West Ham (A) Mon 23/08/21 @ 8pm

[Lesterlad]

9 minutes ago, TheUltimateWinner said:

The most amazing thing about all of this is Benkovic is still somehow not injured 

Not everything is good then

[Spudulike]

1 minute ago, Clever Fox said:

Wasn't it WH he got injured covering for Morgan. It's a big test for him up against Antonio.

I'm sure they'll play on Dan's inexperience.

 

A good performance from him tonight and it will boost his confidence greatly. Then we'll see him grow as a player.

It was in the 1-1 draw at our place (late Wilf equaliser). Horrible injury which turned into the darkest night in the clubs history. 

[Pliskin]

Literally no idea. Wouldn’t be surprised if we got absolutely shagged silly, and wouldn’t be surprised if we shithoused a 1-0…… not a ****ing scooby. 

[RonnieTodger]

They've been in the Premier League for years but I've still got no idea if Fornals and Lanzini are any good or not

[Clever Fox]

2 minutes ago, Pliskin said:

Literally no idea. Wouldn’t be surprised if we got absolutely shagged silly, and wouldn’t be surprised if we shithoused a 1-0…… not a ****ing scooby. 

Keep the faith, We have more Q.U.A.L.I.T.Y.

[AKCJ]

Can see us going to a 3-5-2/3-4-3 to be honest.

 

Something like;

Kasper

Amartey Ndidi Soyuncu

Ricardo Soumare Tielemans Castagne

Maddison              Barnes

Vardy

 

 

Edited 23 August 2021 by AKCJ

[Guest Chocolate Teapot]

Just now, AKCJ said:

Can see us going to a 3-5-2/3-4-3 to be honest.

 

Something like;

Kasper

Amartey Ndidi Soumare

Ricardo Soumare Tielemans Castagne

Maddison              Barnes

Vardy

 

 

Playing soumare twice would be quite something 

[Clever Fox]

1 minute ago, RonnieTodger said:

They've been in the Premier League for years but I've still got no idea if Fornals and Lanzini are any good or not

Lanzini is a good player who chose them over us. I bet he's regretting that decision now.

[Pliskin]

Just now, AKCJ said:

Can see us going to a 3-5-2/3-4-3 to be honest.

 

Something like;

Kasper

Amartey Ndidi Soumare

Ricardo Soumare Tielemans Castagne

Maddison              Barnes

Vardy

 

 

Our medical teams are good, but cloning? That’s next level! 

[AKCJ]

Just now, Chocolate Teapot said:

Playing soumare twice would be quite something 

 

Just now, Pliskin said:

Our medical teams are good, but cloning? That’s next level! 

Bastards

 

I meant Soyuncu.

[StriderHiryu]

If Vestergaard is out then the plus side is we will have to play 4231. Probably same team as last week, unless Maddison is also injured.

 

Amartey vs Antonio doesn't seem terrible. I'd be worried with him against fast / skilful forwards like Aguero if he was still in the division. The bigger issue with him is when they press our team, as then we've seen he has the mistake in him to give the ball away in stupid positions. 

[Pliskin]

Key to stopping West Ham is stopping Soucek and Rice from getting the ball to the four attackers.

 

They’re a much better side than a few think here, they could quite easily turn us over tonight, Wolves could have had two or three last week with a more composed finisher on the pitch. West Ham have several players on the pitch all capable of scoring, and they don’t appear to have any injury issues. 
 

I don’t rate Ogbonna all that much and think he can be got at, but we’ve got to win the midfield battle and we’ve got to stay switched on at the back. 
 

Very tough test tonight, win it, and it will show how far we’ve come, this was that one team who properly turned is over last season. 

[NaijaFox]

47 minutes ago, Ric Flair said:

One way of improving depth as well as making the starting XI stronger is just sign players better than you already have. Easier said than done but it isn't just the case the as long as we have better depth that we'll be better equipped for the top 4 this time around. We have issues on the wing and defensively we could be vulnerable which I hope doesn't mean Rodgers will then try and contain things with a more defensive set up as we aren't anywhere near as effective in doing so.

We could be a much better team this season and still not make the Top 4.

 

Yes, theoretically, one way of improving depth is signing better players than you already, presuming that you hold on those that you already have. But of course another way of improving depth is buying players better than SOME of the players you already have (and more precisely those players not part of the 13 or 14 players that would constitute the "starting XI" as determined by varying form, formation and/or tactics). Thus far (emphasis on thus far, as the transfer window is still very much open), it would appear that we have opted for the latter "way" but even that is (in theory of course) on improvement of the entire team itself, especially as and when/if injuries move players upwards into the "starting XI".

 

Anyway, to cut a short story long , the point of my brief comments was that just because the nominal "starting XI" has not changed does not mean that the team has not been much improved. Perfection shouldn't be the enemy of better. 

[NaijaFox]

1 minute ago, Pliskin said:

Key to stopping West Ham is stopping Soucek and Rice from getting the ball to the four attackers.

 

They’re a much better side than a few think here, they could quite easily turn us over tonight, Wolves could have had two or three last week with a more composed finisher on the pitch. West Ham have several players on the pitch all capable of scoring, and they don’t appear to have any injury issues. 
 

I don’t rate Ogbonna all that much and think he can be got at, but we’ve got to win the midfield battle and we’ve got to stay switched on at the back. 
 

Very tough test tonight, win it, and it will show how far we’ve come, this was that one team who properly turned is over last season. 

Just as we could have scored 3 or 4 ourselves.

 

It's the EPL, and there are going to be very few (if any) easy games. Even Bournemouth did "quite easily turn us over" not that long ago in the midst of one of their most horrible runs in the EPL. Nonetheless, I just think that way too many folks on FT have been left traumatized by our defeats by these last season. 

 

[NaijaFox]

31 minutes ago, RonnieTodger said:

They've been in the Premier League for years but I've still got no idea if Fornals and Lanzini are any good or not

Fornals is, Lanzini no longer so much (but probably still capable of the odd spectacle).

[NaijaFox]

30 minutes ago, Clever Fox said:

Lanzini is a good player who chose them over us. I bet he's regretting that decision now.

WAS a good player.

[foxfanazer]

I'm never normally of this opinion but a draw would be fine tonight

[StanSP]

35 minutes ago, Pliskin said:

Literally no idea. Wouldn’t be surprised if we got absolutely shagged silly, and wouldn’t be surprised if we shithoused a 1-0…… not a ****ing scooby. 

Same. 

 

I'm so glad we have Barnes back as he was clearly missed in the 3-2 game. And Pereira back in form as well helps us out on the right hand side. So I think it'll be a different game. Them not having Lingard probably helps too. But their front 3 of Antonio, Benrahma, Bowen, could still cause issues.

 

I think we have enough in us to win but it won't be comfortable. 

[An Sionnach]

1 minute ago, foxfanazer said:

I'm never normally of this opinion but a draw would be fine tonight

I would make that the most likely result. It could well be a boring defensive match. That is OK with me.

[NaijaFox]

46 minutes ago, Clever Fox said:

We can't afford a slow start. We've got to be at it from the start. The way to beat them is keep possession and run them into the ground.

It's likely to be physical so I'd start with Soumare or KDH in midfield and leave Youri free to run the game.

 

A win tonight will be a big statement.

They're a counter-attacking team, and would want us to keep possession. In the 0-3 loss, we had 70% possession.

[st albans fox]

41 minutes ago, StriderHiryu said:

If Vestergaard is out then the plus side is we will have to play 4231. Probably same team as last week, unless Maddison is also injured.

 

Amartey vs Antonio doesn't seem terrible. I'd be worried with him against fast / skilful forwards like Aguero if he was still in the division. The bigger issue with him is when they press our team, as then we've seen he has the mistake in him to give the ball away in stupid positions. 

I’ll have some of what you’re drinking ….

 

I expect to see 3 atb with Castagne on the left side (assuming he doesn’t have any psychological issues as a CB after his injury) 

 

If Brendan is going to play soy and Dan against Antonio then he’s a lot braver than I thought …. To be fair to him he did v jiminez so you never know …

[Foxxed]

I hope we play Soumare and he has a storming performance.

[FoxesWalk]

I’d take a draw here tbh, especially with our defensive issues. They looked very good going forward vs the toon 

[Pliskin]

16 minutes ago, StanSP said:

Same. 

 

I'm so glad we have Barnes back as he was clearly missed in the 3-2 game. And Pereira back in form as well helps us out on the right hand side. So I think it'll be a different game. Them not having Lingard probably helps too. But their front 3 of Antonio, Benrahma, Bowen, could still cause issues.

 

I think we have enough in us to win but it won't be comfortable. 

Very accurate actually…. We could get a result, but it won’t be comfortably like you say! 

[sacreblueits442]

1 hour ago, EnderbyFox said:

How long will Brendan resist the urge to chuck Ndidi in at CB.. 

...he probably feels justified now with Soumare now available!!!

  I think we need a bit of physicality in the middle of the park and KDH will give us that. He can support and supply and has a good engine, this game is made for him to play in.

Edited 23 August 2021 by sacreblueits442