Forum | General Discussion

Doom and gloom all around the London Stadium as the day started with the appalling news of Billy Bonds’ passing away, in which a minute of applause and a dedication was played out for a gemstone and Icon of this Football club.

The Hammers honed in to halftime with the score being 0-0, a few chances had gone either way but half of the Liverpool squad decided to have swimming lessons this afternoon with half the players enjoying their time on the floor, in which the referee blatantly fell for the fishes, which triggered the tone for the remaining 45.

It could’ve gone either way, but the extortionately priced Haskabanovic scored in guaranteed fashion, and the lacklustre options we have to bring us back into the game were nothing but dire.

The impact of substitutions? Luiz Guilherme and Nichlas Fullkrug. The Brazilian playing in a similar fashion to a slot machine with two numbered correct! He made darting runs and weaved through defenders but his end product was appalling, he couldn’t pick out the final pass or a shooting opportunity.

Going one down was a blow, but a shot in the foot was felt with Paqman being sent off, initially receiving a yellow card for throwing his hands up, which is incredibly odd to see, followed by receiving a second yellow for complaining at the referee which is more understandable.

His rival Brazilian in Allison, even spoke to the ref, suggesting it was unfair! This was obviously counteracted by the ever-winging Hungarian Sob-story who relentlessly complained all day for Liverpool.

In hindsight, the red card ultimately didn’t cost us the result and it was more the lacklustre game-altering options we have, along with the combination of not being able to utilise the open space whilst Liverpool placed three players on Bowen.

Gakpo’s inevitable goal against West Ham came in the 92nd minute, which did put the final nail in the coffin, but the game had already been done and dusted as the final seconds counted down.

No gap between the Hammers and the drop zone, with Manchester United next and the doom-filled six fixtures that December has in store for Nuno.

Tough and saddening day at the office.

West Ham: Areola, Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Mavropanos, Diouf, Magassa, Potts, Fernandes, Bowen (C), Paqueta, Wilson
Subs: Hermansen, Igor, Walker-Peters, Kilman, Fullkrug, Guilherme, Rodriguez, Soucek, Irving

Liverpool: Allison, Gomez, Van Dijk (C), Konate, Kerkez, Wirtz, Szoboszlai, Isak, Mac Allister, Gakpo, Gravenberch
Subs: Marmadashville, Endo, Salah, Chiesa, Jones, Ekitike, Robertson, Nyoni, Ngumoha

Super Vlad recently did an interview and predominantly spoke about the Hammers, now his exit unfolded, ongoing issues at the club and also slammed the training facilities…can you blame him?

Vlad’s brutal exit was found out through a meeting that lasted less than a minute with Graham Potter.

“Potter told me the club wouldn’t be extending my contract. I asked him why and he said it was a club decision. Our conversation lasted about 30 seconds. Five years at the club for 30 seconds.”

Unfortunately for Vlad, loyalty doesn’t go very far at this Football club, and we’ve seen this happen numerous times across decades and it appears as if nothing has changed. And as much as fans rightly criticise the owners, in this instance, Coufal alludes it back to Potter, “It was the wrong manager at the wrong time. I didn’t fit into his plans and I was forced to leave.”

Seeing as the same happened to Emerson, Antonio and Fabianski, you just have to wonder why Potter was kept around so m for so long and if it was this chaotic off the pitch, it doesn’t come as a surprise to see why the team was so lost on it!

All for one and all for yourself is how pompous Potter comes across as.

"In January, Fulham made West Ham an offer, and it was a two-year contract. Potter and his sporting director, whose name I don't even remember, said no."

"I wasn't allowed to go, then I got released. It was strange."

Unknown and impactful, just what you want in a phenomenal Sporting Director!

Vladimir Coufal also felt an overwhelming amount of emotion upon his Hammers exit, speaking about crying for two days with his wife and kids and he believed that he felt “it was his fault.”

“I thought I was going to retire at West Ham. If they’d extended my contract by two years, or even given me a one-year deal with an option of a further year. I would’ve happily accepted it.”

It was never the money for Coufal, it was never sitting there and picking up the bill. He was on the cheapest wage out of anyone who didn’t renew that window, and was just someone who adored the club. We lost a good n’.

Vladimir Coufal is now being seen as one of the best defenders in the Bundesliga this season with Hoffenheim, so it just goes to show he did have something left in the tank, didn’t he?