The way I see it our defence is a mess and it isn't about to be fixed in this fixture against the quality of their attack. Trying to keep things tight at the expense of all other is futile and won't work.
We need to focus on our ability to score goals and their propensity to concede them. It's our only chance of getting something out of this game. We WILL have our chances against a defence missing Kocielny
I would drop Fonte and let Kouyate partner Collins, Artur to replace Cresswell and Fernandes in the middle with Noble. Wouldn't risk Nordy boy on this one he could be on a hiding to nothing, our outlets would be Ayew, Carroll, Lanzini and Antonio who would really need to help Byram out
Lol talking of which did you see that question the bloke asked Jose?!?
I know he can be sarcy at times but seriously that was one dumb question "do you think both sides cancelled themselves out"
Jose looked at him like he had two heads!! There was one team trying to win the game, De Gea was messing around in his goal bored and they went over the half way line once......
What he should of asked him was "do you think you were outtacticked"
The Albion defence cancelled out United's attack. Reasonable question imo. Mourinho did what he does best and made it about the press and not the poor result and display.
Arsenal appeared to play better in their last match vs City, just our luck...I see a hiding on the cards unless we go straight for them...if we can get 2 up we might have them rattled otherwise....
I think it's worth just packing the back line, dropping Andy for this one, saving him for the Swans (as twc says) and going with what little pace we have on the break.
Adrian Byram - Kouyate - Nordtveit - Fonte - Collins - Masuaku Noble - Lanzini Antonio - Ayew
Arsenal aren't big up front (unless the play Giroud) but they're quick, I might be tempted to play Kouyate at CB rather than Ginge who isn't the fastest on his feet these days
I've refrained from saying this, I've not said it before as I like to avoid knee jerk reactions, but I've had a long, hard think about it. I think we might be relegated this year. In fact, I almost put a bet on it yesterday as some kind of compensation if we go down / payment to the cause to keep us up!
I've lost so much interest because we are so, so bad. I appreciate the optimism that some still hold on here, I like to think I'm usually one of the more optimistic fans over previous seasons, but not this year.
I keep thinking we'll be fine and I honestly think we will.....we have enough games to get the 3-4 points required, for me it's one of Swansea or Hull going down.
Sam will do enough at Palace, Bournemouth have a horrendous run in they're not out of this yet.
I can see us getting well beaten tonight, I mean the only teams they've beaten since Feb are Lincoln and Sutton Utd!! They have their 3rd choice keeper playing a key injury in defence and their club captain hasn't played since 2014!! Their fans are fighting.....they're all over the shop, which can only mean one thing, West Ham United roll in to town and BOOM there's your three or four goal win!!
I think we will beat Swansea at the weekend.
All that being said......wouldn't this be so West Ham, end the Boleyn on a high, nice new stadium, spend a bit of money on transfers that don't work out and get relegated just when you least need? Is this the next level the owners mentioned?
This would be so, so West Ham, it would even out West Ham, West Ham......
Well the way we are playing at the moment we won't, but we do have a history of blowing hot and cold, and probably one of the hardest teams to predict.
I'm just trying not to panic..
It's difficult tho as at the moment our form is lacking, we are missing important players & other teams around and below us have just got results that haven't helped us...
If we can get any point tonight I'd be well happy, but come the Swansea and Sunderland games, these are where we need to win...( especially the Swansea game IMO )..
Hoping for any result that is not a loss tonight, hoping Noble having had a break/ knock and Antonio back will get us something, gotta try be positive...
Or Sakho to come off the bench to score the winning goal ;pray ;scarf ;scarf
1) Arsenal blow us out the water and thump us 5-0 and Bilic is sacked Thursday - Alternative we pound Arsenal 3-0 in some miracle game and Wenger walks.
2) We play one of those Arsenal Gutsy performances where Randolph has a Robert Green like performance between the sticks v Arsenal and we keep the game 0-0 till the 88th min then go and lose 1-0 and convince ourselves that performance is a springboard for the rest of the season before being thumped by Swansea.
I heard a few people last season say it would be so West Ham to get relegated in our final season at the Boleyn and go into the OS in the Championship.
I said actually what would be more West Ham, would be getting relegated in our first season at the OS.
The team we have is not worthy of the stadium and that is the problem. I honestly felt we'd turned it round when we went up to 9th at the end of Jan. What have we done since...
The side we are going to go with tonight (I expect Andy to be rested):
Been chatting to an Arsenal fan at work, he has no confidence that they will win either. We have agreed that somehow this is going to be a game we both lose.
Comments
We need to focus on our ability to score goals and their propensity to concede them. It's our only chance of getting something out of this game. We WILL have our chances against a defence missing Kocielny
As for AC - first name on the team sheet
We're probably getting walloped and it's a license to print money with AFC at 4/9
They're under pressure there is only one outcome
Adrian
Byram - Fonte - Collins - Masuaku
Nordtveit
Noble - Kouyate
Lanzini
Ayew - Carroll
I know he can be sarcy at times but seriously that was one dumb question "do you think both sides cancelled themselves out"
Jose looked at him like he had two heads!! There was one team trying to win the game, De Gea was messing around in his goal bored and they went over the half way line once......
What he should of asked him was "do you think you were outtacticked"
;biggrin
Whereas our defence is highly suspect and arsenal'ls attack is quality
For those reasons, trying the West Brom approach at the emirates will fail miserably
It was a ridiculous question poorly worded, if I didn't know better I'd say the interviewer was looking for a reaction
IMO
Amazing considering we were about 12 clear a month ago.
Antonio and Sakho in the squad.
Adrian
Byram - Kouyate - Nordtveit - Fonte - Collins - Masuaku
Noble - Lanzini
Antonio - Ayew
What the odds Carroll gets injured and doesn't play against one of his fav sides
1-2
I've lost so much interest because we are so, so bad. I appreciate the optimism that some still hold on here, I like to think I'm usually one of the more optimistic fans over previous seasons, but not this year.
I hope I'm wrong.
Sam will do enough at Palace, Bournemouth have a horrendous run in they're not out of this yet.
I can see us getting well beaten tonight, I mean the only teams they've beaten since Feb are Lincoln and Sutton Utd!! They have their 3rd choice keeper playing a key injury in defence and their club captain hasn't played since 2014!! Their fans are fighting.....they're all over the shop, which can only mean one thing, West Ham United roll in to town and BOOM there's your three or four goal win!!
I think we will beat Swansea at the weekend.
All that being said......wouldn't this be so West Ham, end the Boleyn on a high, nice new stadium, spend a bit of money on transfers that don't work out and get relegated just when you least need? Is this the next level the owners mentioned?
This would be so, so West Ham, it would even out West Ham, West Ham......
coyi
(but there again so would beating AFC)
of blowing hot and cold, and probably one of the hardest teams to predict.
It's difficult tho as at the moment our form is lacking, we are missing important players & other teams around and below us have just got results that haven't helped us...
If we can get any point tonight I'd be well happy, but come the Swansea and Sunderland games, these are where we need to win...( especially the Swansea game IMO )..
Hoping for any result that is not a loss tonight, hoping Noble having had a break/ knock and Antonio back will get us something, gotta try be positive...
Or Sakho to come off the bench to score the winning goal ;pray ;scarf ;scarf
1) Arsenal blow us out the water and thump us 5-0 and Bilic is sacked Thursday
- Alternative we pound Arsenal 3-0 in some miracle game and Wenger walks.
2) We play one of those Arsenal Gutsy performances where Randolph has a Robert Green like performance between the sticks v Arsenal and we keep the game 0-0 till the 88th min then go and lose 1-0 and convince ourselves that performance is a springboard for the rest of the season before being thumped by Swansea.
I heard a few people last season say it would be so West Ham to get relegated in our final season at the Boleyn and go into the OS in the Championship.
I said actually what would be more West Ham, would be getting relegated in our first season at the OS.
The team we have is not worthy of the stadium and that is the problem. I honestly felt we'd turned it round when we went up to 9th at the end of Jan. What have we done since...
The side we are going to go with tonight (I expect Andy to be rested):
Randolph
Byram - Fonte - Collins - Masuaku
Noble - Kouyate
Feghouli - Lanzini - Snodgrass
Ayew
Adrian, Nordtveit, Fernandes, Antonio, Carroll, Calleri, Sakho
I mean 7/11 is Champo standard. That back five could easily be seen lining up against Reading.
Randolph
Byram - Fonte - Collins - Masuaku
Noble - Kouyate
Antonio - Lanzini - Ayew
Carroll
And Sakho is on the bench.