As Tony Gale said about Bowen, he's coming from the Championship where everybody has to pull their weight (I'm paraphrasing); in other words no room for a primo don. Take note Felipe and Manuel.
What a difference it made to Haller's game when he had someone around him to win the ball for. He's got some great ball-playing skills that he can't use if he's stuck up top on his own.
"The assistant manager said the keeper liked to go down quickly. I knew the angle was tight so I got enough on it to dink it over him.
Firstly, that’s awesome from the coaching staff to spot and exploit that. Second, imagine having the presence of kind to remember that and lift it in the heat of the moment.
Just seen the goals. Massive contribution from Fornals. Two brilliant assists. Can't think of many other West Ham players that would have pulled those off.
Sounds obvious, but this line up has to be the way ahead (Soucek for Noble when he's back). Keeping them all fit is the challenge, but Antonio and Haller as a front two can cause any defence problems if used properly, and Bowen adds an additional threat that we haven't had all season.
Far too early to be looking at next season, but I am at least encouraged by what could be a younger core to this team. Ngakia has done well, Rice we all know about, Soucek is still young and hopefully we can keep hold of him, Bowen and Haller mid-20s. If we can stay up this season, there are shoots of hope for the future.
Looking at the next four games, this was such a massive game. Still nowhere near out of the woods though.
Arsenal and Spurs are not the teams they once were, but still tough games and we'll do well to get anything out of them. Wolves are a bit up and down at the moment but still have more than enough to trouble us, and the same can be said for Chelsea. 4 points would be a good return from those games, IMO.
Then we're into a run of games against Newcastle, Burnley, Watford, Norwich and Villa, which will probably define our season more than the next four.
It's going to be a very close run thing, that's for sure :sofa:
Arsenal should be approached in the same way we would approach a game at Everton or Burnley. Nothing to fear there.
Spurs are very patchy under Jose, Wolves will be focused on Europe & Chelsea are certainly beatable.
6 points I’d be aiming for there, if we keep our current 11 & subs fit. Yes we could lose all four, but I’d be hopeful of being into the 30s before the crucial games.
There should be no messing about now in my view, each game left we go out to attack as we did today and aim for three points. The team today is my starting line up whilst fit, with the exception of Soucek coming in for Noble when he returns from injury. If our bench includes Anderson, Snoddgrass, Noble and Lanzini that gives us strong starting plus strong bench.
Ngakia's really impressed with his composure when he's had players running at him. Even with Mane and Robertson, he stood his ground, faced them down and perfectly timed when to get his foot in. It's really brave defending that has allowed us to counter quickly.
We just have to attack and hope we score more than we concede.
I just fear that we’re too vulnerable down our right side. Anyone with any kind of pace is going to torment Cresswell. We were lucky in the first few minutes of the second half to not concede another goal. They were all over us.
To be fair to Moyes he's picking the team game by game , as needs must. It'll be interesting ( presuming we stay up ) to see who he considers dead wood and gets rid of and what kind of football he wants to play next year and who he brings in. It'll be interesting to see his version of a premier outfit.
The first time in along time we have had 2 or 3 players around him and he shows us what he's all about
Hope Moyes is convinced Bowen can be thrown into the deep end.....and hope he finally sees that Fornals is everything he thinks he is going to get from Lanzini
Comments
Take note Felipe and Manuel.
What a difference it made to Haller's game when he had someone around him to win the ball for. He's got some great ball-playing skills that he can't use if he's stuck up top on his own.
I don’t think we would have won that game with Zabaleta, Yarmolenko, Lanzini and Anderson.
Sounds obvious, but this line up has to be the way ahead (Soucek for Noble when he's back). Keeping them all fit is the challenge, but Antonio and Haller as a front two can cause any defence problems if used properly, and Bowen adds an additional threat that we haven't had all season.
Far too early to be looking at next season, but I am at least encouraged by what could be a younger core to this team. Ngakia has done well, Rice we all know about, Soucek is still young and hopefully we can keep hold of him, Bowen and Haller mid-20s. If we can stay up this season, there are shoots of hope for the future.
Important. result, obvs, and a heartening performance on the back of the Liverpool game, which suggests we can be competitive in the next few games.
Rice MOM for me, did so much work that he was almost worth two players.
Bowen looks exactly what we need in ability and attitude.
I think most fans all season have been saying we need people closer to Haller, today we did and he looked a different player.
Ngakika probably never expected to be thrown in this season but is letting no one down.
How on earth Watford are putting three past Liverpool I have no idea but if we play as we did today we at least have a chance.
Arsenal and Spurs are not the teams they once were, but still tough games and we'll do well to get anything out of them. Wolves are a bit up and down at the moment but still have more than enough to trouble us, and the same can be said for Chelsea. 4 points would be a good return from those games, IMO.
Then we're into a run of games against Newcastle, Burnley, Watford, Norwich and Villa, which will probably define our season more than the next four.
It's going to be a very close run thing, that's for sure :sofa:
Arsenal should be approached in the same way we would approach a game at Everton or Burnley. Nothing to fear there.
Spurs are very patchy under Jose, Wolves will be focused on Europe & Chelsea are certainly beatable.
6 points I’d be aiming for there, if we keep our current 11 & subs fit. Yes we could lose all four, but I’d be hopeful of being into the 30s before the crucial games.
Villa, Norwich & Brighton don’t score.
Anderson, Lanzini, Fornals, Antonio, Haller, Bowen, Yarmolenko (to return).
We have plenty of options & I am pretty sure some of the sides just above us would take all of those players.
Just a shame we didn’t hang on v Brighton as, if we had, our points haul under Moyes would not be looking too bad really given the fixtures.
Ngakia Diop Ogbonna Cresswell
Soucek Fornals Rice
Bowen Antonio
Haller
Randy, Zaba, Balbuena, Noble, Snodgrass, Anderson, Yarmolenko
That looks good enough to win enough points to stay up. But we're so inconsistent that we never know which West Ham will turn up.
But the back four aren't top six, IMO. If we manage to stay up, a top LB and CB are needed if we want to challenge for top half next season.
I just fear that we’re too vulnerable down our right side. Anyone with any kind of pace is going to torment
Cresswell. We were lucky in the first few minutes of the second half to not concede another goal. They were all over us.
The first time in along time we have had 2 or 3 players around him and he shows us what he's all about
Hope Moyes is convinced Bowen can be thrown into the deep end.....and hope he finally sees that Fornals is everything he thinks he is going to get from Lanzini