Kouyate's a difficult question. He was towering in our box - with his headed clearances. But whenever he came out to press and tackle, he gave away a free kick.
The first goal came after he marauded up-field. But is it right to blame him for the goal? If you play three at the back (particularly), don't you want a CB to come forward with the ball every now and then? Isn't it then down to other plays to cover for him? The wing-back or the deepest midfielder? Given the criticism I've made of the formulaic and timid way we have been playing recently, with no one taking responsibility for driving forwards and creating something, I have decided to change my initial view and not blame Kouyate for the first goal.
However, I do think the freekicks he's giving away - wherever he plays in fact - are making him a liability. If Eriksen had come on the pitch a minute sooner, we might have paid a high price for one of Kouyate's fouls. I think our coaching staff really need to work with Kouyate on how to avoid giving away so many fouls. Sounds like a job for defensive coach Dicks - not.
On Rice, he also made some mistakes yesterday that on another day would have been punished with goals. But he looked better at organising and passing the ball out of defence than Reid has recently. I would be loathe to drop Reid, as he has consistently been our best defender over the last couple of years or more. I also think Ogbonna played really well, will be pumped up and confident after his goal, and is best suited to playing on the left of the three. But I do want do give Rice at least a half against Palace.
Hmmm. Difficult. In spite of concerns about Kouyate's fouling and Rice's errors, I'm going to plump for sticking with the back three we had against Spurs. Make Fonte and Reid fight to get their places back.
Ref has a good game, not often you can say that, deserves credit.
Regarding the quotes I posted, just a bit of fun that’s all. Let’s enjoy the win, this isn’t over for Slav hopefully.
Oh and anyone who reckons he’s lost the dressing room, that well known cheap media and pundit phrase, stick that in your pipe and smoke it, it rarely happens imo
I think with the first goal you can blame Kouyate, tbh. Yes, you want one of your CBs to bring the ball out from time to time. But this was the 5th minute. Settle in first.
I like Kouyate a lot, his driving presence is vital when he’s on it. But as a CB his positional awareness and discipline isn’t good, and as a CM when he isn’t in form he gives the ball away a lot. Despite playing well last night overall I would drop him
No-one really knows what was said in the dressing room at half time. Didn’t Slav say they weren’t too downbeat as he felt they played quite well in the first half? - he must have been watching a different game to me.
My view is that it was a magnificent captain’s effort from Nobes himself. He pulled up the whole team by the scruffs of their necks in the second half. One of his real standouts as skipper. Whether by design or not, his altercation with the Spurs player put a bit of needle into a fixture which should ALWAYS have an edge to it. The first half was little more than a Spurs training session. This immediately worked for us and all around Nobes others lifted their games and the rest is history.
How much was this down to Slav - well you could ask the same of West Brom away (Grant) when we were 3 down at half time.
Let’s see what happens on Saturday. But repeatedly we don’t start games with fire in our bellies. You can not rely solely on second half revivals.
Thing is barracks he hasn’t even been that bad this season many have had far worse individual performances but some of our lot have to have a scapegoat
Comments
https://www.thefightingcock.co.uk/forum/threads/west-ham-league-cup-game.23308/page-32
"What an embarrassing excuse of a football club. I don't think we have even broken a sweat. I was at least hoping for a game."
"Not getting ahead of myself but when's the draw to see who we have in the next round?". - ;lol ;lol ;lol
And this is why i hate them... Their fans - awful
I've thought about joining a spurs group like that to 'trade some banter' but I know that after a couple of C words back at me Id get bored
Do we stick with the dreadful team from the first 45mins or the great team from the second 45.
This is the WH team I’ve supported for 35 years...
Totally unpredictable, mostly rubbish but with the ability to inspire...
Fonte – Reid – Rice
Antonio – Noble – Obiang (or Fernandes?) – Cresswell
Ayew – Lanzini
Hernandez
The first goal came after he marauded up-field. But is it right to blame him for the goal? If you play three at the back (particularly), don't you want a CB to come forward with the ball every now and then? Isn't it then down to other plays to cover for him? The wing-back or the deepest midfielder? Given the criticism I've made of the formulaic and timid way we have been playing recently, with no one taking responsibility for driving forwards and creating something, I have decided to change my initial view and not blame Kouyate for the first goal.
However, I do think the freekicks he's giving away - wherever he plays in fact - are making him a liability. If Eriksen had come on the pitch a minute sooner, we might have paid a high price for one of Kouyate's fouls. I think our coaching staff really need to work with Kouyate on how to avoid giving away so many fouls. Sounds like a job for defensive coach Dicks - not.
On Rice, he also made some mistakes yesterday that on another day would have been punished with goals. But he looked better at organising and passing the ball out of defence than Reid has recently. I would be loathe to drop Reid, as he has consistently been our best defender over the last couple of years or more. I also think Ogbonna played really well, will be pumped up and confident after his goal, and is best suited to playing on the left of the three. But I do want do give Rice at least a half against Palace.
Hmmm. Difficult. In spite of concerns about Kouyate's fouling and Rice's errors, I'm going to plump for sticking with the back three we had against Spurs. Make Fonte and Reid fight to get their places back.
Regarding the quotes I posted, just a bit of fun that’s all. Let’s enjoy the win, this isn’t over for Slav hopefully.
Oh and anyone who reckons he’s lost the dressing room, that well known cheap media and pundit phrase, stick that in your pipe and smoke it, it rarely happens imo
I think with the first goal you can blame Kouyate, tbh. Yes, you want one of your CBs to bring the ball out from time to time. But this was the 5th minute. Settle in first.
I like Kouyate a lot, his driving presence is vital when he’s on it. But as a CB his positional awareness and discipline isn’t good, and as a CM when he isn’t in form he gives the ball away a lot. Despite playing well last night overall I would drop him
My view is that it was a magnificent captain’s effort from Nobes himself. He pulled up the whole team by the scruffs of their necks in the second half. One of his real standouts as skipper. Whether by design or not, his altercation with the Spurs player put a bit of needle into a fixture which should ALWAYS have an edge to it. The first half was little more than a Spurs training session. This immediately worked for us and all around Nobes others lifted their games and the rest is history.
How much was this down to Slav - well you could ask the same of West Brom away (Grant) when we were 3 down at half time.
Let’s see what happens on Saturday. But repeatedly we don’t start games with fire in our bellies. You can not rely solely on second half revivals.
I’ve seen some amazing comments from the Bilic out crew that it was noble that made the difference and he’s why we won, he must’ve had the talk....
Probably the same people that have been slaughtering him for seasons
SMH
You can only call it as you see it.
Perhaps he was being slaughtered because he hasn’t been doing it week in week out or even close to it?
Yesterday he has received widespread praise and rightly so.
http://kumb.com/story.php?id=131765
When Ali and Son did that pathetic celebration, Mark Noble thought “I am NOT HAVING THAT!!”
Did anyone see this as our cup final??
Oh what a beautiful morning....
Oh what a beautiful day.....
I’ve gotta wonderful feeling....
West Ham did Tottenham away! ;quaver