Arsenal v West Ham Utd: match thread

[Matt of iron]

I reckon some people are so wound up by the fact we took the lead, then monumentally ****ed it up.

So West Ham.

[Hockley Hammer]

This is why Swansea ripped us apart earlier in the season,and T*ttingham too.

It's the one thing I have feared with our defence, fortunately it is not an issue with a lot of teams,

Why did we start defending so high up the pitch when we had more than enough warnings in the first half about them getting behind us.

When we stopped them doing it they just went sideways with no threat (apart from their superb first goal).

[Bobby Orangeboom]

Why did we start defending so high up the pitch when we had more than enough warnings in the first half about them getting behind us.

Add the first game at our place to the first half where warnings were concerned, and Sunderland too, same thing.

[hammer_lad]

.

Course i do, apart from the headache...

Dyers has summed it up above, by the way the reality is "its only a game" a very important one, but it is a sport (or at least should be); all this post match analysis is b*llocks if you ask me, sack him or drop him or tactics were wrong blah blah just emphasises that some see it as a business or a money machine where winning or buying players is everything.

I have always preferred the fan part of West Ham than the football part, its that simple and if you think about it; it is the only common sense answer for supporting us, We really are not that good!!

Truth is we got beaten by a team that are much better than us. Like it of not Arsenal were ****ing outstanding just after the 2nd half, Jimmy Saville obviously got them properly up for it at half time.

It happens, i have seen it over and over again, all it does it make it more special when we pull of one of our miracle results like our 1st game at the Emirates and the last at the Library.

Speculator

It doesn't make me a No1 fan, just makes me a typical fan that goes away, not sure its a hobby though? more a way of life and thats why i dont get to uptight about loosing.[/quote]

bang on.

weird how some people "get this" above and others dont - of course everyone is different but it's just the way alot of us who do the away games are. It isnt that we dont care or want to win every game, we just know that highly likely we aint going to win every game, especially away. I would have ****ing loved to have battered them 3,4-0 last night but we were beaten by a better team - walk out the ground end of roll on next week.

never understood being pissed off with losing a game of football and moaning about it for hours, we walk out the ground and its forgotten. no doubt that will mean i dont really care about west ham as someone else does!!

[Doc H Ball]

I was right above our goal in the second half. Yes they did run at us with pace and destroy us brilliantly in 10 minutes, but the thing that struck me was the complete lack of protection for the full backs. Demel in particular was on his own and struggling badly.

We had no width at all and they took full advantage. Vaz Te set up a meditation class somewhere between the half way line and the penalty box whilst Joe Cole and our record signing got cold - can't figure that.

[RichieRiv]

It doesn't make me a No1 fan

Speak for yourself Maj. At the very least by going puts you head and shoulders above those sitting in their armchair listening to Arabic commentary.

By the way, you're spot on. Apart from the scoreline and having to listened to those melts on the train last night, I had a pretty good night.

[Westbourne Bill]

Very occasionally Arsenal produce football that far exceeds anything Man City, Man U or Chelsea ever produce in a season. Last night they did that for a spell and Id say three of the goals would have gone in against pretty much every other side in the division. They were outstanding at UP earlier in the season, so quite frankly it didnt surprise me. That said, Id still like to know what was behind Sams team selection and how he plans to address the poor away record.

[Hampshire Hammer]

bang on. [Major]

weird how some people "get this" above and others dont - of course everyone is different but it's just the way alot of us who do the away games are. It isnt that we dont care or want to win every game, we just know that highly likely we aint going to win every game, especially away. I would have ****ing loved to have battered them 3,4-0 last night but we were beaten by a better team - walk out the ground end of roll on next week.

never understood being pissed off with losing a game of football and moaning about it for hours, we walk out the ground and its forgotten. no doubt that will mean i dont really care about west ham as someone else does!!

Exactly, I went hoping for a good result but thinking if we defended against pace and movement as we normally do and Arsenal played as they can it would be a real struggle. The fullbacks were given very little cover first half and we didn't improve there second half. I was pissed off at the time with our defending, but enjoyed the evening out - in some ways. I know outsinging Arsenal is no great achievement but what the hell "Your grounds too big for you!" etc

Driving home there was plenty of analysis, then done and dusted and move on.

[Hambrosia Stu]

Frustrating to be stuffed by those winkers. Last night that seemed an irrelevance whilst waiting for news that Potts is okay. Not much could make a 5-1 defeat at the hands of that lot seem inconsequential, but last night that certainly did for me....

However, in the cold light of day...
1st half we did well I thought, and overall there were some positives to take. Apart from that 10 minute spell...
I thought Tomkins did well, and was alive to the threats Arsenal were posing. JOB was immense, and saved us on countless occassions. He is an excellent defender. Good for Jack to get his first goal back after his injury lay off. Diarra looked good (again) when he came on. And, that's about it..,

Sure, you have to say Arsenal played some sublime football in the opening 10 mins of the 2nd half. They were excellent, and we couldn't cope. I'm struggling to point the finger of blame. But 2 things really didn't help our cause. Firstly, as someone mentioned earlier, we should have tried to stop their momentum by breaking the game up, slowing it down. Take the hit (of their 2nd goal), take stock, and build back into the game. It seemed we went a bit kamikaze, in trying to respond, and at least 2 of their goals were a result of us over-committing in their box, and then being caught short at the back when they countered.
But secondly, we seemed to play right into their hands:-

Attack directly with pace, always ****'s us up

This is why Swansea ripped us apart earlier in the season,and T*ttingham too.

Why did we start defending so high up the pitch when we had more than enough warnings in the first half about them getting behind us.

When we stopped them doing it they just went sideways with no threat (apart from their superb first goal).

I don't know why we started to try to play the offside trap. It seemed an obviously suicidal tactic, and so it proved.

But overall, it wasn't just our defence that was our downfall
Strangely, considering the result, and the manner of it, I can't really critisise our defence. Demel got caught out a couple of times, but was generally OK. If anything I thought Reid struggled more than most, and I thought Tonks & JOB were decent enough

But it was the same old story that when we do have the ball we just can't get anything going in the final third. Cole was massively isolated at times. What's the point in playing it long to him when he is so isolated?

Nolan is clearly struggling and Vaz Te is well out of his depth.

I agree about Nolan, but not Vaz Te
First half, Vaz Te was one of our brightest players I thought. I actually thought to myself at one point that he stands out as being our most technically gifted player (on the pitch last night). I thought he tracked back OK.
Nolan stood out as being totally ineffective. Sure, he directs the team around him well, and his influence is always a strong point of his. But at times I struggle to see what he is offering. When he was knocking the goals in, you could excuse his lack of influence on the general play. But it seems we are carrying him right now, and you have to say a large part of the reason Cole was so isolated and ineffective is that Nolan offered him no support.
I'm starting to see Nolan a bit like our last excellent captain (Lucas Neill). That is he's a great club captain, pulls the lads together, etc. But like Neill towards the end of his spell with us, whilst he's obviously great to have in the dressing room, he just ain't cutting it on the pitch, and it's getting harder and harder to justify his inclusion based on his captaining abilities when his impact on the game is so minimal

[Hockley Hammer]

I was allocated our work season tickets last night at club level. When we scored there were obviously quite a few Hammers in my section last night.

I have to say they have some right no-nothing arrogant tossers as fans. I actually want Tottenham to nick fourth spot as they are never going to live it down.

They have all taken on Wenger's attitude - they don't see anything wrong with whatever they do, but everybody else is cheating them and stopping them playing.

[MS in the West]

Very disappointing (of course). Didn't Arsenal go 2-0 down against the Spuds ( a much better side than us) and win 5-2? It happens.

We're all too quick to grasp at hopes that we've become a top side - witness the posts after the 3-1 win against Chelsea. This season our aim is to stay up. This is a rubbish result in a bad run. But 3 quick wins and we're not far from being clear of relegation. That's what matters. We can worry about becoming a top side (top 8 that is) in seasons to come. Perspective. Walk before you can run and all that

[fmgod]

Nolan is clearly struggling and Vaz Te is well out of his depth.

I agree about Nolan, but not Vaz Te
First half, Vaz Te was one of our brightest players I thought. I actually thought to myself at one point that he stands out as being our most technically gifted player (on the pitch last night). I thought he tracked back OK.[/quote]

Vaz Te can beat championship full backs with a bit of pace and trickery but the full backs at this level just wait for him to round down a blind alley, he's totally out of his depth, he's very much a one trick pony that has just been found out. The goals aren't there, the beating his man isn't there, this is a step too far for him.

[lukeWHU]

What trouble me most was Sam telling journalists last night that he wasn't playinh Joe Cole, Diane or Jarvis in fear that they may get injured. If you take this view, you would never play them.

Allardyce went to Arsenal last night expecting to get beat. Thats why he played the fringe players such as Taylor, Collison, Vaz Te and rested the better ones. For me thats unacceptable.

I would rather go to Arsenal and have a go at winning the game. If we get beat 5-1, then fair enough - at least we have had a go. But going there to try and nick a draw (which we never manage to do) isn't good enough for me.

[EugeneSpeed]

I have to say they have some right no-nothing arrogant tossers as fans. I actually want Tottenham to nick fourth spot as they are never going to live it down.

Oooh, like choosing between stepping in cat sh1t or stepping in dog sh1t.

They do have some incredibly arrogant fans, but a lot of us did ourselves few favours. I saw a bloke throw things at the home fans. An old fella told him to knock it on the head, and was basically told to 'f**k off'. No respect.

There was one Arsenal fan who kept doing the crossed arms thing when they scored, and it was winding people up no end. I was fuming, but you have to laugh it off or you get wound up and end up looking like an idiot. Blokes with children on their shoulders offering out lads half their age. What you going to do? By your son a Solero and tell him to wait while you kick some Gooners head in? Grow up.

Keep the banter clever. They know deep down that they support a club with absolutely no soul. I went for a beer with an Arsenal mate afterwards and he was blown away that "Dan Potts dad used to play for you. And Rob Lee's son has been on the bench". Told me outright that he was jealous of that.

[Romford]

Lets be honest....Sam f@cked up.

For that team to get to Half time only letting in one goal was a bloody miracle.

Not enough power or pace in the midfield to stop the Junkie creating (another the FA didn't charge).

Lets just be greatful for one thing....we will always be better and have more than they do off the park. Never have you seen SO many losers and "new" fans in one place "and wont be there in ten years time"

Must also congratulate the Plod on duty for being the worst i've ever witnessed in a Met Uniform. Did everything to wind up and upset then act the innocent when it gets lively.

They should be ashamed of themselves...

[Romford]

I was allocated our work season tickets last night at club level. When we scored there were obviously quite a few Hammers in my section last night.

I have to say they have some right no-nothing arrogant tossers as fans. I actually want Tottenham to nick fourth spot as they are never going to live it down.

They have all taken on Wenger's attitude - they don't see anything wrong with whatever they do, but everybody else is cheating them and stopping them playing.

I have been saying for many moons...

[Hockley Hammer]

I agree about Nolan, but not Vaz Te
First half, Vaz Te was one of our brightest players I thought. I actually thought to myself at one point that he stands out as being our most technically gifted player (on the pitch last night). I thought he tracked back OK.
Nolan stood out as being totally ineffective. Sure, he directs the team around him well, and his influence is always a strong point of his. But at times I struggle to see what he is offering. When he was knocking the goals in, you could excuse his lack of influence on the general play. But it seems we are carrying him right now, and you have to say a large part of the reason Cole was so isolated and ineffective is that Nolan offered him no support.
I'm starting to see Nolan a bit like our last excellent captain (Lucas Neill). That is he's a great club captain, pulls the lads together, etc. But like Neill towards the end of his spell with us, whilst he's obviously great to have in the dressing room, he just ain't cutting it on the pitch, and it's getting harder and harder to justify his inclusion based on his captaining abilities when his impact on the game is so minimal

Funny I see it completely the other way. In the first half Nolan won a couple of decent headers defensively, tidied up around the box, won some useful interceptions and did some nice first time passing to feet to set up some moves. I lost count of the number of times Noble took an unnecessary extra touch and lost possession being caught with the ball or misplacing a pass. Too many of our players do not have confidence in their first touch,

Vaz Te - I really don't like slating players, but his performance was appalling at times. Endlessly picked the ball up and ran into trouble and gave it away cheaply. Not the only culprit by any means but he just kept doing it and his attitude after losing it was just awful.

I was sure that if we held on for 10-15 mins it was Taylor and Vaz Te off, we had very good options on the bench and I was full of optimism.

In the cold light of day Nolan and Vaz Te were not responsible for shipping four goals in ten minutes, however badly they might have played.

Defensively we made an error and just fell apart.

[Pop Robson]

I was allocated our work season tickets last night at club level. When we scored there were obviously quite a few Hammers in my section last night.

Arsenal must have something like 25% of corporate ST ?, so many empty seats

[Hambrosia Stu]

In the cold light of day Nolan and Vaz Te were not responsible for shipping four goals in ten minutes, however badly they might have played.

Defensively we made an error and just fell apart.

That's just about the size of it
Attackwise I felt we left a lot to be desired at times, but as you say, we fell apart defensively and it cost us big time

[bobbymooresbracelet]

It must be enjoyable paying £35.50 to have a laugh,watching senior pros going through the motions
collecting their rewards,and throwing in the towel for 30 mins,whens the next gig ?

Fulham away,coming..........