Allardyce: Stick or twist?

[Sloop John B]

Against Palace we played well for sure, but against Hull and Burnley we were attacking in multiple numbers from the off, we were almost gung-ho in the way we played

My recollection of Burnley first half.... we hardly strung two passes together... Took us until 25 minutes to get out of our own half. They battered us for the first 15 minutes.

[Crouchend_Hammer]

My recollection of Burnley first half.... we hardly strung two passes together... Took us until 25 minutes to get out of our own half. They battered us for the first 15 minutes.

we didn't play that well for sure. But we certainly threw men forward when we could, without worrying too much about shape etc etc

[mushy]

we didn't play that well for sure. But we certainly threw men forward when we could, without worrying too much about shape etc etc

Played better and attacked with more numbers at Palace.
That may have something to do with the respective oppositions though.

[Graza]

Sorry to drag this thread back to the front page...

If he plays like this and we go on a losing streak, I can guarantee you people will complain again. There will be some claiming we're too adventurous, too attacking, whilst others will bemoan how we've completely forgotten how to defend. Others will say 'well this is what you asked for', the affronted will deny it ... und so weiter.

I guarantee that if we continue to play like this, few would use adventurous or attacking football against BFS. If we see defensive mistakes - and I mean glaring lapses of concentration - people might ask why we aren't drilling our defence as well as we have in previous years? There is an argument to be had about if the general set up of the team papered over some of the deficiencies in the games of Reid, Tonks and Collins. Certainly I for one don't expect Jenkinson and Cresswell to be bombing forward against Man City quite as much as they did against Burnley last week but that's just common sense.

I'd even argue that depending on who's fit a midfield of Noble, Song, Downing and Nolan could be considered as our best chance of nicking a point (or dare I hope more) against City. Much as it might annoy some to include Nolan this is the sort of game where solidity and teamwork are going to be our best allies, with the options of the likes of Jarvo and Amalfitano on the bench to spice things up if we are within touching distance in the second half.

Already happened, when we lost to Southampton.

When did we attack Southampton? - they took us apart, largely through pressing us all over the pitch and working twice as hard as we did.

Honestly, the undertones from some on here are pathetic. You can tell that some genuinely are aggrieved that Sam is achieving great football and results.

Indeed. Amusing isn't it.

I can't read it like that - I'm not that pessimistic about our own support. I'm chuffed with the way it's gone this season and long may it continue.

If someone was told something by someone they believed was in a position to know then why should it be taken so negatively that it was passed on. You can doubt the information, or the source, but the constant assertion that anyone who thought BFS should go at the end of last season would prefer we were losing right now just to prove a point is tiresome. There may be someone somewhere - you can never say never - but the amount it's repeated is just point scoring, against no one as no one has actually stated that as their position.

And that's fine if you think like that but not everyone does think it is just about the result.

I never said, at any point, that everyone did. Nor anyone else at all, for that matter.

No indeed you said "As I've always maintained, it's all about the results."

For some it is not, for you it is, or rather to better represent the quote I think anyway you believe that many peoples perception on this argument is skewed by the results. I think that's fair, but I would question the meaning of results, points on the board or the way the boots on the ground operate. I favour the latter over the former.

[Cardiff here we come.....]

Crouch - Interesting you should say that as I was told recently by someone with strong links in football that he was called in after that Southampton game and told to play the new signings (Sakho and Valencia) and attack more or he'd be gone.

Sorry total horse sh*t

Its going through your mind 'I'm losing this argument, let me pull out the big guns'. SA was FORCED to play Sakho & Valencia?. Valencia was not match fit the first few games, so SA had him as substitute. That was the reason not your crappy made up story.

It is f*cking sickening that credit is been given to SA through gritted teeth. You still can read through the posting of some that they are not happy SA is doing well, its killing them. Its a mixture of Allardyce hate & cannot, will not admit that they were wrong to want SA gone after a rough patch last season.

The ones that booed, the ones that sang 'F*ck off Sam Allardyce, the ones that brought w*nk banners to an away game, the ones that behind the scenes were doing polls & stirring up sh*t on social media, I hope West Ham being 4th is giving you sleepless nights. I hope its killing you that SA has turned it around.

Disgusting, hateful sh*t. Pity your ugly heads will arise again when we lose 3 or 4 matches on the bounce.

[kayahammer]

I have warmed even more to Sam this season. Last season I was wavering around xmas time due to the pathetic football we were playing. This season each game has been entertaining since Soton.

Loving it and think Sam should have his name sung on the terraces after what he has done for us despite a distinct lack of respect and backing from some on a Saturday afternoon.

[Markt85]

Sorry total horse sh*t

Its going through your mind 'I'm losing this argument, let me pull out the big guns'. SA was FORCED to play Sakho & Valencia?. Valencia was not match fit the first few games, so SA had him as substitute. That was the reason not your crappy made up story.

It is f*cking sickening that credit is been given to SA through gritted teeth. You still can read through the posting of some that they are not happy SA is doing well, its killing them. Its a mixture of Allardyce hate & cannot, will not admit that they were wrong to want SA gone after a rough patch last season.

The ones that booed, the ones that sang 'F*ck off Sam Allardyce, the ones that brought w*nk banners to an away game, the ones that behind the scenes were doing polls & stirring up sh*t on social media, I hope West Ham being 4th is giving you sleepless nights. I hope its killing you that SA has turned it around.

Disgusting, hateful sh*t. Pity your ugly heads will arise again when we lose 3 or 4 matches on the bounce.

I'm with you Cardiff - still a fair few that just can't force themselves to admit they were very wrong. Now I'm hearing this turnaround is down to ''us fans who demanded it '' or ''only playing this way coz the owners told him too'' ... So I'm sure it won't be his fault when things go wrong to these people ? Yeh right. Sad. Best manager since Harry and some fans just hold a personal grudge against the guy no matter what.

[Ozza]

It's depressing to read some of the stuff on here still.

It's fairly simple in my mind, results are the priority always will be and rightly so, and we're playing better football because we have better footballers.

The manager has said numerous times in his career, he'll setup according to the resources he has, and this close season, the board have gone out and done an excellent job in the market, replacing the older freebies that got us promoted (which we should have done last season)

It's not that difficult.

As for the noise around, him being told to play a certain way or he's out, or the stuff around him being told to play players! I'd rather trust the stuff that comes out of the managers mouth rather than someone on here being told something by someone, somewhere, it's just rumour mongering dross peddled by people entrenched behind hatred (in my view)

[Billydinho]

Thank **** KUMB was not around in 89.

They don't just want Lyall out, they want him out out.

[wizzo_66]

We'll all be going out out after we beat Citeh on Saturday

[Bend it like Repka]

The ones that booed, the ones that sang 'F*ck off Sam Allardyce, the ones that brought w*nk banners to an away game, the ones that behind the scenes were doing polls & stirring up sh*t on social media, I hope West Ham being 4th is giving you sleepless nights. I hope its killing you that SA has turned it around.

Disgusting, hateful sh*t. Pity your ugly heads will arise again when we lose 3 or 4 matches on the bounce.

It's not killing me in the slightest that we are having a good run with him in charge.

I will not change my views about him based on a few games this season. That would be rather fickle wouldn't it? As I said the real test of a person is how they cope with difficulty and adversity, and I don't think he coped well last year. He was negative, surly and had no plan B. Many managers get stick from fans, I have never seen others react to their own fans like he did.

However as I said on another thread, he has been given decent players, told to be more positive, and he at present he is doing a decent job of steering the ship. I won't be complaining if he loses 3 on the bounce, or we only end up finishing 12th this season as long as we continue playing positive football.

I will only be back giving him stick if we revert to negative football under him. He has clearly seen the path forward, and that fans will be on his side with this style. I always said I'd rather lose 4 - 3 than 1 - 0 playing decent football. Fans have a right to be entertained.

As long as he keeps entertaining us, while maintaining a reasonable level of results, you won't hear any more from me this season.

[Estuary]

BILR

As I said the real test of a person is how they cope with difficulty and adversity, and I don't think he coped well last year.

I would look at the bottom of the Championship, Birmingham, Bolton, Fulham, Reading, Wigan ,Blackpool. These are clubs where at key moments in their struggle with bad form, luck, injury, suspension etc in the Premiership the manager didn't cope well, I think Sam did what he could with what he had, if he hadn't we would have gone down.
The why and where for of the squad last season have been done to death, the team has moved on and I am for moving on.

[Whufc06]

Looks like we've got some proper keyboard warriors on here. Why would anyone be unhappy we are playing well? And seeing as our approach this season compared to last is chalk and cheese who exactly is wrong? Allardyce has changed the way he's approached games, 100%. That is down to a number of factors, one of which is the unrest of supporters to his safety first football last season. I've already stated numerous times that should he continue as he is then I will happily see him awarded a new contract. Why on earth would I wish this if I was praising him through gritted teeth?

Where on earth has this piss poor attitude towards other fans come from? The people that were unhappy with Allardyce and the football last season are automatically assumed to have booed at games. Thats wrong aswell. People are gonna have different opinions, they are allowed them. The way people, mainly the stickers, have ridiculed people for not supporting Allardyce is a joke. I've not always seen eye to eye with our own Romford but to coin his phrase "treat people as you would in a pub", cos some of you wouldn't last 5 minutes with the total disrespect you are showing others.

[RM6]

The way people, mainly the stickers, have ridiculed people for not supporting Allardyce is a joke.

That's not what it's about at all is it.

It the banners, the polls, the "get out of my club you fat northern c*nt", the "f*ck off Sam Allardyce" type c*ntishness.

And quite a few people who dared suggest that with better players you'd see a better brand of football using the example of his previous achievements at Bolton were given an absolute coating for supporting the man.

It goes both ways.

We heard it all last year, one track, no plan A, can't attract players, blah, blah, blah...

It was all b*llocks then, and it's still all b*llocks.

[Doc H Ball]

Someone should print off every page of this thread, burn them in a pyre and scatter the ashes in the middle of the Atlantic.

[Cardiff here we come.....]

I said I'd rather lose 4 - 3 than 1 - 0 playing decent football. Fans have a right to be entertained.

.

Yep, I agree that if we are going to lose, I would also prefer to lose 4-3, least you can go 'mental' with us scoring three goals...But fans DON'T have a right to be entertained, all they do is pay to watch a football match. This is not like a film that you have read good reviews about & want to be entertained. Like all sport, football has too many variables & it doesn't matter what formation etc..its down to the luck of the draw if the game is good/sh*t. Example-We beat Sp*rs last season 2-0, but they got a man sent off. As a spectacle the game was sh*t, not worth £60 a ticket but we got the result.

I always laugh when Sky build up a game for the big weekend game Chelsea vs Arsenal, Man Utd vs Liverpool etc... as they generally end up a boring, drab affair & that's how it goes. In my opinion the entertainment has increased this season down at West Hams due to us having better players now. Sakho can pop up with a goal anytime & Valencia is that 'Unpredictable' element in the side that can sometimes pull out something special. Those two elements straight away adds excitement.

Going to a football match is all about supporting your team. Entertainment is NOT a given.

[Aztec Hammer]

Someone should print off every page of this thread, burn them in a pyre and scatter the ashes in the middle of the Atlantic.

What a pile of sh*t this thread has become.

[RM6]

What a pile of sh*t this thread has become.

Become?

[Markt85]

Looks like we've got some proper keyboard warriors on here. Why would anyone be unhappy we are playing well? And seeing as our approach this season compared to last is chalk and cheese who exactly is wrong? Allardyce has changed the way he's approached games, 100%. That is down to a number of factors, one of which is the unrest of supporters to his safety first football last season. I've already stated numerous times that should he continue as he is then I will happily see him awarded a new contract. Why on earth would I wish this if I was praising him through gritted teeth?

I sit in the victor Meldrew stand (Dr Martens Upper) there used to slagging off Allardyce for 90 mins - now they cant do that they sit there in silence and do a half arsed clap if we score. Some old folks dont enjoy being proved wrong simple as that.

[SammyLeeWasOffside]

I always said I'd rather lose 4 - 3 than 1 - 0 playing decent football. Fans have a right to be entertained.

That was never the argument though BILR. Every single person on this site would rather lose 4-3 than lose 1-0 its an easy choice. The difficulty came with the choice of lose 4-3 or draw 0-0/win1-0.