Allardyce: Stick or twist?

[szola]

Same colours, different team

[squareballs]

BFS new employment trajectory (correct as of time going to press)

1. Raise expectations to unsustainable levels
2. Fail to sustain unsustainable levels
3. Get booed a lot
4. Get fired
5. Be replaced by Avram mkII
6. Join Stoke

[DODGYDAL]

After 9 games last season, we had 9 points and had failed to score in 5 games, netting just 8 times.

Now after the same number of games, we have 16 points, have only failed to score once and have scored 17 goals on the way.

A leopard can change its spots after all.

Barring the last line which I don't agree with as no spots needed changing imo just better players required.This should be the end of the stick or twist debate, the stickers (for which I was one although that is not important) knew the boss was capable of delivering the stats above given the right players (ok maybe not as good as they are). The twisters were not so sure and are now being proven wrong which is enjoyable for everyone as at the end of the day we all want the same thing West Ham to do well and play good football don't see the need for the point scoring I told you so stuff going on.

[davids cross]

at the end of the day we all want the same thing West Ham to do well and play good football don't see the need for the point scoring I told you so stuff going on.

Indeed,

We all come at things from different directions with different views.

It would be plain damn silly not to be overjoyed at where we are and with what happened on Saturday (probably the best performance in 25-30 years imo)

It's nuts to be embroiled in this thread when we should just be enjoying watching the team. We are where we are for a number of reasons. All can take some credit imo. The pros and the antis and all the ones in the middle should just "give peas a chance".

[Albie Beck]

DC - no doubt someone would say "giant Marrowfat ones" and it would all kick off again

[the pink palermo]

A lot of petits pois scoring going on

[squareballs]

A lot of petits pois scoring going on

Hilarious

[denzel]

BFS new employment trajectory (correct as of time going to press)

1. Raise expectations to unsustainable levels
2. Fail to sustain unsustainable levels
3. Get booed a lot
4. Get fired
5. Be replaced by Avram mkII
6. Join Stoke

I feel like this sums up almost every Newcastle manager's time at that club.

[Markt85]

Just to lay rest another myth.

Big Sam

"..... ''The owners have never said to me that I have to change my style of play - not once in just over three years since I have been here since I joined the club.
"That is a myth - to say that they have talked about style of play. They have never done that.
"They want better results, yes. They wanted better results than last season and we are doing that. We are playing better as well because we have got better players having recruited very well in the summer. We hope that continues."

[AndyCarrollsBarber]

Overtaken by Arsenal, and plummeted down to 5th.

Twist.

[Johnny Byrne's Boots]

Good article on Sam and our new style (BBC)

Extract

......................................

"Last season, we would be going to places like this thinking it would be damage limitation but the players seem to have a totally different outlook now," Hammers fan Tony Clement, 66, told BBC Sport before kick-off on Saturday.
"Everybody is always up for the big teams when they come to your ground but it is when you go to these places you can really notice the difference.
"We were not very good in the first half at Burnley. Last year, we would have lost that game, and quite easily too.
"This time, we stuck at it and we won."
............................................
For an hour, West Ham were awful, and deservedly trailed 2-0.
Six months ago there might have been a very different reaction from the stands but, this time, there were no boos, and certainly no banners.
Because of that, there was no in-fighting either. The fans got behind their team, and the players battled on.
"It was always a minority who were in the 'Sam Out' brigade," Keith Meredith, 45, told BBC Sport.
"I was quite near that banner at The Hawthorns, and a few people tried to tear it down.
"This season the atmosphere has been vastly different. People are really behind the team."

[Aztec Hammer]

As many said, it's not just the result. It's the way the team has so much heart and fight in it to come from two down away at the worst place to play in the league and score a lovely goal at the same time.

This confident, never quit West Ham is brilliant.

Congrats Big Sam

[stu1]

He's doing a great job so far this season, but after watching his interview on soccer Saturday he still makes it very difficult to like him. Far too smug and won't accept the short comings off the football that was on offer last year. How he can honestly say a lot of our football was very good last year I don't know. Credit where credits due its been a completely different story this year, I just wish he could be a little less arrogant and accept that the fans may of had a slight point last season, even if he has to dress it up in a way which doesn't look too bad on him.

It's a shame I taped the programme to see the discussion about us, and despite all the praise they pundits gave us, Allardyce's interview just left a bad taste in my mouth.

[Babooshka]

As I've outlined on KUMB facebook page, he's not one of us and doesn't acknowledge the "West Ham Way" (whatever that means to us - that's a debating point totally exhausted now) and has little empathy with the supporters. His style of play is primarily defensive (overly clean sheet proud) and non-expansive despite the attacking emphasis this season that's been enforced upon him.

Even against Stoke he tried the containing game again, reverting to type, until he realised he'd screwed up. Hopefully one of the coaching staff gave him the nudge he needed to adjust the formation/tactics at half time? I don't buy the "He gave us a bollocking..." nonsense that Downing came out with...

Give him to the end of the season and get a more progressive, intelligent and likeable manager to lead us in to the new OS era, who can get even more out of this squad the owners have assembled.

I give him credit for listening and responding to the calls for attacking play, but he spoils it by not giving any credit to the supporters and failure to acknowledge their call and right to demand a style of play we want to see, nor the owners prompting. Just too much of a cock for me to warm to, but hopefully he'll carry on under our instructions and demands as supporters and financiers. Time will tell...

[shammy]

Stick.

[badgermax]

Time will tell...

I know nothing about football so I'm just trying to educate myself but can you name which top manager, in the real world, who fits your description of progressive, intelligent and likeable ?
And what evidence do you have that Downing completely made up that they got a half time bollocking and if so why would he make it up?

[Markt85]

Time will tell...

Pathetic

Promotion, 2 mid table finishes and now 5th with our strongest squad since the Harry days, but because you have a personal dislike for him you think he should go.

i hope he sticks around for a long long time and i would imagine so does the players that give 100% week in week out under him.

You have zero influence over our style of play, hes kept us in the prem and bought in better players so can change the style - bitter pill to swallow for the likes of you to accept.

[thejackhammer]

The most important question is why is your username the Russian for grandmother?

[snooperpooper]

Time will tell...

Really, I just don't get this!

What will it take to make some people happy, or is it that some people just don't want to be happy and give credit?

Red card for you Bab

[mushy]

As I've outlined on KUMB facebook page, he's not one of us and doesn't acknowledge the "West Ham Way" (whatever that means to us - that's a debating point totally exhausted now) and has little empathy with the supporters. His style of play is primarily defensive (overly clean sheet proud) and non-expansive despite the attacking emphasis this season that's been enforced upon him.
The West Ham Way?
He talks of it here, a good interview in my opinion.
http://www1.skysports.com/watch/video/9 ... st-ham-way'" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Even against Stoke he tried the containing game again, reverting to type, until he realised he'd screwed up. Hopefully one of the coaching staff gave him the nudge he needed to adjust the formation/tactics at half time? I don't buy the "He gave us a bollocking..." nonsense that Downing came out with...

...

Reverting to type?
What did he do at half time to change the game then?
Are you saying that Cole should have played up front on his own from the start?