You are here

Home

Forum | Non-Football Related

  • New Beginning Beckons

    Submitted by Louis Nixon on Sun, 09/10/2022 - 08:48

    Sometimes the International break can be extremely unwelcome for clubs who are riding the crest, paradoxically it can come just at the right time for teams experiencing a poor run. For David Moyes and his West Ham team the break worked out to be an ideal opportunity to reset the season's early poor form, the players seem to have a renewed vigour, but more importantly they seem to have regained the confidence that they had lacked early on.

    The expensively assembled new recruits will have an increasing influence as the season gets underway fully, they are being integrated at a speed that will frustrate fans but is probably as fast as can be realistically attained. The last thing the club need is for another 'marquee' signing to get crocked as a result of rushing them into the first team too quickly, after all it is not as if the club doesn't have history on this topic!

    Although Wolves were there for the taking the game still needed putting to bed last weekend, Fulham will represent a totally different kettle of fish but do have injury concerns particularly with regards to the fitness of their star striker Alexander Mitrovic. If they play him they risk losing him for several weeks, but they can't afford NOT to play him. He will probably be on the bench and brought on for the closing stages of the game.

    For Moyes he has a pleasant conundrum for once, that is who to leave OUT of his starting eleven. Moyes finally has a squad that while not being massive is a huge improvement on the paper thin squad he had last season, the five substitutes rule showing just how much talent the club has available and can now utilise. Today's game is crucial in that the positive inertia of the European campaign allied to last week's success could provide the launching pad to a a successful run that could see early qualification in the 'Con' Cup and the club having a crack at the top six of the Premier League.

    We think David Moyes might start Flynn Downes ahead of Tomas Soucek as he has intimated in his recent 'pressers', defeat or a draw won't be the end of the world, but it might be the end of a new beginning, at least temporarily! - Ed

    Share

  • who is a squad player who is a starter?

    mcbikeman's picture
    Submitted by mcbikeman on Fri, 07/10/2022 - 08:44

    Forums:

    Moyes has his favourites we all know that but now surely even he sees that the following are just squad players unless they drastically improve....Benni Soucek Coufal Lanzini Oggy Antonio! Cresswell....

    Eyebrows raised no doubt when Antonio mentioned but some of his performances have been bang average and Scamacca his competition is getting better each week and there is a lot more to his game than Ants....could they play together as a pair? not sure will we ever see that under Moyes.

    Johnson back from injury and once again played as a left back that has to be frustrating but with Kehrer/Ashby able to play right back Coufals days are numbered and Johnson is going to have to get used to playing on the left unless Moyes thinks about putting Emerson there.

    Lanzini is past his best he has been a good servant but every dog has its day and his is now past....Soucek has got to really up his game now with Downes showing given the chance he deserves to start...yes the opposition was not great but you only play whats put in front of you and for me he has played his way into the Fulham game but with Moyes you just know he will be on the bench.

    Oggy bless him still can do a job but injury and father time is catching up with him so as a sub i think he is nailed on and for the European conference league not a problem.

    I do hope Moyes now makes full use of the players he has and not stick to his tired old tactics and team selection and let the players have a bit more freedom on the pitch esecially at home.

  • Live Anderlecht v West Ham Line Ups

    nevillenixon's picture
    Submitted by nevillenixon on Thu, 06/10/2022 - 16:29

    Anderlecht: Van Crombrugge ©, Debast, Hoedt, Delcroix, Murillo, Ashimeru, Diawara, Arnstad, Amuzu, Verschaeren, Fábio Silva Subs: Verbruggen (GK), Coosemans (GK), Vertonghen, Sadiki, Sardella, N’Diaye, Raman, Refaelov, Stroeykens, Esposito, Duranville, Stassin.
    West Ham: Areola, Coufal, Johnson, Dawson, Ogbonna ©, Emerson, Downes, Lanzini, Bowen, Benrahma, Antonio Subs: Fabiański (GK), Randolph (GK), Cresswell, Kehrer, Zouma, Rice, Coventry, Souček, Scarles, Fornals, Lucas Paquetá, Scamacca.

    Share

  • Irons Team Confrimed

    nevillenixon's picture
    Submitted by nevillenixon on Thu, 06/10/2022 - 16:27

    West Ham have just announce the starting lune up for this afternnoon's game against Anderlecht: Alphonse Areola, Vladimir Coufal, Ben Johnson, Angelo Ogbonna, Craig Dawson, Emerson, Flynn Downes, Manuel Lanzini, Said Benrahma, Jarrod Bowen, Michail Antonio.
    Well have the full line up of both teams in a jiffy!

    Share

  • Moyes & Rogers Safe..Hass To Join Coops & Lage?

    Submitted by Louis Nixon on Thu, 06/10/2022 - 07:40

    Less than a week ago among the leading contenders in the English Premier League football managers 'sack race' were Leicester City's Brendon Rogers and West Ham's David Moyes, bearing in mind this week's fiscal chaos brought about by the Amateurs who are suppose to be running the country, the expression "a week in politics can be a long time" it is worth bearing in mind the football equivalent.

    The manager who is about to get the old 'tin tack' usually receives the dreaded message of support from the Board just as the ink is drying on their proposed new manager's contract, so the fact that within the last SIX days Wolves have sacked Bruno Lage, Forest have bounced Steve Cooper and Southampton are set to sack manager Ralph Hasenhuttl after the club's poor start to the season should come as no surprise!

    Both Moyes and Rogers looked as if the weight of the World had removed from their shoulders after their respective victories. In their own ways they will probably go on to complete a relatively successful season given the clubs circumstances, which makes the neutral wonder why clubs are so willing to get rid of their manager's so soon nowadays?

    The answer is reduplicative, Money and Foreign ownership! Clubs simply will NOT risk sticking with their manager if they think their Premier League money pit might be under threat, more importantly Foreign owners have little to no loyalty to clubs' fans, why should they?

    Unfortunately the Premier League has just become a 'cash cow', it isn't only Football, Formula One is doing the same under the 'guidance' of Liberty Media. The fact is so long as people can line their pockets there will always be serious interest in acquiring the remaining power bases available from UK based owners of which their are relatively few, they are set to become such a rare breed that one day some will talk about the two Davids in revered tones!

    Hammers will be well into their 'Mad Month' of fixtures by this time next week, will Ralph Hasenhuttl be with the Saints? We doubt it! - LN

    Share

  • Early Daws Against Anderlecht

    nevillenixon's picture
    Submitted by nevillenixon on Wed, 05/10/2022 - 21:42

    When Craig Dawson arrived on loan from Watford his nick name apart from the obvious 'Les' Dawson was the Relegator, due to him having been a 'serial offender' when it came to being a player for teams that got relegated, to say his arrival was greeted with a lack of enthusiasm would be an understatement.

    He was of course not on a par with Roger “the Relegator” Johnson who signed for West Ham on loan from Wolves in 2014 and made 6 appearances in all competitions but is most famous for the 6-0 defeat against Manchester City in the League Cup where he demonstrated keystone Cop defending in an attempt at dealing with Yaya Toure. Johnson threw his shirt into the crowd at the end of the game, but had it thrown back to him by the despairing fans.

    However a couple of years on from arriving at the club Craig's nick name is now 'Balon' Dawson, he has experienced such a change in his fortunes that he is a total fan favourite now and when missing for the first few games of the season the team did not fare well defensively at all, which made the natives at the Queen Elizabeth 11 Stadium distinctly unhappy.

    Having come within a couple of hours of leaving the club for family reasons Daws could have had a strop much like Issa Diop and pushed for a move, instead he knuckled down got fit and played with his heart on his sleeve in his first full 'proper' start of the season, the much needed win over Wolves.

    Although not confirmed the club have apparently told 'Les' that they will do all they can to accommodate the moves he seeks in January once Ayegard has returned to fitness and in the meantime have organised additional personal transport facilities in order that he can commute between the North and London less stressfully.

    David Moyes will almost certainly select 'Balon' to play against Anderlecht late tomorrow afternoon (KO: 17-45 BST) in a fixture that if won could see Hammers progress to the next round of the 'Con Cup' with games to spare! Moyes would absolutely love the opportunity of utilising his fringe players and some of the Academy's rising stars for what would essentially be dead rubber fixtures.

    A good result tomorrow could send the players home with a spring in their step against the crucial London derby against Fulham on Sunday afternoon, hopefully last weekend's result wasn't just a flash in the pan and was actually the start of Hammers climbing to the heights of 18 Months ago. - Ed

    Share

  • Will Moyes Stick Or Twist?

    nevillenixon's picture
    Submitted by nevillenixon on Wed, 05/10/2022 - 07:00

    Will Moyes Stick Or Twist

    Balancing how to compete in four competitions during the season is part and part of being a successful manager of a 'successful' team, but with it comes some serious issues and responsibilities that catch many out, even the much lauded Sir Alex Ferguson had little in HIS European trophy cabinet during his lengthy and well funded tenure at Manchester United.

    Ironically 'Fergie's' appointed successor, some say anointed successor David Moyes will be embarking with his West Ham United players on a European adventure, albeit in the '3rd division' of European competition in the UEFA Conference League Cup or 'Con' Cup as it is more commonly called by players.

    This being the 'mad month' due to the ridiculous amount of fixtures the team have to play, essentially one game every three days for a month, the Hammer's manager will have to utilise what strength in depth that he has in his squad to the to the max in order to cope with so many games. Fortunately despite the injury to Aguerd and other injuries initially sustained, the squad looks far more of a threat than it did last season, a glance at a West Ham bench worth in excess of £140 Million at recent games bears that out, Moyes just needed a bit of time and luck to get his new signings to gell and there are certainly signs of that now.

    With so many fixtures coming up thick and fast David Moyes will have to be wary of 'burning out' his best players while also avoiding throwing players under the bus, Thursday's incredibly early 17:30 Hrs game against Anderlecht is a tricky one. If Moyes sticks with his 'favourites' they would most likely get the job done, but how will they then fare against Sunday lunchtime's opponents Fulham who will have had a full week off?

    It is a balancing act that Moyes seems to be able to handle rather well, the Con Cup may not have the glamour of the Champions League nor indeed the interest of the Europa League but it is an ideal tournament for bedding in new players and youth players in preparation for when the club is back in Europe...proper! - Ed

    Share

  • Live West Ham v Wolves Team Line Ups

    nevillenixon's picture
    Submitted by nevillenixon on Sat, 01/10/2022 - 16:32

    West Ham: Fabianski, Kehrer, Dawson, Zouma, Cresswell, Rice ©, Souček, Bowen, Paquetá, Cornet, Scamacca Subs: Areola (GK), Coufal, Emerson, Ogbonna, Downes, Lanzini, Fornals, Benrahma, Antonio
    Wolves: Sá, Semedo, Jonny, Kilman, Aït-Nouri, João Moutinho ©, Neves, Nunes, Guedes, Neto, Podence Subs: Sarkic (GK), B.Traoré, Mosquera, Toti, Ronan, A.Traoré, Bueno, Campbell, Costa

    Share

  • Plan Ahead Of Wolves Game

    nevillenixon's picture
    Submitted by nevillenixon on Sat, 01/10/2022 - 08:21

    Just in case you hadn't seen, the London Over Ground is NOT working in ANY capacity today ( 01.10.22) for at least 24 Hrs on what is a rarity, a Saturday kick off a the Queen Elizabeth 11 Stadium, albeit one that was moved from the traditional but never seen 3PM time slot!

    Strange how there are NO disruption disputes when Major 'Sadist' Khan's Tottingham are playing at home isn't it? But you can guarantee that when West Ham are at home there will be all sorts of 'urgent' works that need to be carried out towards Hackney Wick and Stratford.

    Being able to embark at Hackney Wick makes the arduous trek to the Stadium far more enjoyable WITHOUT the need for the dreaded traffic light systems so beloved of the combination of club and Westfield security services...there is also the safety issue involved of having SO MANY additional people attempting to 'filter' through what is already always a busy 'choke point' on match days.

    The club were quick to ask fans to relist their tickets on ticket exchange, without a mention that we could see of ANYWHERE officially from the club mentioning the impending strike action! There are going to be a lot of disappointed and very late arrivals today. The situation is compounded next week with further action that will see the Overground suspended, the only slight advantage being that the game is being held on a Sunday, so it will be possible to join a nice THREE hour queue away from the Stadium! - Ed

    Share

Pages

Next Fixture(s)

Subscribe to Forum | Non-Football Related