Newcastle (H) 2pm Sunday 8 Oct (not on TV)

Giant_Hammer

All the while they’re pretty much untouchable nothing will change I guess.

Brother_Sledge

Did anyone see the lines drawn for offside on their first goal? - I was confident it would be ruled out by VAR.
Still seething that the ref didn't send Bruno off for two obvious yellow cards.

Slacker

Fair result in the end. That Kudus kid could turn out to be a bit special.

MIAHammer

We have the players now to push teams so let’s stop this sit back and defend and try and hit them on the break strategy.
It’s so difficult to hold out for that long when you’re giving away 70-80% possession. And that’s been shown with only 1 clean sheet this season. It puts too much pressure on our defence.

steve

Did Wilson even touch the ball

thornburyiron

Is there a link with refs being paid by the Saudi's, Qataris, and the rest of UAE to ref matches in their countries and then reffing in the PL in matches played by teams owned by those countries. May explain the way decisions went today.

Jorderz_Moyes_will_be_Moyes

MIAHammer said:

We have the players now to push teams so let’s stop this sit back and defend and try and hit them on the break strategy.
It’s so difficult to hold out for that long when you’re giving away 70-80% possession. And that’s been shown with only 1 clean sheet this season. It puts too much pressure on our defence.

Yeah, this was another frustration today. I get conceding that much possession to City, Liverpool and Brighton. But we have a midfield that's as good as theirs IMO. We needed to keep the more ball and better.

Having Kudus in the side instead of Antonio would help with that - the ball sticks to him, nobody can seem to tackle him, and he always seems to make his pass.

thornburyiron

I think having Kudus instead of Antonio would definitely help. Antonio is our equivalent of Usain Bolt ie he’s an athlete who loves playing football but doesn’t really have the right skill set.

MIAHammer

After Antonio came off, our main playmaker Paqueta seemed to be playing up top with Bowen staying out on the right. Seemed a bit strange to me.
Coufal picked up another assist.

Slacker

thornburyiron said:

Is there a link with refs being paid by the Saudi's, Qataris, and the rest of UAE to ref matches in their countries and then reffing in the PL in matches played by teams owned by those countries. May explain the way decisions went today.

What’s your position on the moon landings?😉

MIAHammer

Slacker said:

thornburyiron said:

Is there a link with refs being paid by the Saudi's, Qataris, and the rest of UAE to ref matches in their countries and then reffing in the PL in matches played by teams owned by those countries. May explain the way decisions went today.

What’s your position on the moon landings?😉

VAR would have disallowed it

buffybegood

MIAHammer said:

Slacker said:

thornburyiron said:

Is there a link with refs being paid by the Saudi's, Qataris, and the rest of UAE to ref matches in their countries and then reffing in the PL in matches played by teams owned by those countries. May explain the way decisions went today.

What’s your position on the moon landings?😉

VAR would have disallowed it

Off-planet?

ASLEFshrugged

thornburyiron said:

I think having Kudus instead of Antonio would definitely help. Antonio is our equivalent of Usain Bolt ie he’s an athlete who loves playing football but doesn’t really have the right skill set.

Antonio is more of an old school centre forward, physically strong and uses it against defenders

Kudus is much more of flair player, picks the ball up deeper and runs at defences

I think Moyes will judge each opposition on its merits to decide who and when to play them.

thornburyiron said:

Is there a link with refs being paid by the Saudi's, Qataris, and the rest of UAE to ref matches in their countries and then reffing in the PL in matches played by teams owned by those countries. May explain the way decisions went today.

That might explain how Man City and Newcastle get favourable decisions but not American-owned Man Utd, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool

Peter Bankes just doesn't like us

steve

Don't care for him either

jay_in_cpt

Decent result in the end not helped by an incompetent and inconsistent referee in Peter Bankes, his decision making was poor and erratic at best…. Great goal from Kudus giving us a deserved point, this is going to be a tricky MOM this game IMO ⚒️

thornburyiron

Aslef they’re probably angling to get a few highly paid gigs in the MLS. You scratch my back etc etc.

ASLEFshrugged

thornburyiron said:

Aslef they’re probably angling to get a few highly paid gigs in the MLS. You scratch my back etc etc.

Slacker said:

What’s your position on the moon landings?😉

I think we've gone from moon landings to flat earth...

The great thing for me is not too many seasons ago we'd have gone 2-1 down and given up

Moyes has put real fight into this team, they don't give up, they keep on working no matter what

MIAHammer

Last year our problem was scoring in the first half. This year it’s hanging on to a lead.

Bazshuayi

buffybegood said:

Paqueta in the book now.

Yay! Me and half of Paqueta Island in the money

Bazshuayi

I've always liked Antonio. His affectiveness has never been amazing and there are a few things about his play that we all know could be better. He also doesnt seem to ever get much from refs foul wise. But as said, I've always liked his personality and he's been with us a good while now.

However, when we actually got Kudud I was pretty shocked as he had been subject to interest from bigger clubs for a while. I thought a real coup to get him. I also assumed he'd play in a Paquete behind the striker type of role and be able to fill in across the front three if needed. Now even Paqueta isn't playing where he was last season with the arrivals of JWP and Alvarez changing our shape.

Whilst our style has needed an Antonio type player (someone who cn break and hold of course), for me its more about whether they can break with pace and not neccessarily be the target man to hold the ball while we rush to support. I dont think that works that well a lot of the time. Players who run with the ball like Lingard did for us help that counter far more. We have players who can break really well and I think Kudus going up top is worth a try. Either that or playing in behind him rather than tinkering with Bowen. I dont know if playing on the left would be a good thing either but perhaps trying Kudus there may work.

Whatever the case, it is actually a pleasant change to try to squeeze players into an 11 rather than be reliant on very few players in the 11!

We have our set piece threat back with JWP and defensive cover with Avarez. Our attacking players arnt particularly currently in places of comfort to make us even more dangerous. The lad Ekitike is a young forward in the mould we need with strength, youth and pace. An option like him with Bowen right and Kudus or Paqueta behind and left (maybe switching periodically) is a nice thing to ponder

Ohhh did I write that much. Well I enjoyed letting it pour out as its a positive thought process and most wont read anyway so I should add in something totally irrelevant maybe...

claretandbluesky

Just back from a busy day so I never got to see the game and have looked on here for a view of how it went.

It seems we played well enough in the first half, lost our shape and fell to pieces a little for 20 minutes and lost control of the game but the introduction Kudus salvaged a deserved point that could easily of still been three had the Ref not been so awful.

Lukerz

What was Aguerd doing?

Lukerz

Did Kudus play up front after coming on?

Jorderz_Moyes_will_be_Moyes

It looked like Kudus played no 10 and Paqueta went up front.

Lukerz

We started well & were comfortable, then flagged into the second half - I assume linked to last Thursdays game with the travel & 6/11 players playing who played today. We were then re-energised by Kudus coming on & ended well.

Given we lost 1-5 to this lot last season, their recent form & the fact they are a Champions League club, have to be very happy with that result.

chicagohammer

Happy with the result especially as we were clearly hard done by on numerous decisions, clear second yellow not given, the free kick preceding their goal was never a foul and. Imo, Isok was offside when the free kick was actually taken.

Really poor from us for their second but I really enjoyed watching us towards the end as we finished on the front foot and could have nicked it.

I feared the worst when we went behind so I am giving credit where due and will respect the point

Lukerz

I also see no Fab, Mavropanos, Cresswell or Johnson on the bench. All injured?

welovethehammers

As a hammer living up in Newcastle, this was a big fixture for me. I’ve had a nose on various Newcastle forums and their social media channels and credit to their fans who felt we (West Ham) were hard down by with some of the refereeing decisions. Nice to see fans without their rose tinted glasses on (wish the same could be said with some other fans… *cough* Spurs).

thornburyiron

Chicago being in an offside position when the kick was taken doesn’t make him offside as the ball did not directly go to him. It’s this bit that’s important “If the ball is deliberately played by a member of the opposing team, an attacker cannot be offside.” Aguerd headed the ball.

Pengeman

I don't think Aguerd had a good game today. Indeed, in recent weeks he has made too many errors - MANC, Liverpool games come to mind. Actually, I don't think Zouma was that effective either today. Moyes is loyal to his buys but that is costing us points. Hope he gives Mavropanos a go in the next EPL game.