West Ham (H) Post Match Thread

[tolmie's hairdoo]

eeeerm the right left touch line or the left right touchline :)

Haha, meant to write, right by the left hand touchline.

I blame Ric's sub team.

Always blame the sub, that's what I was taught from an early age ;)

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

The most telling thing for me was Pep’s admission recently that when we make the game up and down and frantic, we are not good. We need to make passes. Pass, pass, pass. Control. We only get that in the truest form with KDB on the bench. It’s a mad situation but KDB giving the ball away, as he does more than most in our squad due to his style, is exactly what can make a game too up and down, too many transitions. And Pep has said he doesn’t want this.

Yep, great as Kev is, he also can't be perfect, so any stray pass takes three or four of the City team out of the mix when it doesn't reach its intended destination.

Don't envy Pep each week.

With each passing game, it becomes more and more apparent Foden, Bernardo and Cancelo are the players that make this team greater than the sum of its parts.

Felt really sorry for Gundo today. He reminded me of the player I have given so much stick to for last couple years.

I can now see that he needs a certain set-up for him to thrive.

 

[RobinHood]

KDB has been finding fitness all season and still not found it.

You're right but he found Dias no problem.

 

[glasg0wblue]

Tough match, job done, 3 points, Next...........

 

[Saddleworth2]

Our best 11 is

Eddie
Cancelo Stones Dias Zin
Rodri
Gundogan Bernardo
Sterling Jesus Foden

Fight me.

No fight from me. You could argue about Phils inclusion just now but I think he shades it for his energy and pressing.
Kev has not been at his best all season irrespective of the stats. We do not control games as well when he is not at his very best. The trade is control vs an assist in most games.

That leaves a bench incuding:
Kevin
Mahrez
Laporte
Walker
Ake
Fern
Steffen
Kun
Torres
Mendy

Add in another midfielder and that team of subs could finish top 4.

 

[alexmcity]

The most telling thing for me was Pep’s admission recently that when we make the game up and down and frantic, we are not good. We need to make passes. Pass, pass, pass. Control. We only get that in the truest form with KDB on the bench. It’s a mad situation but KDB giving the ball away, as he does more than most in our squad due to his style, is exactly what can make a game too up and down, too many transitions. And Pep has said he doesn’t want this.

Ferna's pass completion today wasn't great either, 85%, whereas Rodri's is almost always around 90 or higher. It's the combination of Rodri and Bernardo, not just Bernardo, which makes us stronger and which helps also Gundogan to thrive. We were a bit flat against Arsenal too where Ferna and Kevin started, but Bernardo played there and helped us control the game better than we did today.

Maybe the best role for Kevin in big games will be at false 9. But he has scored just 1 league goal from open play, as many as Dias and Walker, and fewer than Stones, so it doesn't seem ideal either. He will probably hit form come April though. He has it in him to score more goals.

 

[jamesha]

Ferran Torres should get more game time. He's going to be very good.

I thought he was poor today. It was not a good idea to start him alongside Kun - two players lacking match practice. I hope Ferran does push on but he needs to improve or some of the EDS lads might start overtaking him.

 

[franksinatra]

Agree with everything there mate, aside from your comment on Fernandinho who I think was a bit below par today, esp in his possession and distribution.

Would not argue the point on Fern, without watching it back fully. Think he struggled a bit latter stages of the first half, but overall played decent having been out of the team for a while. Still happy days again, cracking three points and the supporting cast, who we are going to need over the next 2 mths, got some playing time. Really satisfying victory today.

 

[Stockport mackem]

Bloody buzzing with your win today...
Maybe not the best performance..but they are a decent team this year...

It another win...another 3 points, and it also demoralised the opposition..

Congratulations all

 

[Vic]

The most telling thing for me was Pep’s admission recently that when we make the game up and down and frantic, we are not good. We need to make passes. Pass, pass, pass. Control. We only get that in the truest form with KDB on the bench. It’s a mad situation but KDB giving the ball away, as he does more than most in our squad due to his style, is exactly what can make a game too up and down, too many transitions. And Pep has said he doesn’t want this.

You mean he tries the killer pass and it's intercepted. If you don't try those passes you don't get to be the Assist King of the World.