West Ham Verdict

[FJRWolf]

I think some people's expectations,are unrealistically high. Most of us thought at the start of the season we'd be in and around the the bottom 3, we're much higher than that. We go from highs to lows and back again, which is what you'd expect from an inexperienced manager.
Our owners are probably satisfied with where we are so GON is not under that much pressure.
He has the rest of the season to prove himself and make us more consistant. Will he still be here at the start of next season? The jury is out.
The alternatives are probably journeyman coaches, we won't get another top class manager in the near future, we hacked off the last one....cowardly ego maniac that he was.

 

[Matt]

I think some people's expectations,are unrealistically high. Most of us thought at the start of the season we'd be in and around the the bottom 3, we're much higher than that. We go from highs to lows and back again, which is what you'd expect from an inexperienced manager.
Our owners are probably satisfied with where we are so GON is not under that much pressure.
He has the rest of the season to prove himself and make us more consistant. Will he still be here at the start of next season? The jury is out.
The alternatives are probably journeyman coaches, we won't get another top class manager in the near future, we hacked off the last one....cowardly ego maniac that he was.

My expectations are simply to enjoy watching my team play football more often than not. I accept we'll lose games. I accept our league position, but I don't accept the repeat awful performances. Raising our game against the big boys is all well and good, but chucking in stinkers in pretty much every other game just ain't fun to watch. I want to see progression and we seem to be going backwards.

 

[clivewolves]

It stunk.

 

[GY Wolf]

Barring 10 minutes in the second half I didn't like that performance at all, even during our period of "pressure" there was no real thought around our plauly, completely impotent.

Since the great spurs win we've been largely poor, O'Neil said that he wanted that performance to be the "level" from now on, that clearly hasn't happened. Worrying.

 

[wolfgar]

Barring 10 minutes in the second half I didn't like that performance at all, even during our period of "pressure" there was no real thought around our plauly, completely impotent.

Since the great spurs win we've been largely poor, O'Neil said that he wanted that performance to be the "level" from now on, that clearly hasn't happened. Worrying.

Presumably they interpreted ‘the level’ as me and my mates down goals

 

[QB Wolf]

I'll probably be a little controversial and say i've seen us play worse and going forwards we were OK at times, although the passing was poor. We got done by 3 bits of direct football.

He got the team wrong though and all those who've been calling for a back 4 need to give their heads a wobble.

The passing was poor and we do lack some drive to go forwards at times, I thought Semedo, Gomes and Cunha did well, Hwang was poor I thought, Bentley too!

 

[wolfslair]

I'll probably be a little controversial and say i've seen us play worse and going forwards we were OK at times, although the passing was poor. We got done by 3 bits of direct football.

He got the team wrong though and all those who've been calling for a back 4 need to give their heads a wobble.

The passing was poor and we do lack some drive to go forwards at times, I thought Semedo, Gomes and Cunha did well, Hwang was poor I thought, Bentley too!

He was saying how many of the games recently were 4 at the back!

So actually according to the man himself, it wasn’t a change in formation…..

 

[WickedWolfie]

We are at the very beginning of a rebuild which will take a couple of seasons though to be fair. We lost a lot of quality and experience over the summer.

I can see this meandering between 10th and 16th being the norm for at least this and next season to allow us to consolidate our previous poor spending. It won't be fun a lot of the time but it may be necessary in order to be able to fund another charge at top half.

The question, if you are right, is why should we have any confidence that the current mob undertaking such a rebuild will go well?

 

[WickedWolfie]

We've been "rebuilding" for the last 4 years!

While getting progressively worse....

 

[wolfslair]

While getting progressively worse....

And people still accepting the almost yearly rebuilds for three seasons…….

Every year js a rebuild apparently, how far have fosun broken the fan base down to accept the same **** line for multiple years…..

 

[Wagstaffe Was Magic]

Well we now know that Lemina Dawson and Sa were ill tho the former two put themselves forward to play!! Fair enough!

The margins are fine as we know, and it’s a football reality that had Sarabia’s goal stood, it becomes an entirely different game!!!

We move on

 

[waveney wolf]

Kilman needs replacing

 

[Jefe]

And people still accepting the almost yearly rebuilds for three seasons… Every year js a rebuild apparently, how far have fosun broken the fan base down to accept the same **** line for multiple years…..

Every year-to-18 months seems to be a "transition"! What a cop out - we are a club with decent players but in a perpetual state of disarray. We'll probably have enough to avoid relegation given the bilge at the bottom, but we have serious decisions to make in the Summer on the direction of the club. It won't be as easy next year.

 

[Ned]

Toothless today.

I know he doesn’t rate Fabio and Sasa but, **** me, we need a focal point in games like today.

We were so passive and slow today.

 

[wolfslair]

Toothless today.

I know he doesn’t rate Fabio and Sasa but, **** me, we need a focal point in games like today.

We were so passive and slow today.

Like most weeks then…..

 

[SydneyWolf26]

This is not just isolated to under GON, but we seem to be so slow at making decisions. It takes our players a second or two longer to make a pass than others teams seem to, hence why we are constantly being closed down or passing to the opposition. Poor again today, if we don’t pick up a point between now and the new year things will turn sour again.

 

[Ned]

Like most weeks then…..

This seemed and felt worse for some reason. It was like zero lessons had been learned and we are starting to regress.

 

[Mugwump]

I didn't get hoodwinked by the hype when we had a few good results. It's Lage Mk 2. He stumbled upon a formation and system that works for us, and he always seems to want to move away from it. Performances are pretty poor and as somebody said earlier, it's like he is trying to overcomplicate things to make himself look like some tactical genius. Without Neto, he is clueless about how to set us up.

Totally embarrassing and pathetic display. Needs to be turned around quickly.

 

[fleck1]

Why the back four? How many times do we need to see these same players try it, to realise we are slow and wide open.
Totally baffled by the subs, especially when chasing a game. We have two strikers sat on the bench what's he got to lose by throwing them on, rated or not rated nobody else had offered anything. Does Doc have something in his contract meaning he has to come on regardless, no wonder Jonny lost his head.
I've been all for giving GON a chance and time and I think we are around where we expected, but today is on him the team selection, formation and substitutions were baffling.
Hope today reminded people who wanted Bentley as No.1 and said we'd be fine if Sa went in January, why that's not the case. Like Ipswich in the cup and a few games last season, if the ball is on target it ends up in the net more often than not.

 

[Bognor_Wolf]

Not sure if it has been mentioned before but did anyone find it a bit odd how the West Ham players went out there way to celebrate as close as possible in front of our fans twice?

Was all a little weird and unnecessary right?

 

[wolfslair]

Why the back four? How many times do we need to see these same players try it, to realise we are slow and wide open.
Totally baffled by the subs, especially when chasing a game. We have two strikers sat on the bench what's he got to lose by throwing them on, rated or not rated nobody else had offered anything. Does Doc have something in his contract meaning he has to come on regardless, no wonder Jonny lost his head.
I've been all for giving GON a chance and time and I think we are around where we expected, but today is on him the team selection, formation and substitutions were baffling.
Hope today reminded people who wanted Bentley as No.1 and said we'd be fine if Sa went in January, why that's not the case. Like Ipswich in the cup and a few games last season, if the ball is on target it ends up in the net more often than not.

GON said that today wasn’t a change!!!! We had been playing 4 at the back the last few games…..

Who knew eh?

 

[OLDGOLD]

GON said that today wasn’t a change!!!! We had been playing 4 at the back the last few games…..

Who knew eh?

Not the players apparently

 

[wolfslair]

The difference between what GON saw and what Judah and Keen have said on the YouTube channel is night and day!!!

Honestly, listening to what GON said about today and his analysis is frankly worrying!!!

So far removed from what happened and the fact West Ham carved us open a few times with real ease and was a small distance from three thanks to the post…..

With Nuno available, why are sticking with the clown???

 

[fleck1]

GON said that today wasn’t a change!!!! We had been playing 4 at the back the last few games…..

Who knew eh?

Toti, Dawson and Kilman have been playing extremely close together, with Semedo and Ait-Nouri/Bueno either side of them for a four.
He's seems to be rambling and tactically if it doesn't work how he's set up, doesn't know how to change it in game or use his bench.
He wasn't a popular appointment, doesn't have a lot of credit in the bank, it won't take a lot to have the fans on his back.

 

[JadeWolf]

Not sure if it has been mentioned before but did anyone find it a bit odd how the West Ham players went out there way to celebrate as close as possible in front of our fans twice?

Was all a little weird and unnecessary right?

West Ham is a weird and unnecessary club full stop.

 

[wolfslair]

Toti, Dawson and Kilman have been playing extremely close together, with Semedo and Ait-Nouri/Bueno either side of them for a four.
He's seems to be rambling and tactically if it doesn't work how he's set up, doesn't know how to change it in game or use his bench.
He wasn't a popular appointment, doesn't have a lot of credit in the bank, it won't take a lot to have the fans on his back.

He said that Bueno and RAN have been playing ahead of toti……

I think he was bull****ting the reporter to look clever as they asked why the change to a four…..

 

[WickedWolfie]

West Ham is a weird and unnecessary club full stop.

They won the World Cup l'll have you know lol....

 

[Hawkguy]

Bentley looked so nervous and performed like a non league keeper 2
Semedo worked well looked in control 7
Kilman struggled 6 along with Dawson 5 as they lacked the pace to be in a back 4
Totti out of position and showed it 4
Sarabia tried hard without much success 6 as did Gomes and Lamina
Hwang didn't show up today
Cunha tried a few runs but was limited by lack of support 6 bellegarde lost in the 1st half as a wingback but looked better in the 2nd half playing higher up the pitch 6 for effort as he was kicked time after time.

O'Neil 3 for changing the shape of the team in an away game when we needed to be less open.
Would have been interesting if the sarabia effort had stood as the toenail offside rule cancelled out our most incisive move.

This would pretty much be my ratings.

Semedo clear.

Sarabia, Cunha, Gomes, and Lemina the next best. Bellegarde better in the 2nd half.

Hwang invisible. Bentley horrendous. Kilman & Dawson too slow to play a back 4. Toti just poor.

O'Neil horrible decision to swap Bellegarde in for Hugo. Give Hugo first half, RAN second half and we're fine in our normal formation. His general hatred of using subs is getting annoying really fast.

The game wasn't as far as part as people are making it seem. But we still didn't look great.

However, we also should have 2 extra men, maybe 3. There were two tackles on Bellegarde that should have reds. 1 early, 1 late. And then the second yellow to Zouma should have happened for booting the ball away on a free kick.

At some point, you can no longer blame the players for not showing up when these decisions continuously **** them.

 

[Summer_Wolf]

A bad day at the office. Not as woeful as we have been in recent previous thrashings (e.g. 4-0 against West Ham under Bruno, 6-0 against Brighton and 5-0 at Arsenal last season). We were in the game for most of it.Tactics were poor, players seemed completely off it. That said, I thought we did look like scoring at times, but our final balls were woeful. Still had a few first ha;lf opportunities though. Everything went as well as it could for West Ham. When they were 2-0 up those were the only real two chances they created. Bentley is just not good enough and should have done much better for the first and third goals. It is very fine margins. Think if our goal to make it 2-1 had stood we would have got something out of the game, it must have been millimetres. We'd started the second half quite well but that took the wind out of our sails. Very poor refereeing throughout, and by VAR as usual. Coufal should have had a straight red and another two yellows, Zouma should have had at least two yellows. So although it was a bad defeat, there are still some very thin lines between defeat and getting something out of the game.

I know there's a lot of criticism for GON not replacing any of our front three, but I don't think the issue was with our front three, it was the service to them. Every time Fabio has come on he has made us worse, even when we have been playing badly. There is more of a case for bringing Sasa on, to get on the end of crosses. However, he is SO slow when he does come on and often restricts our play. He's pretty poor in the air for a big guy. It was just an all around bad day when we didn't perform and pretty much everything went against us.

Really? The game was over by half time. Weren't in it at all, we simply didn't compete.

 

[JadeWolf]

They won the World Cup l'll have you know lol....

Funny they never mention it.

 

[wolfslair]

Ok……

So as thought…… this week on GON blame bingo……

THE PLAYERS!!!!

Apparently “we beat ourselves today really, the lads didn’t give themselves a chance because of the errors”

Ahhhhhhhhhh ok, you **** up the selection, tactics, strategy and made no changes or tweaks and started players who were ill……

But yeah, it is the players fault…..

When will he accept blame in the same way he drowns himself in praise when it comes???

The modern day Dean Saunders!

 

[Me Babbies]

Oh, and one more thing about the match. How on earth did Coufal manage to stay on the pitch? 2 assaults on Bellegarde with his shoulder, one in each half . No booking for the first one was a mystery. Second one was awful, when he was yellow carded. Awful, dangerous chchallenges.

You can guarantee the first one would have been a straight red following a var review if one of our guys had done it & the ref missed it....

 

[JadeWolf]

Ok……

So as thought…… this week on GON blame bingo……

THE PLAYERS!!!!

Apparently “we beat ourselves today really, the lads didn’t give themselves a chance because of the errors”

Ahhhhhhhhhh ok, you **** up the selection, tactics, strategy and made no changes or tweaks and started players who were ill……

But yeah, it is the players fault…..

When will he accept blame in the same way he drowns himself in praise when it comes???

The modern day Dean Saunders!

You really really don’t like him do you?

O’Neil got things wrong today but he’s right, the players made big errors today. Bentley should be saving two of the goals, and Semedo backed off so much for the first goal he was almost in the away end with us.

 

[wolfslair]

This is amazing;

On his main frustrations

“For people in the game analysing, there was nothing in the game. We’re absolutely fine structurally and were going to cause West Ham some problems around movement. We were in a decent shape without the ball and gave them a crazy goal from a corner where we’re not set up correctly on the edge of the box. Then, we commit to attacking down our left early and turn the ball over in the middle of the pitch for the second.“

Hahaha

What the **** planet is he on????? Structure was fine coincidentally the bit he sets out….…

Clownders mk2

 

[wolfslair]

You really really don’t like him do you?

O’Neil got things wrong today but he’s right, the players made big errors today. Bentley should be saving two of the goals, and Semedo backed off so much for the first goal he was almost in the away end with us.

Nope…… quick to take the credit and even quicker to shift the blame!

Nowhere did he say there were issues with selection or tactics….. in his own words structure was fine!!

Ask yourself on early Jade now…. Do you think the structure was fine??

 

[JadeWolf]

Nope…… quick to take the credit and even quicker to shift the blame!

Nowhere did he say there were issues with selection or tactics….. in his own words structure was fine!!

Ask yourself on early Jade now…. Do you think the structure was fine??

Bit like most managers. Even Nuno towards the end of his time used to shift the blame when we lost, remember “we must find solutions”.

 

[Aimless Balls]

Mr King can start the next one if Sa’s still out. We got too clever with not enough and ate ****, then we doubled-down. Double-decker **** sandwich with a glove warmer in goal.

 

[wolfslair]

Bit like most managers. Even Nuno towards the end of his time used to shift the blame when we lost, remember “we must find solutions”.

He said strategy was fine…..

So answer the question I asked Jade….. do you think the structure was fine today????

Please answer that.

 

[Mile End Wanderer]

He said strategy was fine…..

So answer the question I asked Jade….. do you think the structure was fine today????

Please answer that.

What strategy?
What game plan?

It was embarrassing, they walked through us all game!

 

[wolfslair]

Bit like most managers. Even Nuno towards the end of his time used to shift the blame when we lost, remember “we must find solutions”.

We must find solutions means a few things….. like we have to be better with strategy and tactics with the squad we have.

That isn’t laying the blame at the players doors by saying the strategy was fine and that the players errors cost us….. yet again deflecting the blame

When he did nothing to change the result for the better