IntenseDebate - cityhobgoblin

12 years ago @ West Ham Till I Die - Match Thread: West Ham... · 0 replies · +1 points

It's more of a narrow, pinched, 5-3-2 isn't it? Two strikers is good but no width and no creativity in midfield is bad. BFS has now become obsessed with playing a defender in midfield. In the first part of the season he was doing it away from home but now he's doing it every week. Tomkins is in midfield to make up for the deficiencies of Nolan.

12 years ago @ West Ham Till I Die - Vote: Player Performan... · 0 replies · +1 points

I agree with your last sentence 100% I fear it is too late to completely change the way the team plays though.

12 years ago @ West Ham Till I Die - Vote: Player Performan... · 0 replies · +1 points

5 for O'Neil is generous bordering on crazy. He's absolutely hopeless. His hopeless hoof into the stands when we had that break late on made me want to weep.

12 years ago @ West Ham Till I Die - Vote: Player Performan... · 3 replies · +1 points

Oh, and you might be right about Roberts, but if he had been our only January signing imagine the howls of protest from the fans.

12 years ago @ West Ham Till I Die - Vote: Player Performan... · 0 replies · +1 points

I don't think we actually disagree with each other. The real problem is a lack of a clear plan as to what tactics to use rather than a lack of investment in players. My point is that we can't complain that other teams are outspending us in the league because they are not. It may well be that they are spending better, but that is because they have a clearer idea of what they are trying to do.

You're right about Maynard. I happen to think he is a good player but he's being made to look like a bad one by the way we are using him. Good managers make average players look like world beaters. BFS seems intent on doing the opposite.

I think Vaz Te should play on the wing and Maynard should play up front with Cole. As much as possible the same players should play every week, in the same positions. It's not rocket science.

12 years ago @ West Ham Till I Die - Vote: Player Performan... · 6 replies · +1 points

Well, Southampton signed Billy Sharp in January who is a decent player but with no better a record than Maynard. Other than that they captured Tadanari Lee from Sanfrecce Hiroshima (a deal we are all jealous of, obviously) and Yago Falque (who?) on loan. None of those players played for them today.

Reading signed Karl Sheppard, Thomas Cywka and Mathew Connolly (all on loan) and Jason Roberts (the kind of mid 30s striker we've been complaining about West Ham signing for years). Of these only Roberts played today.

I'm pretty sure we spent more than any of them in the January window.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/16377058

12 years ago @ West Ham Till I Die - Vote: Player Performan... · 9 replies · +1 points

I'm not sure I agree with this. Maynard, Morrison and Vaz Te were quality additions by the standard of this league. Maynard and Vaz Te were tearing teams up with their previous teams but have been blunted by Allardyce's tactics. Morrison hasn't had a chance.

I think the board have given BFS a squad to win this league but he's not delivering.

12 years ago @ West Ham Till I Die - Match Thread: Leeds Un... · 0 replies · +1 points

They were a bit more boring but a hell of a lot more succesful.

12 years ago @ West Ham Till I Die - Match Thread: Leeds Un... · 0 replies · +1 points

You've nailed it.

He's constantly tinkering with team selection and formations to try to show how clever he is. The players often look bewildered by it all and I think they fall back on the long ball stuff because it's simple.

We've got better players and a deeper squad than anyone in this league and yet still we are scratching around and looking over our shoulders. Players like Baldock have had their confidence wrecked by being in and out of the side. Nolan and Collison seem to play however bad they've been the week before.

12 years ago @ West Ham Till I Die - Twelve Things We Learn... · 0 replies · +1 points

That won't be far wrong. Teams look good against us because we let them.

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