Wolves (H) - 01/09/2018 at 3pm - Match Thread
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Comments
My point is most on here probably support WHU as their father, grandfather and uncles all did or they were born within the sound of etc.
What strikes me is that although I was just a toddler when we moved south, supporting West Ham was totally my choice, no family or strong roots to blame.
What on earth was I thinking.........oh well, It is far too late now so I see no other choice but to pray with all my essence
COYI
A very frustrating watch, overall.
The players are clearly lacking 1) confidence, 2) cohesion & 3) belief. That is the problem I think that was clear in this game. All three are linked to each other, though.
I counted 3 discussions Pellegrini had with Arnie, 2 with Cresswell & one with Fredericks. Whatever he was trying to get over, he clearly wasn't happy, but I'm not sure it got across to the players because we continued to be unsure as to what we needed to do on the pitch.
The players are obviously trying to play a patient style of football, but there was absolutely no movement throughout the match. We couldn't get to grips with Wolves' formation which often saw Anderson playing as a LWB & Arnie on the wing. At several points in the first half Antonio was playing up top & Arnie more on the left, but they seemed to go wherever they wanted but with no real intensity. Antonio particularly appeared incredibly lethargic whilst he was on & the people around us were more than happy when he went off. Fair play to Arnie; he always does his best & puts in a shift even when he's not getting anything from the game.
The back four were again disjointed which resulted in Wolves getting in behind several times. I thought Diop was excellent for the most part & will definitely be a good CB for us (excellent decision making & some well timed tackles), Balbeuna improved as the game wore on but first half his passing was pretty hopeless. I think at times he looks like a good, aggressive South American CB, at others a rash, headless chicken, but it seems to be a flip of a coin as to which one you get in any one moment. Fredericks really struggled for, what seemed like, confidence. I liked Wilshere because he always shows for the ball & doesn't hide, but he did struggle to create anything meaningful. Anderson was too direct. Snodgrass was very poor. Fabianski was solid again & Sanchez seemed to do his basics well until he gifted Wolves the winner in the last minute.
The shape just didn't look right to me. We often had no players in the box & everybody came to the ball when we had it, but nobody made runs off it. Too many individual elements to our play; Antonio or Anderson running with it regardless of whether they have a chance of being successful, Arnie making things out of nothing single-handedly etc. There was just no structure to how we attack & how we defend. We are clearly trying to control games but don't seem to know how to go about doing it or believe in how we are being taught to do it. Maybe the players just aren't good enough?
Yarmo, Obiang & Hernandez all offered something different but it is hard to have a meaningful impact when the side is struggling. I think 0-0 or 1-1 would've been about fair but Wolves, out of the two, certainly looked the more dangerous & likely to win.
Still behind Pellegrini but he's going to have to work damn hard over the next two weeks to get this side set-up to get a positive result at Everton.
Girlfriend loved it. So at least it wasn’t a complete disaster. She said she didn’t know what to expect, now she does; utter failure. ;lol
Zero effort, zero fight and zero clue of what they’re doing.
Loved the stadium and match day experience apart from leaving the ground after game, horrendous and if u not sure how to get back to underground it's mad.
Regarding our team IMO it was the most shocking performance I've seen in many many years, my bloomin luck.
It's all been said already, but IMO it will be 2 things, Manuel will be gone by Xmas or we will def be playing in championship next season and on that performance no one could really argue.
Playing 4 at back does simply not work for us & if he is too stubborn or foolish to not change that we are doomed IMO.
Cannot blame the stadium or directors for that shambles.
We look unfit, slow as can be and bereft of any ideas .
The players we bought in, Anderson , Sanchez , yarmelenko etc have not improved our team and that was evident to see.
Antonio looks unfit, Fredericks looks out of his depth & Wilshire simply poor.
I will always love West Ham and that can't change but my heart just isn't in it anymore, sad...
IMHO pellegrini isn't the right manager for us, I know it's early days but again IMO if they persist I reckon he will be on the Avram grant level of terrible
I left the stadium gutted but sadly the reality that wolves fully deserved the win and with better finishing could have had a few.
That is my rant over, I'm well happy I got to go to our new home, but that team yesterday were not premiership standard...
Sad
The best players on the pitch for me were the ones through the spine. I thought the keeper, CB’s, CM’s & Arnie were ok. The full-backs & attacking trio were pretty awful. Yarmolenko & Hernandez offered something new but still not enough.
Antonio should not wear the kit again. He is either not fit or not bothered & add to that he stopped being any good about 2 years ago.
Football is all about margins & that big chance for Arnie to make it 1-0 on 80 mins or so would most likely have won us the game. As it was he missed it & Sanchez made a bad error, from 3 points potentially to 0.
Just lazily stopped running & attempted to trip Traore up with a little flick.
If fabianski had not saved us a few times / wolves lack of finishing in front of goal it could/should have been worse.
I still believe Manuel doesn't know his best 11 & also formation to
Suit the players we have, if he doesn't work that out quick it's going to be a very long season I believe...
Personally thought Arnie had a poor game, it just seemed when going forward it was poor decision all game, not just from him, when they had chances to shoot they played too many passes & lacked any real drive.
The obvious lack of any real speed in our squad is going to hurt us.
It' can all change I know but my own view is what it is and that it is not going to end well, I so hope 2 be proved wrong tho ;ok
Other enraging moment was Balbuena flapping at Jimenez's shirt then letting him run through for that one where Jimenez ended up tripping over himself.
I did think though we looked better at the back with Cresswell playing (despite his error for the goal).
Dave Allen = Manuel Pellegrini
Players strolling around causally.
No running off the ball.
Some players look like they have hump.
Can't blame the owners, crowd or stadium.
The manager and players need to stand up and be counted. Show some urgency, passion and put in a shift.
Hopefully Pellegrini is not a one trick pony, (regarding tactics) otherwise we're in deep trouble.
MOTD highlighted our players just strolling around and clearly showed that when Sanchez got that ball the nearest wolves played was yards away but still got to him to rob him before he'd moved more than a foot.
I've know idea what they work on in training but whatever it is either isn't working or if it is it's definitely not right.
Pathetic performance. I know it is early days, but If we don't start performing very soon, I can see us back in the Championship.
;hug
First things first, the (brief) positives. Fabianski and Diop. Fabianksi was impressive again, made 1 superb save in the second half to keep us in it; I still think he has a bit of baggage left over from his swansea days but nonetheless he is a top keeper who has settled in very well. Diop was excellent throughout and really didnt deserve to be on the losing side; physically so quick and powerful, defensively was great on the cover and committed in the tackle. Real talent.
We struggled tactically vs the back 3/wingback system which was in harmony with a very accomplished CM paring who controlled the game so well. It often left a man free on either side and eventually forced our widemen to track them back deep, which only reinforced their control of the game because of the space that it would then leave infront of the defense. Our pressing was one paced and uncoordinated, only really pressing half halfheartedly and without a plan. Not enough running off the ball, which is so important vs the back 3. A lack of intensity and aggression in our play. A real lack of cohesion which is very concerning.
;ok He could've easily gone shoulder-to-shoulder or just make some kind of legitimate contact instead of that lazy trip attempt that would've given Diop the split second he needed to get across.
At least Sanchez's mistake was just stupid. Cresswell's and Balbuena's earlier in the game weren't mistakes, just pathetic defending.
Even watching Cardiff now show more spirit & backbone...
IMO loads of our players are prima Donna's who perhaps have a higher opinion of themselves than actually warrant....
There seems few who show they care and would fight for the shirt.
I still enjoyed my 1st visit in over 15 year since being a season ticket holder, but the team & manager let me & the other 50 odd thousand down big time, a real shocker of a performance .