Despite losing 1-0 on the night, West Ham United reached the next round of the Europa League qualifiers where they will meet Astra Giurgiu courtesy of a 5-3 penalty shoot out against plucky FC Birkirkara, but they were made to pay. James Tomkins became the latest West Ham player to be red carded as the wheels nearly came of the club's 'European adventure' before it had started properly. Quite what Tomkins thought he was doing only he knows, but it plain to see that Hammer's are totally naive when it comes to European competition. Having been made to look like mugs in the previous round, and picking up a red card, it would have been assumed that lessons were going to be learned, apparently not! One 'lesson' that was plainly obvious was that Kevin Nolan needs to be shipped out and fast, the club need to move on, even if it means supplementing his wages at another club. Nolan has lost his legs, he was never that fast but has an agile brain that ensured he could be in the right place a lot of the time, unfortunately now that he has lost the yard that he never had in the first place, Nolan has become a snarling, frustrated and essentially inefficient player. He has had his day, four years in to his five year contract it is obvious why Newcastle were not prepared to offer him the five year deal he craved. He was a good player initially, and a great servant, but things have to move on, and also, Mark Noble needs to look in the mirror, at the same time as looking over his shoulder, better players are treading on his heels! -Ed
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April Fool's joke
I could not believe that we were beaten in normal time by a team that is rated above 300. The team that was selected is the remnants of BFS' legacy and needs to be dismantled. SB better bring in the new signings and consider shipping out Nolan, Maiga and Zarate, to pay for a striker. Even the Development squad played better and more attractive football in the first round of this league. Ironically, excuse the pun you cannot tell that we qualified through the Fair Play spot with a red card in each round of the Europa League.
I agree with every word of
I agree with every word of what Nev and Toronto have written; I was, after a night's sleep, going to write precisely what they have said. If Noble doesn't make a public apology today I'll be very disappointed in him, his lack of professionalism was shocking, he behaved like a 10 year old schoolboy. The only rays of hopes are that few of this team will be starters, and also that I remember how we played in the warm-up games in NZ last year when we were equally bad, but then went onto better things in the first half of the PL. Slaven has his work cut out ridding this side of the habits of 4 years of Sam's 'don't lose' philosophy, and some of the players
won be able to change and will have to go.
It's been worthwhile using
It's been worthwhile using these existing 'players' to save the legs of our new first 11 for the upcoming season. We know we potentially face quite a few more games should we navigate these early qualifiers. However to now do that, these fringe players need to be sidelined and used sparingly or just a little sprinkling throughout the team. To send out a squad containing majority of these is akin to giving up the European adventure. Slav will be well aware from training and these early games what these players are capable of and will be suitably un-impressed! He now needs to ensure we progress by selecting the better players he has at his disposal and giving them a rest once the opposition has been handed their defeat on a plate.
our next opponents scraped past Inverness CT. They should be easy fodder for our squad if we select wisely. The Birkirkara game would have been an eye-opener for Slav and it wouldn't surprise me if he finds out where our past manager lives and goes round to give him a slap for passing this off as a WH team!! If Cally Thistle managed to hold Astra to a draw they "should" be no match for us but we need to ensure that the training ground, warm up attitude is set aside and we approach the game in a professional manner.
Yeah, whatever was said
Yeah, whatever was said publicly, it was obvious the players didn't REALLY think this bunch could beat them, and were still in 'warm-up game' mode They were almost proved drastically wrong. Indeed I thought Birkirkara deserved to win. If this isn't a major wake-up call for all involved, we will progress no further. The worst thing about our play was how universally CRAP was our passing (and movement). The whole squad needs to work on passing in training, something I'm convinced Sam never did.
Why
did they put it on TV, could have saved all that heartache and gone down the pub, i agree with all the above, at least he knows now who not to play when we open agents Arsenal.
all not well at MDF Towers?
Even with squad players we couldnt beat or draw with a Maltese pub side. Embarrassment runs deep enough for the club to ditch Man of the Match on Twitter and give it to the fans! Question marks already against Bilic? I heard there was booing at the end of the game last week? losing Downing, who for me was our best player last season, to a Chumps team is very worrying particularly reading that Bilic was part of the reason for leaving..... http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/593347/Stewart-Downing-blasts-We...
Slav had nothing but praise
Slav had nothing but praise for the players they showed their spirit and commitment he said,well now i'm confused LOL
agree
agree, we had the proof that players like Nolan, Maiga, Zarate and Jarvis are not at the height. Make room for new players and sign another striker. without Sakho and Payet we are poor in attack. very disappointed from Noble, I think it burned a good chance to be the captain.
Charlton Match
Now Charlton are boasting that they are the ones who looked like a Premier Division side and should have been three up by half-time. I do not know what to believe.