Burnley (A) - Monday 3rd May 8.15pm

alderz

Benrahma is a proper baller, IMO. I think if he had a run of 90 minutes he'd settle and be a star for us. I do agree that he's a bit inconsistent and his decision making isn't always perfect, but I feel like he's in and out of the side all the time so it's going to have some impact on his consistency.

Fornals was brilliant last night, by the way. Maybe the best I've seen him play? I remember seeing some of the clips of his skills and tricks before he joined us, and he's never really been that player for us. Last night I feel like he was getting to be that way.

alderz

I've just been looking at Garth Crooks' team of the week. Antonio and Dawson made it in (fine by me). But yknow the bit at the bottom where you can pick your own team? Lingard was the only other West Ham midfielder in there. I love Lingard, but last night Benrahma, Fornals and Lanzini all were more effective than him. It's like these pundits know nothing about our games.

eskimoking

I think it’s great the options of styles that we have. Our squad depth isn’t great but the versatility is. Think of the midfield who played yesterday, against a team like Burnley I’m not sure even if he was fit we should be shoehorning Rice into that, the balance was excellent. Ogbonna passing from the back would have helped massively, maybe you could play Rice at CB in that style? It was almost more of a city style. But then the way we can play more directly with the same formation if you drop some passers and throw in Rice and Bowen instead. Or switch to wingbacks and do either Masuaku + Cresswell or Fredericks + Coufal (not both) as a forced focus for one wing. Love the options, now we just need to use the right combos at the right times.

OldCastleSwift

alderz said:

Benrahma is a proper baller, IMO. I think if he had a run of 90 minutes he'd settle and be a star for us. I do agree that he's a bit inconsistent and his decision making isn't always perfect, but I feel like he's in and out of the side all the time so it's going to have some impact on his consistency.

This is it for me too. I think any player needs a run of games to get consistency. Benrahma's never had that, so I think it's unfair of Moyes to call him out on it. Lingard came in and has played pretty much every minute he's been available and the benefits of that are obvious to see.

Hopefully Benrahma did enough last night to stay in the team for Everton, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if he dropped to the bench.

thornburyiron

There’s a big step up from the championship to the PL and it does take time to adjust to the pace and the skill levels you are facing and the also playing with. It was a tad easier for Bowen because he knew what to expect as he’d played in it before.

alderz

thornburyiron said:

There’s a big step up from the championship to the PL and it does take time to adjust to the pace and the skill levels you are facing and the also playing with. It was a tad easier for Bowen because he knew what to expect as he’d played in it before.

Bowen only played 7 PL games for Hull in their relegation season, 6 of them off the bench, for a grand total of 177 minutes. I'm not sure he'd have been that aware of the demands, tbh.

Dodger58

I love this comment from the Burnley fans match thread:

Look on the bright side: After Diop showed Moyes why he needed a new centre half, Tarks has shown him that he's not the one to go for in replacing him.

Although I will add I am still hoping that Diop regains his Mojo as I think there is an excellent player in there.

OldCastleSwift

alderz said:

thornburyiron said:

There’s a big step up from the championship to the PL and it does take time to adjust to the pace and the skill levels you are facing and the also playing with. It was a tad easier for Bowen because he knew what to expect as he’d played in it before.

Bowen only played 7 PL games for Hull in their relegation season, 6 of them off the bench, for a grand total of 177 minutes. I'm not sure he'd have been that aware of the demands, tbh.

Top statting, that.

I honestly think the only difference is that Moyes wanted Bowen and didn't particularly want Benrahma. Bowen has got some good numbers with us and has been a great signing, but he makes as many wrong decisions as Benrahma does, IMO.

Dodger58

Another take on Antonio's 'Perfect Hat-trick':

Antonio helping us out by blocking his own shot now

IronHerb

I thought Diop pulled his finger out in the second half and played a more assured game. Dawson could have done more for the penalty, he went back to the line instead of towards Woods, otherwise he was back to his best. We invited the ball over the top in the first half as on many occasions Diop and Dawson were on their own with both fullbacks up the pitch.

yoyo

I must admit I do sometimes shudder when Diop gets the ball at his feet at the back.

Hamstew

I was very critical of Fornals. I'm happy to hold my hands up. We miss him when he's not playing.

ASLEFshrugged

Some excellent passing moves and we pressed them - something we didn't do against Chelsea. Burnley's back four were poor, unable to cope with our flair players and unable to keep track of where Antonio was.

At the other end they kept trying to put crosses and long balls into the front two but Dawson, Diop and Soucek dealt with those easily . Just 8 shots on goal (3 from Rodriquez) compared to our 22.

Moyes got his tactics spot on but then Burnley were a bit predictable

OldCastleSwift

yoyo said:

I must admit I do sometimes shudder when Diop gets the ball at his feet at the back.

Both him and Dawson make me nervous. Not that I think we have the budget for it, but I'd love to see us sign a CB that's really comfortable on the ball.

OldCastleSwift

ASLEFshrugged said:

Some excellent passing moves and we pressed them - something we didn't do against Chelsea. Burnley's back four were poor, unable to cope with our flair players and unable to keep track of where Antonio was.

At the other end they kept trying to put crosses and long balls into the front two but Dawson, Diop and Soucek dealt with those easily . Just 8 shots on goal (3 from Rodriquez) compared to our 22.

Moyes got his tactics spot on but then Burnley were a bit predictable

Yeah, I don't want to knock the performance because it was great, but Burnley weren't very good at all. They've been average at best all season and the Wolves result was a bit of an anomaly.

Everton and Brighton will be tougher tests, so it'll interesting to see if we can replicate the performance and result against them.

IronHerb

But that wasn't a one off performance. We showed similar in the come back at Newcastle and the last 25 minutes at United to name but two. We didn't really allow Burnley to play their own game, which they are pretty good at, as we surprised them with our system of play.
I had Burnley down as our toughest remaining game after Chelsea and so am pretty confident about the run in.

COYI

OutcastLondoner

alderz said:

Fornals was brilliant last night, by the way. Maybe the best I've seen him play? I remember seeing some of the clips of his skills and tricks before he joined us, and he's never really been that player for us. Last night I feel like he was getting to be that way.

I thought this. Even something as simple as the little shift that beat the man on the counter where Antonio messed up playing in Benrahma. I thought he was going to lose the ball there but he was just so smooth. Since we've signed him he's always looked a bit rushed, which was so different to the composed player I thought we were signing. Maybe it was playing with more players who play with the ball that helped but it was really great watching him play like that.

Huttonhammer

Burnley have been playing very well recently . It wasn’t them playing poorly . As Sean Dyche said . West ham played well. I do like him as a manager . He has done very well with Burnley and he is always honest

whupathman

Maybe lanzini as a holding MF is a reinvention for him and can save us buying a new player and keep him, he was amazing last night

baracks_a_hammer

Dyche said something along the lines of “they are chasing a Champions League place and it shows”

Top man...

IronHerb

https://twitter.com/WhoScored/status/1389492228012265473

👏👏👏

buffybegood

whupathman said:

Maybe lanzini as a holding MF is a reinvention for him and can save us buying a new player and keep him, he was amazing last night

This is something a few of us suggested as an option for him a god while back, even before his injury. He certainly did very well there last night, especially given how little game time he's had recently.

I also think it's true that the ballers we have seemed to bring the best out of each other; last night we had 4 playing, plus a CF as well and Soucek also got forward occasionally as well. If you think back, Lanzini played very well when we had Payet in the team, but struggled a bit thereafter when almost all the creative responsibility was solely on his shoulders. Last night we had Lanzini, Fornals, Benrahma and Lingard starting, and I think they brought the best out of each other (except maybe Lingard who, by his own exceptional run of late, was a little quieter, but certainly played his part in helping the others play more freely, imo).

ASLEFshrugged

Sorry but Burnley's defending was awful, the back four were like four statues in a row while Antonio ran around them.

Credit for Chris Wood who raced all the way back to his own penalty area to perform his excellent impression of a felled tree trying intercept Benrahma's cross. TIMBER!!!!!!!!

Yeoldhammer

I don't think Lanzini is a long term CM option. He was good last night and certainly has the ability to collect the ball from defence in tight situations, turn and spread the ball. But against better more possession based teams than Burnley Lanzini's tackling is nowhere near the level it needs to be at.

buffybegood

Yeoldhammer said:

I don't think Lanzini is a long term CM option. He was good last night and certainly has the ability to collect the ball from defence in tight situations, turn and spread the ball. But against better more possession based teams than Burnley Lanzini's tackling is nowhere near the level it needs to be at.

Fair enough, but, if he stays next season, he should at least provide a starting option for certain games meaning Rice or Soucek can be rested occasionally, even if we don't manage to sign a decent back up for them.

claretandbluesky

I agree that Fornells came in as a flair player but is now proving himself a workhorse, and a good one. Benrhama is for me the best we have with the football at his feet and just needs get his final ball or shot up to the standard of the rest of his play. If he does that we have a Zaha type player on our hands.

It's a strange thing to say Coufal has been underrated as everyone rates him, yet his contribution every match is so vital to our overall performance I think the statement applies. I can't recall a match when someone got the better of him over the course of the game.

OldCastleSwift

As an aside, I hope we keep the black kit for next season (I know we won't but I love it)

Lukerz

Thought Lanzini was brilliant last night. A really understated performance. Basically playing as a DM with Soucek & normally Burnley away is the sort of game you expect him to be bullied out of.

claretandbluesky

I think brilliant is too much for me but I was pleasantly surprised and think he did really well. We need Rice back so we can unleash Soucek again, he is clearly being told to sit deeper at present.

OutcastLondoner

The way Lanzini took up that role made me wonder about how Obiang would’ve performed under Moyes as a coach. I always thought he had the ability but was inconsistent and playing in similarly inconsistent teams. Moyes has done so well at bringing the best out of players doing a role within the system that it just made me wonder if he could’ve been the player we’re a little short of now.