West Ham United Verdict

[Michellis]

Pretty dreadful of course and I easily predicted the scoreline.

However, I thought Costa was great value. I just watched him when he came on. Brilliant positioning from the off and that nutmeg was a joy to watch! An obvious starter for the next game.....

 

[Mark Rankines Lovechild]

Clueless attacking, ok passing it in midfield. The break we had with podence and Costa was some of the most brainless football I have ever seen from Podence.

2 on 2 Costa Left, Podence running with the ball passes out to Costa, and instead of getting in the box follows the ball over and runs by the side of Costa
- noone in the middle.

Costa looked at him as if to say wtf.

 

[sc91]

Pretty dreadful of course and I easily predicted the scoreline.

However, I thought Costa was great value. I just watched him when he came on. Brilliant positioning from the off and that nutmeg was a joy to watch! An obvious starter for the next game.....

Under a better manager, we are going to thrive.

 

[MikeH68]

Pretty dreadful of course and I easily predicted the scoreline.

However, I thought Costa was great value. I just watched him when he came on. Brilliant positioning from the off and that nutmeg was a joy to watch! An obvious starter for the next game.....

Maybe the 2nd half?

 

[Ned]

One of the (few) highlights from watching on tv was when they panned to Costa on the bench… I can’t remember the last time I saw a player swigging on a can of Red Bull instead of some weird purple drink in a bottle. Proper old school legend.

 

[Ned]

Under a better manager, we are going to thrive.

This is what’s annoying me. We are literally throwing away a potentially good season by keeping with a useless clown in charge.

It’s easily fixed.

 

[xbomber]

I would have liked to have seen a bit more passing sideways across the pitch, more passing backwards when in the opponent's defensive third, even less emergency and most importantly lower corners.

We just cannot risk the ball missing the first defender so perhaps we could dig a tunnel underneath the pitch and boot it underground in order to get the ball lower. Or maybe use a solid lead football.

 

[OLDGOLD]

Neto is going to be missing for a few games according to it. Good time to give young Campbell an extended run , he looks like he’s going to be a star

Do t worry, we will soon coach that out of him.

 

[WickedWolfie]

Neves on Sky:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1576285461764399105

Jeez the subtext of Ruben's comments is utterly damning about Lage.

 

[Flea]

I would have liked to have seen a bit more passing sideways across the pitch, more passing backwards when in the opponent's defensive third, even less emergency and most importantly lower corners.

We just cannot risk the ball missing the first defender so perhaps we could dig a tunnel underneath the pitch and boot it underground in order to get the ball lower. Or maybe use a solid lead football.

Lets bring back Keith Andrews I say.
Would fit in perfectly.

 

[so-called fan]

Another laclustre performance and typical of the season to date which for me has been a shambles - both on the pitch and our decisions off it which have led in part to what we are seeing now.

We got rid of Ruddy, Coady, Saiss and Marcal to move out the old guard. On paper fine, but we had to consider the implications if we planned not to replace them / their role in the squad in some way.

Sa has made various mistakes this year and I can't help but think its because if he does he must be thinking, so what? Is he going to be dropped - absolutely no way. I'm not rewriting history and saying Ruddy was Buffon like, but the threat over Sa's position is no longer there which I believe is impacting his performances. Got fortunate again today when he struggled to collect a simple ball in.

Our decision to move to the back 4. Again, no issues at all with this and happy with Collins being brought in. But it's clear that Lage doesn't trust Gomes and Yerson - putting our player of the season so far into the back 4 to plug the gap. For me, it's a joke we resorted to this as a result of one player being out and 8 games into a season. Today Gomes should have been playing 100%, who hasn't done much wrong whenever he has played. This is Lage showing he doesnt trust his back up, and shows his lack of man-management. Next week, he will have to turn to one of them despite basically saying I don't think your good enough yet - all because of a short sighted fix of moving Neves into the back 4.

Next on my frustration list is the obsession to flog Moutinho. It's gone past a joke now that he plays every 90 minutes. He can't keep up with play, makes stupid tackles to compensate for the game passing him by and offers minimal in terms of influencing a game. I'm not blaming him btw - the manager picks the team. Lage again has shown no bottle to drop him - perhaps he is in awe of him because of what a big player he has been in the past. But a semi decent manager knows how to best utilise each player in a squad - something Lage is not doing at all.

Finally, what is our game plan? We pass, pass, pass and pass some more until we lose the ball. We got rid of Nuno who had become stale and we wanted to dominate games. We dominate the ball but do nothing with it. We are a team who score 1 goal every 2 a bit games and have no idea of what to do when we concede - a dangerous combination. Shi and the board must know they have to act sooner rather than later.

The only straw I'm clutching onto is that there are still plenty of points up for grabs and there's no way this squad cant deliver more than they are providing right now. The players know he is going soon, so hopefully as soon as the trigger is pulled they start showing a bit more too!!

Very frustrating day all around - but no different from most other match days for the last 6 months or so.

Great points, especially the Ruddy/Sa one. It must have been getting difficult to keep Ruddy here though considering how good he was and how little football he was getting. Perhaps either another backup needed bringing in or Sarkic needed to be put in the XI as soon as Sa's form dropped, just to keep him honest.

Wrt Moutinho, I've said once before what I believe has happened, but I don't think anybody agrees with me. There was an initial problem getting him to sign a contract; some negotiation was going on. I think Joao was concerned that he wouldn't get enough gametime to get in the Portugal World Cup squad and I suspect that he had it written into his contract that he starts whenever he is fit and stays on the pitch unless he is injured, until the World Cup is over. I have absolutely nothing to support this allegation though, besides what is happening every match Wolves play.

 

[Fifty Niner]

Jeez the subtext of Ruben's comments is utterly damning about Lage.

Bruno deflected things onto external factors: no strikers, injuries, players not brought in soon enough to allow time to adapt etc.

Bruno may feel he has never really gotten what he needs and some of the the players he has been given are crocks, not to mention at least two important players he inherited who are also crocked.

Neves seems to suggest the training is not prepping them for match day and the players must also take responsibility.

Bruno apologised to the fans because only 5 players came over to the fans at the end.

Three goals in eight. One win in eight. One win in fifteen PL games including last season.

Bruno was brought in because of his attacking style at Benfica and bringing through young players. Apart from his first 3 games last season our attacking play has generally been turgid, particularly in the final third, and he won’t put younger players in to help at CB.

Doesn’t seem a happy camp.

I still think the Forest game at home will be the key game.

 

[Ian C]

Jeez the subtext of Ruben's comments is utterly damning about Lage.

And rightly so.

 

[CelebrityWolf]

Just looking at the league table just makes it worse. Not because we are in the relegation zone but because it is wide open and ready to be exploited by a team of our calibre. Top seven was definitely on the table with this team and we are wasting it.

 

[WickedWolfie]

Bruno deflected things onto external factors: no strikers, injuries, players not bring in soon enough to allow time to adapt etc.

Bruno may feel he has never really gotten what he needs. Neves seems to suggest the training is not prepping them for match day and the players must also take responsibility.

Bruno apologised to the fans because only 5 players came over to the fans at the end.

Ruben saw how a good head coach and support staff operate under Nuno. He can see what a **** show we have now.

 

[Contrarian]

There is always 8 people around the ball defending any of our "chances" and sod all around the ball when defending any of the opposition chances. No stat properly reflects that.

That's it, spot on. Both West Ham goals totally show it. Not that we keep failing to win just due to harsh, cruel, "unlucky moments". The whole set up makes those kind of moments more, or less, likely. Similar in attack. We had a solid defence yet Bruno has gradually chipped away at it. 5 goals conceded in 2 games now.

And the attack is agonising, all the neutral have picked up on our problems - comments like "...he's in a good position there, of course the ball was never going to be played in quickly, was it? If at all?". Just watching all the other highlights today, goal after goal, it's players showing urgency, 2 or 3 quick passes with continual movement. For us, it's like Subbuteo where only one player actually moves , with the rest static!

It runs so deep, I'm even doubting whether a new manager can change it without even more squad upheaval. Have we now built a squad hand picked for slow, pointless possession? Because that's all they seem comfortable doing. Not one of the players out there today seems to instinctively want to get forward quickly. Other than maybe Costa. But then we've seen other players start brightly and then fade over time under Bruno's coaching. Hwang, for example.

 

[Contrarian]

Pretty dreadful of course and I easily predicted the scoreline.

However, I thought Costa was great value. I just watched him when he came on. Brilliant positioning from the off and that nutmeg was a joy to watch! An obvious starter for the next game.....

He already looked to have more energy about him than most of our others. Trincao would have needed oxygen if he'd moved that much in 30 minutes!

 

[Contrarian]

We’re in trouble. Big trouble.

How can we have spent so much and yet be so short in two key areas of the pitch?

Which 2 key areas? Our half and the other teams half?

 

[waveney wolf]

Moutinho apart, individually there were no other really bad performances. Players are trying. But it just seems we don't have a game plan. We don't play as a team. That's down to the coach.
A better coach will get the team firing. But just hope we don't leave it too late to replace Lage.

Seriously??
Sa , beaten at his near post
Jonny, awful all came, jogged everywhere, couldn't pass it 10 yards
Semedo poor
Mouthinio poor game
Etc etc

 

[Andywolf74]

Certainly feels like Lage’s days are numbered but I also have serious concerns about whether some of our big money signings are cut out for the Premier League. The pace and intensity of the Premier League are unique and I fear If our next manager was Lopetegui for example we’d just be following the same pattern that hasn’t been working for over two seasons now. It feels like all things Portuguese has run it’s course and we need to cast our net further both in terms of recruiting our next manager and players. Oh and sacrificing Neves from midfield, rather than play a recognised defender at centre back, what an earth is that about?

 

[SilverstoneWolf]

No excuses. The plan to use a world-class midfield general as a reserve CH and ignore the 2 reserve CHs is madness. If they are not good enough to play, why are we paying them? If no Collins, Neves or Neto next week (as well as the usual crocks) I suggest we go:

Sa

Jonny Kilman(C) Toti Ait-Nouri

Semedo B Traore Nunes

A Traore Costa Podence

Subs: Campbell Guedes Moutinho etc

And tell them to NOT shoot from 30 yards, but shoot EVERY TIME they get in the box, not tippy-tippy it about & lose it.

 

[Westbakejazz]

Imagine if we had a leader like Everton’s Connor Coady. Oh wait

 

[Polish Wolf]

If anyone needed a proof that Bruno has lost the plot (with an optimistic assumption that he ever had it), this game provided it.

Playing a top central midfielder and seemingly past-it wing back as central defenders and changing the system to incorporate them is beyond ridiculous.

The only positive outcome was that he was forced to play Semedo who is currently much better than Jonny.

All other positives (few and far between) were forced on Bruno by injuries and how the game went. I mean both Traores and Costa.

Apart from that the performance was disjointed, disheartened, just truly awful.

 

[Royal wolf]

Imagine if we had a leader like Everton’s Connor Coady. Oh wait

Wouldn’t make a blind bit of difference

 

[Madmalc]

Totally clueless, that's my verdict on Bruno Lage.

I hope that half of the substitutes bench request transfers in January, be they loans or permanent transfers.

I would also love it if the whole of the under 21's squad requested a transfer.

Why?

Well finally Chem Campbell got 20 minutes football.

What an improvement on Neto, who has been driven into the ground by Bruno.

But who wants to bet that Neto isn't a starter for the next game if Bruno is still in charge?

Even if he is not fully fit.

 

[WeAreTheWolvesII]

Imagine if we had a leader like Everton’s Connor Coady. Oh wait

He ****ing hates us. He couldn't get out quick enough. He wouldn't even stay to be third choice or to fight for his place.

There are many, many reasons for us being in this position now and whilst they're by no means the major reason, the likes of Boly and Coady didn't help us at all.

They were both selfish and left us in an awful position.

 

[manchesterwolf17]

Imagine if we had a leader like Everton’s Connor Coady. Oh wait

Funnily enough we had that exact guy last season and it made absolutely zero difference and wouldn't now.

 

[manchesterwolf17]

He ****ing hates us. He couldn't get out quick enough. He wouldn't even stay to be third choice or to fight for his place.

There are many, many reasons for us being in this position now and whilst they're by no means the major reason, the likes of Boly and Coady didn't help us at all.

They were both selfish and left us in an awful position.

About time someone said it. Bang on

 

[WeAreTheWolvesII]

As for the overall verdict, I've defended Lage. Well, I haven't really but I've played devils advocate a bit, so feels like I was.

Anyway, can't offer anything but criticism today.

Semedo right midfield? Our best player in his wrong position because he won't try Toti or Mosquera. Why are they even here?

I do see a player in Nunes but feel we've bought a massive dud in Guedes.

At least Costa looked good.

 

[sillytuna]

He ****ing hates us. He couldn't get out quick enough. He wouldn't even stay to be third choice or to fight for his place.

There are many, many reasons for us being in this position now and whilst they're by no means the major reason, the likes of Boly and Coady didn't help us at all.

They were both selfish and left us in an awful position.

Absolute rubbish. You don't have the slightest clue what happened.

And that's all I'm saying. Actually I will say one.

Lage.

 

[Redhillwolf]

Think the only phrase I can come up with is….”how can we be so good but yet so bad?!”…..

 

[greco wolf]

Bruno deflected things onto external factors: no strikers, injuries, players not brought in soon enough to allow time to adapt etc.

Bruno may feel he has never really gotten what he needs and some of the the players he has been given are crocks, not to mention at least two important players he inherited who are also crocked.

Neves seems to suggest the training is not prepping them for match day and the players must also take responsibility.

Bruno apologised to the fans because only 5 players came over to the fans at the end.

Three goals in eight. One win in eight. One win in fifteen PL games including last season.

Bruno was brought in because of his attacking style at Benfica and bringing through young players. Apart from his first 3 games last season our attacking play has generally been turgid, particularly in the final third, and he won’t put younger players in to help at CB.

Doesn’t seem a happy camp.

I still think the Forest game at home will be the key game.

Before then. He will
Be gone. He’s had long enough

 

[blakenhall wolf]

That's it, spot on. Both West Ham goals totally show it. Not that we keep failing to win just due to harsh, cruel, "unlucky moments". The whole set up makes those kind of moments more, or less, likely. Similar in attack. We had a solid defence yet Bruno has gradually chipped away at it. 5 goals conceded in 2 games now.

And the attack is agonising, all the neutral have picked up on our problems - comments like "...he's in a good position there, of course the ball was never going to be played in quickly, was it? If at all?". Just watching all the other highlights today, goal after goal, it's players showing urgency, 2 or 3 quick passes with continual movement. For us, it's like Subbuteo where only one player actually moves , with the rest static!

It runs so deep, I'm even doubting whether a new manager can change it without even more squad upheaval. Have we now built a squad hand picked for slow, pointless possession? Because that's all they seem comfortable doing. Not one of the players out there today seems to instinctively want to get forward quickly. Other than maybe Costa. But then we've seen other players start brightly and then fade over time under Bruno's coaching. Hwang, for example.

Portuball?
Success in a certain style (with Mendes) our own downfall??

Lage is the fall guy but its been much deeper / ongoing since Nuno

 

[WeAreTheWolvesII]

Absolute rubbish. You don't have the slightest clue what happened.

And that's all I'm saying. Actually I will say one.

Lage.

All I hear is cryptic bull**** on here, on Twitter by Wolves fans who are desperate to seem in the know.

If you don't wanna say, don't say and leave it at that, instead of all this hinting at what you supposedly know. (again, this is not just directed at you).

What I know is that Wolves bought a centre-back for the first time in five years and Coady ****ed off.

I know he was embarrassing in pre-season against lower league sides.

And since he departed all he has done is say how desperate he was to go. His kids who were Wolves fans now always loved Everton and the great fans we supposedly had have already been beaten by the mighty Everton fans.

My opinion, based on what I know, is that Coady comes across as a bit of a snake. He should still be at Wolves at third choice but his ego wouldn't allow it.

I'm absolutely all ears if you want to actually tell me something that has happened but as of now you just seem like all the others who are happy to hint that Lage has done something, and you all 'know' but you won't say.

You don't have to say by the way, I'm just stating my opinion is on what I know.

 

[Mugwump]

No matter what comes out in the press with what the players say, they aren't playing for him. It's so clear it's not funny.

 

[JadeWolf]

Finally home. What a ****hole West Ham is.

 

[Mugwump]

All I hear is cryptic bull**** on here, on Twitter by Wolves fans who are desperate to seem in the know.

If you don't wanna say, don't say and leave it at that, instead of all this hinting at what you supposedly know. (again, this is not just directed at you).

What I know is that Wolves bought a centre-back for the first time in five years and Coady ****ed off.

I know he was embarrassing in pre-season against lower league sides.

And since he departed all he has done is say how desperate he was to go. His kids who were Wolves fans now always loved Everton and the great fans we supposedly had have already been beaten by the mighty Everton fans.

My opinion, based on what I know, is that Coady comes across as a bit of a snake. He should still be at Wolves at third choice but his ego wouldn't allow it.

I'm absolutely all ears if you want to actually tell me something that has happened but as of now you just seem like all the others who are happy to hint that Lage has done something, and you all 'know' but you won't say.

You don't have to say by the way, I'm just stating my opinion is on what I know.

That's cheered me up a bit reading that.

 

[Contrarian]

Portuball?
Success in a certain style (with Mendes) our own downfall??

Lage is the fall guy but its been much deeper / ongoing since Nuno

I do wonder about that. Sometimes its not that different to Nuno's final season. Still means it's time for a new manager, though, for survivals sake. He's had long enough now, his record is worse than plenty other managers who would be gone by now. If we can just get a manager who can motivate the players to put the proverbial shift in, we'll at least avoid relegation, despite our squads flaws.

It's not as if Brighton, Brentford etc don't have areas of weakness, not-the-finished-product players and so on. Nor that every other team had a load of incomings this summer yet would still like an expensive player or two more. Same for every club. Have read several comments by neutrals and West Ham fans about todays match, how our players didn't look as if they were trying. Everybody else can see it now.

 

[S G Wolves]

Just got home....

Firstly Lage has lost the support of the away fans. It is time for him to go.

West Ham were poor and any decent team would have beaten them convincingly. We never looked like scoring until Costa came on and there was a slight improvement.

It was a lame performance lacking any threat. It was just so ****...

A word to the new manager please play our best player and captain in his rightful place.

 

[Contrarian]

Certainly feels like Lage’s days are numbered but I also have serious concerns about whether some of our big money signings are cut out for the Premier League. The pace and intensity of the Premier League are unique and I fear If our next manager was Lopetegui for example we’d just be following the same pattern that hasn’t been working for over two seasons now. It feels like all things Portuguese has run it’s course and we need to cast our net further both in terms of recruiting our next manager and players. Oh and sacrificing Neves from midfield, rather than play a recognised defender at centre back, what an earth is that about?

Those Portugese players at other clubs seem to be doing fine. Man City had several that ran rings around us, as they do everybody. Is it that we have some kind of "critical mass" of them, maybe? One or two is fine, but when you get to 5 or 6, they can't help but slow the pace down to Portugese league level? Straw clutching..maybe.