Bayer 04 Leverkusen v West Ham United - Saturday, 5th August (12:30pm)

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Comments

  • buffybegoodbuffybegood
    2-0, a Kehrer og I think, but their CF would surely have scored anyway.
  • YeoldhammerYeoldhammer
    tragic defending. Frimpong on the ball and every one of our players is 2 yards away from a Leverkusen player not sticking tight at all so the guy can backheel it and slide in an easy pass.
  • buffybegoodbuffybegood
    3-0. It's pretty much attack v defence atm.
  • OldCastleSwiftOldCastleSwift
    3-0

    You can argue it's only pre-season all you want, but this has been really bad from us. We're playing PL football next Saturday and we look miles off being ready.
  • thornburyironthornburyiron
    edited August 2023
    At this rate it’s going to be a long hard season
  • stevesteve
    Moyes out =)
  • stevesteve
    Well get all the bad stuff out the way before the season starts
  • buffybegoodbuffybegood
    3-0 HT, we just haven't been in the match at all, and they've cut through us way too easily, they couple have had another couple as well.
  • thornburyironthornburyiron
    Problem is with the new laws this season our pain will last even longer each game.
  • OldCastleSwiftOldCastleSwift
    Honestly, that was a dreadful 45. We didn't have a clue with or without the ball.

    Worryingly similar to the performances that saw us lose 20 PL games last season.

    Did anyone watching see any positives in that half?
  • alderzalderz
    I never worry about pre-season performances or results, personally. If they get stuffed at Bournemouth then I'll be disappointed, but until then I'm not concerned.
  • LukerzLukerz
    Not great, can’t deny that. Pretty much what I expected given they are much better than us & we have signed nobody.
  • stevesteve
    No Positives as far as I could see
  • YeoldhammerYeoldhammer
    There are just too many things wrong with this team.

    -The passing is atrocious
    -a complete lack of pace across the board, players are not running into space they are way too static hoping the player on the ball can conjure something up
    -they don't press as a team, its one player going forward and everyone else maintaining a shape

    its so so so so negative. with a week to go before our first game the fitness levels look way too far off. Zouma especially looks like he has lost 2 yards of pace. Soucek just isn't in the game other than a corner that he got a free header on. Paqueta has largely been careless but a lot of that is due to how static our players are and not offering an option. It should be 1 - 2 touch football but it isn't.

    Its just too easy for Leverkusen to apply pressure and watch the backline and midfield fold. If you look at it from a Leverkusen perspective, they are getting their fullbacks so far up the pitch (one of the reasons why i think it doesn't matter who we sign in midfield or up front, until we have 2 top drawer fullbacks our style of play will never change) They constantly have 2 players on the move, as a pass is played into the feet of Xhaka he immediately has 2 options to go to. They have easy one touch passing triangles to move the ball up the field with little pressing. Their midfield just have the freedom of the pitch to pick out a pass. I can only wish that we could emulate this style of football.
  • FortuneseekerFortuneseeker
    edited August 2023
    Has anyone one popped into the Positive Arms for a lunchtime 🍺 to see what the mood is like? 😬
  • OldCastleSwiftOldCastleSwift
    alderz said:

    I never worry about pre-season performances or results, personally. If they get stuffed at Bournemouth then I'll be disappointed, but until then I'm not concerned.

    But surely we should be at peak tactical planning and peak fitness now. We look shambolic out there. What's going to change in a week.

    Leverkusen are a good team (ironically yet encouragingly built somewhat on Steidten's watch) so I wasn't expecting us to be 3 up, but we've looked hopeless at the back and completely anonymous in midfield and attack.

    Leagues apart.
  • jay_in_cptjay_in_cpt
    OldCastleSwift said:

    Honestly, that was a dreadful 45. We didn't have a clue with or without the ball.

    Worryingly similar to the performances that saw us lose 20 PL games last season.

    Did anyone watching see any positives in that half?

    I'm sure 1 or 2 will!!!!...................
  • LukerzLukerz
    Kit looked good
  • IronHerbIronHerb
    What position is Kit playing?
  • SlackerSlacker
    OldCastleSwift said:

    Honestly, that was a dreadful 45. We didn't have a clue with or without the ball.

    Worryingly similar to the performances that saw us lose 20 PL games last season.

    Did anyone watching see any positives in that half?

    Yup, it was only 45 minutes.

  • OldCastleSwiftOldCastleSwift
    Lukerz said:

    Kit looked good

    Fairs
  • stevesteve
    Still going to see out the second half ,Nothing better to do =)
  • stevesteve
    Should have been 4 see still watching =)
  • OldCastleSwiftOldCastleSwift
    In an attempt to back in the game, we've gone to a back five.
  • OutcastLondonerOutcastLondoner
    Antonio has started well
  • OldCastleSwiftOldCastleSwift
    Better. Antonio already making a difference. Nice interchange between him and Bowen leads to a chance for Benrahma, which he misses.
  • stevesteve
    Better give Antonio a new 5 year contract =)
  • OldCastleSwiftOldCastleSwift
    Makes you realise how important Rice was to us. He's left a massive hole in midfield. Soucek and Downes are really struggling.
  • OldCastleSwiftOldCastleSwift
    steve said:

    Better give Antonio a new 5 year contract =)

    Joking aside, we could be in a bit of bother if, as been suggested, he leaves. Because of how way we play, he's massively important. So - as has been the case for about three years - we need a striker that can do what Antonio does; NOT another Haller/Scamacca.
  • thornburyironthornburyiron
    If we get a striker who can do what Antonio does we need one who can do it a lot better especially with one to ones.
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