West Ham Utd 1-1 Middlesbrough (01/10/16)

[hessa]

I wouldn't have Antonio in my starting XI

The only player who knows where the goal is.

Yeah, he does and he also seems to love allowing the opposition free access to our's!

[ironstu]

--------------------Adrian-------------------

Byram-------Reid----Ogbonna----Arbeloa

---------------------Obiang---------------

----------Kouyate----Lanzini------------

Antonio-----------Zaza------------Payet

Subs: Randolph, Oxford, Fernandes, Noble, Feghouli, Calleri, Fletcher

I would be hesitant on giving Kouyate another go but I would make room for him as long as Obiang is holding. Can't have him and Noble going walkabouts together and I've said before how Kouyate's aerial presence both in defence and attacking set-pieces see him get the nod over Noble for me.

[ironstu]

Had a little look at the Boro forum. Interestingly they see their major weakness at LB, George Friend, who has had a shocker in recent weeks. Apparently they've got no back up there because the Da Silva brother that they bought is out for 6 weeks. They're all ****ting themselves about Antonio ripping him to pieces.

[Burnley Hammer]

don't know what to do about antonio. always exciting when he gets the ball in a dangerous area and is a great threat at the far stick, but was culpable for two of their three goals and provides no link up play whatsoever.

don't think it was as noticeable when we had Cresswell because he always provided the neat little link ups on the wing with payet while antonio exploited the space on the other side with his directness.

I've noticed this a while back. There's actually not much point having an attacking overlapping right back as once Antonio receives it, he only has one thing on his mind - and passing to a fullback isn't it.

Antonio benefits massively from our left hand side as that's where the good crosses come from (payet, cresswell, etc). Notice that our right back rarely puts in a cross from a good position due to the lack of link up play.

We have to play him due to the fact he's the only one that can score at the moment - but in terms of creativity, we are lopsided. The only thing that opposition teams need to do at the moment to nullify our threat is to snuff out the Payet -> Antonio link.

I think it's definitely worth playing Feghouli on the right, a target man up front, and Antonio in almost a free role around the attacking midfield/forward area. This would give him a little more freedom and make him more difficult to mark - and he'd have the benefit of a decent supply coming from both sides.

If he is on the right then we do need a bigger goal threat in attacking midfield. I don't see Lanzini as a particularly creative player - he's brilliant at link up play, and carrying the ball forward, turning defence into attack. He doesn't actually assist too many though, and is not a threat in the box when crosses come in. I think he's better in a deeper role with a good defensive midfielder alongside him. In attacking midfield, we need a bigger goal threat. Maybe 6 foot 3 Fernandes, or - when he's back from injury - Ayew.

[jphammer341]

Team for Saturday would be:
Adrian

Byram - Reid - Ogbonna - Arbeloa

Obiang

Antonio Noble Payet Feghouli

Zaza/Calleri/Fletcher (whoever gets one on target in the warm up)

Lanzini and Kouyate are my favourite players but I think it sends a sign that if we can drop those 2 anyone can go. Fernandes however I think could start this one as Bilic brought him on ahead of obiang at the weekend - and not seen much of him as a 10 - seems a rangy passing midfielder to me.
Feghouli showed enough desire in the 2nd half against Southampton to warrant a go
Not sure the hesistancy over Byram by Bilic - he isn't 18 - hes 23 and should be ready to play right back (at least during the injury crisis) having played over 100 senior games for a big club at Leeds.

[Bubbles Murray]

Presume the hesitancy over Byram is due to his niggly challenges which tend to lead to bookings leaving him walking a tightrope for the rest of the match.

[goof]

He's got to play 2 up top, who ever he plays there own there own in 4-3-3 or 4-5-1 isn't working. Please 4-4-2 & have a bloody go at it.

[upton o'good]

Presume the hesitancy over Byram is due to his niggly challenges which tend to lead to bookings leaving him walking a tightrope for the rest of the match.

I don't think so. That is clearly a problem. but you don't not play someone at all because they may miss a few matches through suspension.

More likely it is the feeling he isn't up to the job defensively - though giving away free kicks in dangerous areas is part of it. But Watford showed him out of his depth.

[irving boleyn]

I am convinced that after Obiang's more dynamic performance against Accrington, Slaven would have noted
"one more chance for Kouyate".... which he failed to take.

He really has not been successful in this box to box role. His early performances when played as the deepest midfielder stand out,, the occasional bursting out should have been seen as a bonus, but Slaven has tried to harness it to a more advanced role. Hasn't worked, just as the freeing of Noble to attack has cost more defensively than it generated offensively last year.

Slaven I think is looking for Cruyff's 'total' football from the team, without the good enough players.

I'm sure that if he hadnt expected too much from Kouyate and Noble,, particularly with the weakened defense, ,and rooted them in front of the back four we'd be doing better.

[ironstu]

I am convinced that after Obiang's more dynamic performance against Accrington, Slaven would have noted
"one more chance for Kayoute".... which he failed to take.

He really has not been successful in this box to box role. His early performances when played as the deepest midfielder stand out,, the occasional bursting out should have been seen as a bonus, but Slaven has tried to harness it to a more advanced role. Hasn't worked, just as the freeing of Noble to attack has cost more defensively than it generated offensively last year.

Slaven I think is looking for Cruyff's 'total' football from the team, without the good enough players.

I'm sure that if he hadnt expected too much from Kayoute and Noble,, particularly with the weakened defense, ,and rooted them in front of the back four we'd be doing better.

Is Kayoute a new signing? I hope he's not owned by a 3rd party!

[James P]

I lost £50 on Southampton game were gonna come out fighting show some Bolox so I'm gonna get my money back this week

I'm really not sure we're the sort of team at the moment you want to be chasing your losses on.

[The Old Man of Storr]

I've only seen Middlesborough play once this season and that was when they won away to Sunderland - I thought they looked magnificent that day - their first 6 games of this season in the Premiership have seen them win 1 , Draw 2 and Lose 3 - their victory came at Sunderland , draws at home to Stoke and away to West Brom - losses have come to Crystal Palace at home , Everton away and Tottenham at home .

We have lost 5 and won 1 .

Losses to Chelsea [ Away ] , Manchester City [ Away ] , Watford [ Home ] , West Brom [ Away ] and Southampton [ Home ] - Won against Bournemouth [ Home ] .

We are absolutely desperate for a win - I think the players haven't been working hard enough for each other at home - they need to defend and attack as a team , what I got from the Southampton game was we weren't suppoting Lanzini , Antonio and Zaza enough , perhaps we were so desperate not to let in a goal we weren't deploying enough midfielders up front - anyway that was last Sunday , this is another match .
I would play this team if Masuaku is still missing -

.........................................Adrian.................................................

..Arbeloa...........Collins............Reid.................Ogbonna....................

...........................Obiang...................Fernandes.......................................

...Feghouli.................Noble................ ........ Payet....................................

.........................................Antonio......................................................................

[Dan Boleyn]

Play Obiang & Oxford as DM's. Lanzini & Feghouli as wide players, Antonio up front with Payet behind him. Gives the balance between defence & attack, stops Antonio & Payet being liabilities defensively by not tracking back whilst being a handful for Boro's defence. COYI

[ironstu]

Play Obiang & Oxford as DM's. Lanzini & Feghouli as wide players, Antonio up front with Payet behind him. Gives the balance between defence & attack, stops Antonio & Payet being liabilities defensively by not tracking back whilst being a handful for Boro's defence. COYI

I reckon Michail Antonio would be a worse lone striker than Carlton Cole.

[irving boleyn]

No. The opposition will just put their biggest lump on to Antonio for crosses as Southampton did and his one quality will be negated.


Bit like Harewoods second Prem. season

[umweb]

it's not a must win. but more of a must change mentality, tactics and attitude. i still believe we have the right players, we just are not organized or motivated and that falls with the manager. i can see a similar system to southampton working here, but we need more discipline than kouyate provides.

adrian
byram - reid - ogbonna - arbeloa
noble - nordveit - lanzini
antonio - zaza - payet

[fjthegrey]

I'd play Fernandes and I wouldn't play Kouyate.

[Jumby]

West Ham United 1 (Fletcher 78)
Middlesbrough 1 (Negredo 51)

[hammers92]

I reckon we need to win this game

[ironstu]

We need to score more goals than them.