West Ham United

[ChewMagma]

I feel ill and kick-off is 5 hours away. Do supporters of clubs who are routinely challenging at the business end of competitions feel like this every season? Probably not I'm guessing. Not sure I can get used to it though.

[ChewMagma]

5 hours ago, mrben09 said:

Imagine playing in a Euro Semi Final with one fit centre back. And here we are. 

 

Does Noble come on for Rice to go to centre back or do we go 3 at the back?  Imagine if he has a blinder. May be too much for all of us !

 

The 3 at the back worked well against Chelsea I thought, although Masuaku remains an absolute danger. Stick Fornals in there maybe.

[glb]

7 minutes ago, ChewMagma said:

I feel ill and kick-off is 5 hours away. Do supporters of clubs who are routinely challenging at the business end of competitions feel like this every season? Probably not I'm guessing. Not sure I can get used to it though.

Yes, especially in European games. Always feels massive and if it doesn’t then something would be wrong. The let-off when you score in a European semi is indescribable.

 

Hopefully you’ll all get to experience that several times in a few hours

[Scruff]

4 hours ago, ChewMagma said:

I feel ill

 

I've just had spag bol for dinner. I've a feeling that was a huge mistake.

 

FFS.

[mrben09]

It's not all over but the Germans were good. 

Anyone going Sunday take a calculator in case the screens break. 

 

Blogs up. 

[djbhammer]

Yes, they are easily the best side we have faced so far in the competition. We gave them too much space though when they pressed forward. Very odd for us was how poor the set pieces were, I lost count of how many went straight into the keeper.

 

Still, not out of it but a difficult challenge awaits next Thursday.

[Scruff]

Bricks are being shat. I feel we're going to do them (as long as we're not as passive as last week) but my god it's not comfortable going.

 

COYI.

[Robsk1]

Harsh red. Naive from cresswell though. 1 down. Mountain.

[Scruff]

5 minutes ago, Robsk1 said:

Harsh red. Naive from cresswell though. 1 down. Mountain.

 

Nah. After getting red in Europe 2 games ago grappling was the absolute last thing Cresswell should have done. He's been targeted for at least 4 seasons now and yet he continues week after week. Biggest game for us in a generation and he gets sent off after 20 mins.

 

So, so sad. At least we'll have some extra money to (not)spend now with the Rice transfer because he's not going to be sticking around now.

[mrben09]

And then the season ended………..

[djbhammer]

Yep, season ended in the 19 min. Totally lost interest soon as the red card was issued. We were never going to come back from that.

 

Such a missed opportunity but it’s been an incredible journey. Just like my dreams they fade and die……….

[djbhammer]

Nice win against Norwich. Needed that to get the Euro game out of the system. 

 

Looking forward to Nobes last home game. Not sure whether he will start or not but will definitely be involved that’s for sure. I hear his speech last night at the awards ceremony was rather emotional. Top top man.

[Scruff]

9 minutes ago, djbhammer said:

Nice win against Norwich. Needed that to get the Euro game out of the system. 

 

Looking forward to Nobes last home game. Not sure whether he will start or not but will definitely be involved that’s for sure. I hear his speech last night at the awards ceremony was rather emotional. Top top man.

 

I've read/heard a suggestion that he starts and then gets subbed off to massive applause in the 16th minute. Sentimental but I'd be cringing if we ended up a sub down due to injuries with a result in the balance and had to finish with 10. I think Moyes is far too pragmatic to do something like that but Nobes is a lifer so you never know.

[mrben09]

Didn't we do that with someone else ?

 

So, favourite Nobes moment?  Either grabbing Zuma by the throat first time he played against us as a young lad. And John Terry laughing his head off and Noble trying not to laugh when he noticed.

OR.. picking up Herrera (?) for Man U and launching him off the pitch when he was faking injury and not even getting a yellow.   

 

MN16

[Scruff]

12 minutes ago, mrben09 said:

Didn't we do that with someone else ?

 

So, favourite Nobes moment?  Either grabbing Zuma by the throat first time he played against us as a young lad. And John Terry laughing his head off and Noble trying not to laugh when he noticed.

OR.. picking up Herrera (?) for Man U and launching him off the pitch when he was faking injury and not even getting a yellow.   

 

MN16

 

Hmm. His volley against Leicester a few years ago, or his volley off the chest of Tevez or listening to him recount the time he squared up to Ogbonna in training and shit himself and ran away because he knew he'd get battered  

 

Going to be very, very strange him not being on the pitch or benches next season.

[mrben09]

He'll be on a bench, just not that one. Maybe on one next to Kev Nolan

[djbhammer]

European football guaranteed after today’s results. Very good point as City we’re stronger second half. Thank you Nobes.  Let’s finish strongly at Brighton. COYI.

[Scruff]

28 minutes ago, djbhammer said:

European football guaranteed after today’s results. Very good point as City we’re stronger second half. Thank you Nobes.  Let’s finish strongly at Brighton. COYI.

 

Absolutely. I'm not going to turn my nose up at any European competition so 6th or 7th is still an amazing season, especially taking into consideration out progress in other comps this season.

 

For the love of God though, sign some bloody players!

[bradigor]

QA good Cup Winners Cup run for you will be brilliant for next season. Hopefully you can use it to bed in some youth players alongside more experienced ones against weaker teams* whilst being able to rest others and a good assault on top four. 

 

*It is better experience and learning that walking over a team of part-timers 6-0 with your first team. A one or two goal hard fought victory is a much better feeling.

 

Edit: Sorry, hope that didn't sound condescending. Was meant to be positive with how you as a team after growing in all the right ways.

[djbhammer]

Pep showed his class with his embrace and kind words re Nobes after the game. Top bloke.

[djbhammer]

Disappointing end to the season but looking at it overall, 7th place is very respectable.  Europa Conference League it is then. We will have to play a two leg play off to get into the group stages, 18 and 25 August. 

 

Obvious we need to strengthen and I just hope we get our business done nice and early. A striker would be nice!!

 

COYI.

[Scruff]

1 hour ago, djbhammer said:

Disappointing end to the season but looking at it overall, 7th pace is very respectable.  Europa Conference League it is then. We will have to play a two leg play off to get into the group stages, 18 and 25 August. 

 

Obvious we need to strengthen and I just hope we get our business done nice and early. A striker would be nice!!

 

COYI.

 

LB is the most needed upgrade IMO. Season after season, we've seen opposing teams target Cresswell and it is beyond ridiculous that we've not done anything about it. Not only have Cressies assists fallen off a cliff (the reason he is in the team) but Fornals has had his game seriously impacted by having to babysit Cresswell. Pab gets on with it as that is the sort of character he is but we're impacting two positions in the team and a whole side in exchange for crosses that we're just not seeing.

 

We're also crying out for some pace in defence and a new left footed, left sided CB to partner Zouma is desperately needed. Not a slight on Dawson at all as he has been immense but his lack of pace has meant the whole team have moved backwards to cover that and left a huge gap between midfield and attack.

 

 For me, LB - LCB - STR - DCM in that order are the positions and urgency we need, all in my humble of course.

[ChewMagma]

Well deserved England call up for Jarrod Bowen.

 

God, I hope we manage to hold on to him.

[mrben09]

So we have a left footed CB. Stats look good, and he comes rated. So rated that apart from a rumored Newcastle enquiry, no one else was after him. Anyone got any better knowledge than me on French football ? 

 

I will be doing some digging for a blog post but wondered if anyone has come across him before.  

 

Oh and Noble has retired in case anyone missed that news. 😀

[ChewMagma]

I don't watch French football but by all accounts he is one of the best CBs in that league, Champions League experience, and a good signing for us.

 

I think whether other clubs are in for him or not is neither here nor there. Moyes had been working on this move for a long time. My father-in-law said "but I've never heard of him!" Well of course you haven't because if you had, he wouldn't be coming to West Ham would he?

[Scruff]

On 21/06/2022 at 11:38, mrben09 said:

So we have a left footed CB. Stats look good, and he comes rated. So rated that apart from a rumored Newcastle enquiry, no one else was after him. Anyone got any better knowledge than me on French football ? 

 

I will be doing some digging for a blog post but wondered if anyone has come across him before.  

 

Oh and Noble has retired in case anyone missed that news. 😀

 

He's apparently very good. Quick, strong and intelligent. He has great stats (not talking about FM before anyone says anything :P) and I think he's going to be an absolute steal for us.

 

Now for LB, CF, CM and then some squad filling.

[mrben09]

So it appears that Paddy Power’s marketing department dream signing ,Scamacca (DYSWIDT !) is flying over for a medical tonight. I for one welcome our soon to be injured for a year striker.

[Scruff]

1 hour ago, mrben09 said:

So it appears that Paddy Power’s marketing department dream signing ,Scamacca (DYSWIDT !) is flying over for a medical tonight. I for one welcome our soon to be injured for a year striker.

 

Make a change from an - ex soon to be and actually now - injured defender! Seen Aguerd in the claret and blue once and he's probably out till Christmas now.

[mrben09]

Kehrer injured yet ?

[Scruff]

Well, we look rank. Carrying on appalling form from the back half of last season into this one. Lose at Villa and we're going to be feeling very, very antsy.

 

Moyes needs to work out what he wants the players to do. We don't press anymore, don't sprint or bust a gut anymore and half the team are being picked when they're woefully out of form.

 

I think we're in for a bad time this season; I blame the shit kits.