West Ham (A) - EFL Cup R4 - Post-Match Thread

[Norbiton]

On the walk back to the station and during the lengthy queuing it was obvious how generally unbothered people were by the outcome, heard a lot more grumbling after the draw with Southampton. Could have done without the lads on half term trying to get the runway song going but they were soon drowned out.

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

Got what we deserved. Far too passive and slow, with only the boys at back trying to at least get us moving.

The midfield was a joke, Gundo and Kev both wanting to play in the ten, leaving a legs gone Fern to try and patchwork quilt it.

De Bruyne, Sterling and Mahrez were shocking and Pep deserved better from all of them against a team who also rested their best two players in Rice and Antonio.

Kev clearly isn't kidding Pep, either.

I believe he was making a clear point by removing him before the penalties.

Fit or not, his simple decision making hasn't been there for a while.

As for Raheem pulling out of 50/50 challenges now, I hope that is self-preservation ahead of him thinking he has a move on the horizon.

Some of our players are making it easy for Pep to know what his best team is, as others are being left behind.

 

[CALCIO POTATO]

Goodbye sweet sweet Carabao..

It's because of performances like this in the league cup - that we should be demonstrating at the next home game and demanding a change of manager - i believe conte is available

 

[Bazzmand Show]

Really not bothered, it's become a distraction in recent seasons and likely caused fatigue. Champions League and the league are the priority.

 

[argyle]

Saw a stat that this is our 5th game this season where we haven't scored.

The whole of last season we had 6 games.

If this doesn't improve rapidly, it's going to cost us this season.

 

[pudge]

Meh

 

[Millwallawayveteran1988]

It was a good run while it lasted but sadly a fair few of our stellar players who might now be considered second string have fallen off a cliff. Time for a revamp.

This is my only concern. We are going to have to rely on the same faces over and over again as the some of the benchwarmers are becoming unreliable.

 

[Scaring Europe to Death]

Stones and Ake should both have scored from free headers, but otherwise without our normal starting midfield, we lacked energy, and the ability to receive the ball on the half turn.

Pep tried to do just enough, but there's a lot of revisionist thinking on here, especially as we played far worse against Wolves a few seasons ago, but still progressed on penalties.

We've also won two finals on penalties and hadn't lost a shootout since Brighton in 2008-09.

 

[wolviedinho]

Got what we deserved. Far too passive and slow, with only the boys at back trying to at least get us moving.

The midfield was a joke, Gundo and Kev both wanting to play in the ten, leaving a legs gone Fern to try and patchwork quilt it.

De Bruyne, Sterling and Mahrez were shocking and Pep deserved better from all of them against a team who also rested their best two players in Rice and Antonio.

Kev clearly isn't kidding Pep, either.

I believe he was making a clear point by removing him before the penalties.

Fit or not, his simple decision making hasn't been there for a while.

As for Raheem pulling out of 50/50 challenges now, I hope that is self-preservation ahead of him thinking he has a move on the horizon.

Some of our players are making it easy for Pep to know what his best team is, as others are being left behind.

Pep is sifting out the players who are not contributing enough. At this point, after so many years the manager would normally be gone but because it’s pep we need a pack reshuffle. Some of the players have lost the drive/hunger pep demands. Time to move a few along.

 

[alexmcity]

Saw a stat that this is our 5th game this season where we haven't scored.

The whole of last season we had 6 games.

If this doesn't improve rapidly, it's going to cost us this season.

Our best XI right now scores goals, no problem: 2 at Anfield, 5 at Brugge, 4 at Brighton...The problem is when we field a weakened side: Spurs, Southampton, PSG (Sterling + Mahrez), WHam...In all of them Sterling started, and he is awfully out of form.

Our best XI now plays at a higher level than at any point last season. But last season (at least December-March) most squad players were on form and rotation worked fine up to April. This season we tend to struggle when we field more squad players: e.g. Ake, Ferna, Sterling, Zinch, Mahrez. Plus KDB who is out of form now.

What should we expect if things continue like that? When we play with our very best XI, we will play sublime football, sometimes better than in any previous season under Pep (including 17/18). But when we rotate, performances will be a bit average, and we will drop points.

Early days, though. I expect KDB to improve significantly, Gundogan as well (was injured recently), Stones as well, hopefully at least one from Mahrez and Sterling...We need to have squad players in good form in order to be able to rotate successfully. Rotation will be key to winning the big trophies.