or not in this case) since Bilic signed him for the most part at the heart of our defence, yet it's the same **** we have to witness. He is an ex Juve and Italian bench warmer though, so it just can't be him as one of the biggest problems in our defence..

[Gsbgsb]

Our worst defender yesterday was either Noble because he failed totally in the role assigned to him or Hernandez who barely contributed when we did not have the ball - but of course they do not count as they are not listed as defenders.

We may have had the same number of shots but most of theirs were very good chances to score ours far more speculative.

The writing was on the wall when Fabianski pulled off the super save first half from Wilson (I think), the time they had on the ball to get the pass to him was repeated several times second half. Do that often enough and teams at this level will score.

Yes the defenders look bad but the pressure should be on the midfielder making the pass, especially if you are also asking those defenders to hold a line.

[Tenbury]

As a team and as a club I feel it is getting further and further away. .

Hard to argue with that! What's the need to leave early ? A lot of the crowd are halfway home when they sit down.

[Iron George]

Our worst defender yesterday was either Noble because he failed totally in the role assigned to him or Hernandez who barely contributed when we did not have the ball - but of course they do not count as they are not listed as defenders.

We may have had the same number of shots but most of theirs were very good chances to score ours far more speculative.

The writing was on the wall when Fabianski pulled off the super save first half from Wilson (I think), the time they had on the ball to get the pass to him was repeated several times second half. Do that often enough and teams at this level will score.

Yes the defenders look bad but the pressure should be on the midfielder making the pass, especially if you are also asking those defenders to hold a line.

Good post and very hard to disagree with any of it

[Colours never run]

Noble wasn't the worst defender, because he isn't a Defender. :lol:

The bloke who honestly didn't have a good game in the middle even made more tackles than actual Defender, Ogbonna and he was only on the pitch for 77 minutes!

[EastleighHammer16]

Don't get me wrong we didn't play well and certainly didn't deserve to win but I thought a draw (which was my prediction) wouldn't have been undeserved

Bournemouth should of won more comfortably imo. We were poor. Not sure Begovic made any saves did he?

[Hammertapp]

You seem to understand the problem yet call out the fans rather than the real culprits, the board GSB. They moved us to the Olympic park on false promises of next level etc. and they've not delivered. I don't even go anymore, as they've made the match day experience very unpleasant, at most I go once or twice a season for cup games as they're cheaper and I can normally get good seats. Where do I sit on your hierarchy of blame?

Oh the real culprits are absolutely GSB. No doubt about that. This sh*tshow resides at their door. In this way, I’ve got no issue with people choosing not to go. Each to their own. It’s not the same experience as Upton Park and is just generally a bit rubbish.

I just don’t understand why people buy tickets and then sack off the match at the most crucial juncture! Some people have posted perfectly valid reasons (last train back etc) but otherwise, as a fan, I can’t understand why you wouldn’t want to support your team to the end when the game is in the balance!

[OohAahButler]

I was listening to the 5 Live phone in on the way home yesterday. First call I heard from ‘supporters at the West Ham game’ was from some bloke who said he was actually a Man U supporter living in London who bought two cheap season tickets for himself and his missus (who was a Bournemouth fan!) as an affordable way of watching premier league football. I don’t know if the season ticket waiting list is real or imagined, but as long as people like him are filling th ground, then we’ll see it emptying out early.

[Rocketron]

Noble wasn't the worst defender, because he isn't a Defender. :lol:

The bloke who honestly didn't have a good game in the middle even made more tackles than actual Defender, Ogbonna and he was only on the pitch for 77 minutes!

Whoooooosh

[Colours never run]

Rocketron

Not even in the context as as a Midfielder was he the worst defender, that's more my point.

[Rio]

Not had a chance to read through the entire thread. But here’s some thoughts

Not going to panic. My biggest concern though is that despite the investment there’s no noticeable difference is the problems from the way we’ve played the last couple of seasons. We still lack pace, creativity, have a centre softer than caramel. Fabianski saved us from a more embarrassing score.

We played some decent stuff in the first half without really hurting them. The half time break have them the opportunity to regroup. Gave us the opportunity to become lackadaisical.

Fabianski was a plus point, Yarmalenko looked good when he came on. I’d be properly happy to never see Hernandez start for us again. Big reputation, big ego but not suited to us one bit.

Pellegrini is still working things out. We now have pacy players but with noble & Wilshere we stagnate when we play through the centre. It’s one or the other not both.

With fredericks. Unless we’re playing 5 at the back you can’t play him and masuaku as we’d get exposed down the flanks. With creswell not fit and no other viable left back we’re stuck with playing one or the other.

The whole culture of the club needs changing. We’re very much a work in progress. There’s seeds of promise, but the whole seemingly ingrained nature of self destruct needs to be eradicated.

I’ve long had suspicions about certain staff members and those have not been quelled as of yet

[irving boleyn]

I.m thinking that the only justification for playing such an attacking eleven, is if the players chosen for their attacking qualities are very good at their job, and the depleted defense is of extraordinary quality.

That certainly wasn't the case yesterday.

Too cavalier by far I fear.

[Harry Hound]

I was listening to the 5 Live phone in on the way home yesterday. First call I heard from ‘supporters at the West Ham game’ was from some bloke who said he was actually a Man U supporter living in London who bought two cheap season tickets for himself and his missus (who was a Bournemouth fan!) as an affordable way of watching premier league football. I don’t know if the season ticket waiting list is real or imagined, but as long as people like him are filling th ground, then we’ll see it emptying out early.

This is one of the biggest problems and the reason that I decided to stay away. After one too many times surrounded by picnicking chinese tourists and others supporting Man City in the West Ham end I decided to knock it on the head and now go mostly to cup games where there is more of an atmosphere. The Chelsea match when they decided afterwards to move the fans in 114 was a great atmosphere.