Twitcher

I'd say youth is the way forward. We're supposed to have these amazing facilities. Anyway it's immaterial as we're nowhere near good enough to get promoted. I just don't think it will do Marti, the young players, or anyone else connected with the club, any good if we put that must have promotion pressure on them all season, especially when we all know deep down we're miles off. We've no proven goalscorer, we're staring down the barrel of a points deduction. Don't do it to yourself

Genuinely puzzled by some of our fan base talking about what we need this season for promotion. Comments like Okoli is not Premier League, so he shouldn't be here. We are miles away from promotion. What's more, I don't want to go anywhere near promotion. They must be post 2016 happy clappers. We need a few seasons building a stronger base, like Sunderland have done, and possibly West Brom. are doing. Can you imagine the carnage if this side went up? We'd be straight back down, faster than a McAteer transfer. We're also likely to get a points deduction. With this squad, and the potential punishment, the goal this season should be, as good a season as we can, establishing ourselves in the Championship. I'd say Okoli is good enough for the Championship, and that's good enough for now. Where we are now, just outside the play-offs would be perfect. We need to give the youngsters time, we need to clear out the dead wood. I'd say we need three seasons in the Championship, then let's see where we are. At this stage, the P word is just divisive, and delusional. Time for a reality check for some, who I'm sure would enjoy the campaign a whole lot more if they took one.

I'd say Monga was quiet today, but stood up well physically. Page saw a fair bit of the ball. Generally okay. Got caught in possession once that might have been costly. Thomas looked busy and sharp when he came on.

I love Okoli's passion. He's bought a ticket. I knew that last season, when he celebrated his goal. Clearly matters. I thought Silko Thomas looked sharp. Good battling from Hamza. Jakub superb. Plenty of effort, but still a lot to worry about. Very little in the way of chances.

We're definitely lacking in creativity, and creatcirity for that matter.

I agree wholeheartedly, but honestly fifteen minutes in, when Soumare is strolling around, and there's zero creativity, tell me your mind won't be wandering to thoughts of why Winks, (who changed the game against Sheffield) isn't playing.

Yep, worrying. Looks to be joining the recent line of managers, where we can all see the obvious, but somehow they can't. Why is Winks on the bench? Where's Mavadii? 🤷‍♂️

Our best player last season. Still good business by West Ham. It's two games!

Reads as though he didn't want to leave.

Agree. He was a decent prospect. I'm disappointed he's gone, and the amount is peanuts these days. Backward step.

I'll be disappointed if he starts. These will be his token "minutes." I'd prefer him featuring against Preston. I think it's another season of the old guard, with the youngsters always on the fringe. No future in the old guard. We know they're not good enough for the Premier. Hope I'm wrong, but I suspect it will be statements like the one above, or we need to protect Jeremy, we need to look after Will, Ben's performed well in training. All tosh. Get them playing in the league. The old guard can do the cups.

I see it differently. Stamp your own mark from the outset. He shouldn't be being directed by anyone. He's in charge. He's had opportunity to review footage of performances last season, look at stats., watch players in training. Not sure what kind of message it sends to the younger players waiting in the wings. Time will tell. I suspect, sadly, that he'll stick with the old guard.

Everyone saying about if the club sell. What if, just what if, Fatawu and BEK do, or already have done an Isak? What then? Why wouldn't they want to play at a higher level? Fatawu will be gutted he missed an entire Premier League campaign. Mads. did it. Why not them? As much as I despair about the club's transfer approach, if they're told by an agent that their player wants to leave, and will sit in the reserves and take their wages, if they can't go, you're snookered. I thought Mads. was a real talent, and West Ham have picked up a bargain. So, if the worst happens, Im afraid the signs aren't good, that we'll even get what we should for them. Worrying, but not unexpected times. Massive youth re-build and several years outside the Prem. incoming 🫤

Yes, why persist with a team we know aren't good enough for the Premier. We need fresh faces.

Agree, certainly re. Soumare and Skipp starting ahead of Winks. Why would that ever be? It's like he's already influenced by coaches, others at the club. What is it, we're still teaching Harry a lesson, so we recommend you bench him. I'm starting to think it's me not seeing attributes. All the managers have played Soumare rather than give the younger players a chance. Vesty instead of Nelson. It worries me that the new boss hasn't done his homework on some of these players. Fair enough he was running QPR in a different division, so won't have paid too much attention to us, but watch some videos, and don't be influenced by others at the club. If he can honestly say I've started with absolutely no preconceived plans or ideas re. who I'm going to play, and taken it purely on what I judge from training, then it has to be that either a) the players like Soumare are completely different in training than they are in a match, or b) these younger players are not as good as I'd hoped they would be. Really disappointed with the selection today. I wanted to see a fresh looking team, with young busy players wanting to perform. Instead it was same old, same old. The goals don't alter anything for me. I want to see Nelson, see Monga start. Winks on the bench was criminal as Soumare wandered round. He changed it so fair enough, but it's still inexplicable. Even then it shouldn't have been Skipp. He was better than Soumare. See how it develops, but if we go up with the same personnel, we'll come back down with the same personnel.

New season, new manager, same old Soumare hardly moving. I was hoping for the youngsters this season. Just not brave enough to play Nelson, Alves, Monga. Real shame 🫩

Just want this season to end.

Do we know why it didn't work out at QPR?

And half the players

Neither of us know for sure, but I'd be staggered if the board and Ruud have not talked since the season ended.

Yes, that’s how you and I see it, but we know this board doesn't operate like that. All the Speculation doesn't help anyone, especially Ruud for next season. If the board has nothing to say, then we stay as we are, end of. No news isn't necessarily good news, as the saying goes, but no news is no news. I don't know what Matty Fryatt et al are trying to do. They should know how the board operates by now.

I agree. As we know the club rarely see things with the same lens that most of us do. There's been numerous occasions where we might have been expecting a particular action, or statement and it hasn't happened. I think that's where we are now. They're happy with him, and believe he can do a re-build job in the Championship. He's under contract. Notwithstanding what Matty Fryatt's banging on about being mystified, in the club's eyes, there's simply no reason to be communicating anything. A message of support that he's staying undermines him. I suspect there's no replacement manager discussion happening at Ipswich, and I think our board are trying to create that same image of stability. I'm not saying I support this position, but am surprised by Fryatt and others who think it's not if but when. I genuinely believe it would have happened by now. If I was Ruud, I think I'd be dropping the odd hint to the fans though, along the lines of looking forward to the fixtures, and seeing who our first opponents are etc.

A bit of fun; I found my grandson watching this and probably dreaming of such success. Do a search on YouTube by the title and enjoy Daka’s goals 🙂

Is there anything stopping them sacking the manager now? It's not mid-season, so there's no concern with a gap at the helm between sacking and appointment. If there is nothing to prevent that, then surely he's staying. Otherwise, why wouldn't you just be getting on with things?

Frank Worthington for me. Notwithstanding what Vards achieved, and the impact he made, FW is still my GOAT and biggest hero. Probably what sticks as a kid at times. From that same team, Dennis Rofe, Steve Earle, Bob Lee, Mark Wallington, Keith Weller all big heroes. Later Alan Young, Larry May, Gary Lineker, Dave Buchanan, Andy Peake, Alan Smith. Walshy of course. Matt Elliott, Muzzy, Kante, Fuchs, Vards.