West Ham Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours Thread 2024/25

The real mccoy 91

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118329520#Comment_118329520

I agree it's not ideal but we have gone a year at this stage with just one striker on the books surely we haven't been sitting on our hands expecting everything to keep moving along smoothly? I'd definitely take origi. Hlozek makes sense with the czech connection and seems quite highly touted. Dembele another that we had links too before I don't think he's getting on great in Lyon? Or dipping into the championship could even fill the gap I'm not the biggest mitro fan but I don't think we are in a position to be sticking our nose up at anyone. I feel like we missed a bit of a trick during the summer I liked both Schick and yaremchuk and think they could have suited us but both ships have now sailed on them

Hammer Archer

Match against Norwich has been called off. From a purely selfish point of view, I really hope that there's a break until the new year as that will surely only benefit us with our injuries and the apparent burnout of a lot of our squad.

Xander10

Chris Kavanagh to ref the game v Spurs.

After his terrible VAR performance and not reviewing the Kane red card foul, I would have thought he would have been stood down for a few games.

cdgalwegian

Thanks for the heads-up. I had completely forgotten about this fixture.

Shedite27

Antonio out with Covid, was there anyone else missing for that? Small enough squad as it is

Xander10

Just Antonia and long term injuries to 2 CH plus creswell.

Decent effort but no back up for Antonio is punishing. Fatigue will be a problem new year.

cdgalwegian

Very energetic game- Soucek nearly got 2 headed goals, but Lloris was too sharp. Vlasic not great, though had some nice moments. Ashby shows some promise. Apart from threat from set pieces, there was a distinct Antonio-shaped missing piece in attack. Bowen's goal was great instinct though.

Hammer Archer

Not really bothered about that loss. Played alright and probably deserved penalties at least but it would have been another game to fit in the schedule. Very worried that Cresswell's injury seems to be a lot more serious than initially thought.

cdgalwegian

The Hammers look tired, most evident in the inability to pass the ball properly, and thereby losing possession incessantly- and it's frustrating to watch. I missed the last 1/2 hour of the game yesterday, but catching up on MOTD, the result was unsurprising. Long-term injuries at the back again showing 'strength in depth' a problem on its own, as well as contributing to tiredness. Rice's booking means Kral will have to feature; Masuaku was poor, so maybe Johnson or Coufal in there, though Fredericks making his way back. Bowen better on wing than as Antonio deputy. If Moyes is overly cautious with introducing new and/or younger players, the January window is looking like our only option to prevent further sliding out of top 5, and there's probably not much hope of getting much then either. The irony of Moyes' cautiousness though means that by not having brought on the younger talent much at all means they're haven't had much experience to help out when needed.

Hammer Archer

Jaysus we needed that win. Somehow we're still in 5th, albeit with a couple of games extra played. We've lost 4 of the last 8 when we'd lost only 2 of the first 11 games. Delighted that Vlasic got his first goal and Noble is now joint second with PDC for Premier League goals. He's also scored in the Premier League every year since 2006.

Still desperately need a centre half. I like Dawson, he's an excellent option in the squad and can have excellent games but every second game or so he just has a mare.

Bowen definitely deserves an England call up.

cdgalwegian

Definitely a shot in the arm to boost confidence.

Kral and Vlasic should have come on earlier, after the 3rd goal; they really need the experience as back-up. It would have been nice to see Oko-Flex towards the end.

Bowen was excellent on the right wing again.

cdgalwegian

Holy sh1t! What a beauty from Lanzini! Goal of the season so far.

Benrahma's cross for Antonio was a sublime gift.

Away to Selhurst Park is tricky, but good to see Gallagher and Zaha not playing.

Hammer Archer

Uh oh, we're 3-0 up. Squeaky bum time.

cdgalwegian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118402078#Comment_118402078

😝

yeah, there's usually an air of inevitability about it.

Hammer Archer

Heeeeere we go!!!!

Hammer Archer

We're absolutely hilarious. Like fcuking clockwork when we go 3-0 up, they put us through the ringer. Diop is never going to make it with us i think.

cdgalwegian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118402480#Comment_118402480

He's constantly ball-watching and getting caught out.

Couple of things; all any opponent has to do is put Hammers under constant pressure for 1st 15 mins, and we will concede, guaranteed; if Zaha or Gallagher were playing, the shots against the cross-bar and the post would have been in. Benteke in front of goal throws all the right shapes, but he's absolutely pants in finishing.

Soucek's goals have dried up, mainly because Rice goes forward so much these days, and hardly ever scores. Just saying.

The real mccoy 91

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118402921#Comment_118402921

Bit harsh on rice. Soucek never creates a goal for lanzini like rice did today. Very different in the sense soucek arrives late and gets on the end of more attacks but rice drives alot of attacks with direct running. And without cresswell you could say we are better off with rice doing it as we don't have the same quality of delivery coming in.

But anyway great win 6th 5 goal thriller of the last year luckily we have came out the right side 5 times. Masuaku is such a liability the only reason Johnson went off is bcoz we got a third and he was on a yellow thinking masuaku couldn't cost us 3 goals and he done ok until he got booked. Hopefully out the far side of our blip now. Norwich Leeds Watford and Newcastle our next 4 home games. Anything less than 12 points will put quite a dent in any top 4 hopes. A couple of signings are needed I feel. Tarkowski would be a lovely one to get if possible. Ogbonna and Dawson are both getting on and diop just isn't reliable on a consistent basis.

COYI

cdgalwegian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118403986#Comment_118403986

Oh I know it's a bit harsh, for the reasons you pointed out. I'm a huge fan of his. Where Soucek is scoring less because of Rice's new box-to-box role, the team is playing better as a more coherent entity, with Rice more and more at the heart of it. Long may it continue- it's just a statistical/correlation observation kind of thing.

Hammer Archer

I don't think it's a criticism of Declan but it does seem to be the case that him driving forward basically eliminates Soucek's goal threat. But obviously Rice brings a hell of a lot of other things to the table.

I don't think Masuaku did terribly when he came on yesterday (though he generally is pretty awful). Diop I think was the main culprit. He's infuriating. He actually has the potential to be an excellent centre half but seems to be completely brain dead. Should have sold him a few years back.

cdgalwegian

Masuaku is a poor defender, so is generally better as a left winger, with some impressive footwork, though obviously doesn't cross in as good as Creswell; I'd actually think he'd be better even further up on the left, the way Bowen plays on the right. Trouble is we're low on defenders at the mo, and have better options like Fornals and Benrahma there (and with Lingard potetnially coming back), so he's only for sub use as left back/winger really.

Shedite27

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118404279#Comment_118404279

Yeah Diop is quite poor. Long way from the player that was linked with Liverpool this time last year

Why did Matsuaku come on at HT yesterday?

The real mccoy 91

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118405731#Comment_118405731

Nursing Johnson's hammy and making sure he didn't get a second yellow I would guess. More comfortable to do it at 3-0 if it was 1-0 I would think that johno would have stayed on

Hammer Archer

Good win, first was probably offside but Vlasic appeared to get dragged back in the build up which should have been a penalty. Vlasic did well by the little I saw but not a fan of his diving. The counter attack for the second was a thing of beauty.

Kidderminster Harriers away in round 4. The type of tie I'd usually be sh!tting myself about but you'd expect Moyes will mix youth and experience and we'll have enough to win comfortably. For a neutral, it's a phenomenal draw.

cdgalwegian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118445497#Comment_118445497

Yeah, Vlasic getting better with each appearance; both he and Antonio a bit too keen on throwing themselves to floor though (not just this match).

Lanzini was a real handful, and Bowen was excellent again.

Result was never assured until injury time, so not surprised any of the younger/fringe players didn't get a look-in.

cdgalwegian

Same set-up for Leeds game as with Norwich game; Soucek off with Covid, so Lanzini slotting in, and Vlasic in for him at top left. Worked a treat last time. Hopefully, a 10-goal lead might give Moysie some slack to bring on Oko-Flex for Antonio with 3 minutes to go 🤔.

cdgalwegian

We're 1-nil down in 10th minute, but like I said two weeks ago "all any opponent has to do is put Hammers under constant pressure for 1st 15 mins, and we will concede, guaranteed". That first 15 min window of high pressure and we still concede.

Hammer Archer

Repeat of the Southampton game! We are utterly sh!t in defence.

ctrl-alt-delete

Surely Bowen could have got his head to that last chance?

Hammer Archer

Yet another game where we had the chance to put a but of distance between us and 5th and even get closer to the top 3 and we mess it up. Diop needs to be sold.

The whinging about their disallowed 4this bloody hilarious though. People trying to say that just because he was trying to get out of they way, the ball hitting him doesn't mean he's interfering in play. It's an unlucky incident but it's a clear offside.

cdgalwegian

Diop was abysmal.

Shedite27

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118485898#Comment_118485898

He's an awful downgrade from Ogbonna/Zouma.

Mad that he was being linked with Liverpool this time last year

cdgalwegian

Spurs and Man U wins last night, with games in hand for them and Arsenal, and us playing Man U on Sat. Even 5th spot looking precarious over time without strength in depth. Transfer window closing soon...

Hammer Archer

Praise the Lord, Zouma is back and Diop is on the bench. Watch Zouma get a season ending injury in the first 30 minutes now.

cdgalwegian

Just Fabianski and Ogbonna away from a full-strength team. Areola has looked good though.

Hammer Archer

I'm fcuking sick yet again! That's i think the 7th goal this season that we've conceded in the last few minutes of a game.

cdgalwegian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118517911#Comment_118517911

At the 89th minute, was expecting Ronaldo to get one in some time in the dying minutes. Nearly fcuked the remote at the telly when Rashford stuck it in with 30 seconds to go in injury time (at least Lingard didn't come on to do it🙄).

Hammer Archer

https://twitter.com/TheMillwallFans/status/1485986415255162884?s=20

Classy gesture by Millwall!

Hammer Archer

Well this deadline day has not gone well so far. Could very well end up with no one. If that's the case, we can undoubtedly say goodbye to Rice and possibly Bowen in the summer. 3rd/4th transfer window we've needed another option up front and we still haven't managed to get one.

Hammer Archer

And we do indeed end up with no one. Can easily see us dropping to mid table due to injuries/tiredness with the fixture pile up.

Hammer Archer

Jesus some of these players shouldn't put on a shirt again. Outplayed by a National League North side. Yarmolenko on £150k a week and he's one of the worst players on the pitch (though there's some competition).

Also, why the fcuk are we taking short corners? Had one close to the end of the half that went short, got passed out towards midfield and then passed out of play.

Hammer Archer

One shining light in this half, Rice, rescues us. Christ we are going to plummet without him next season. One of the best players we've ever had.

Hammer Archer

Very conflicted about that. Delighted to be through but gutted for Kidderminster.

cdgalwegian

Abysmal first half, exemplified by Diop, who had to be replaced half-time. Was thinking the same about their wages, and their justification; apart from Rice, and maybe Behrahma, that was embarassing. Too little too late is almost default of West ham with the easier games.

Injury-time beauty from Rice needed to keep us in it, followed by winning same from Bowen in extra time; usually kind of thing that happens to us. But we're talking about a team that is 6 divisions- 113 places- below us. Fantastic spirited display from Harriers. Aaaalmost too little too late from us again. Thrilling last 10 minutes to an embarrassing game for us.

Hammer Archer

So Kurt Zouma is an animal abuser. Well it's a novel way of getting every single fan to hate you.

Shedite27

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118598317#Comment_118598317

Someone said to me recently "West Ham" seem like a proper club nowadays. Since then we should have been knocked out of the cup by Kidderminster and now the Zouma stuff. Back to the old ways

cdgalwegian

Lots of things going on there; the act(s), the act in front of someone with a smartphone, that someone uploading it being his brother? Jeesh.

cdgalwegian

I see we play Southampton away in the 5th round of the FA cup.

"The FA Cup fifth round will be played in the week commencing Monday 28 February.

This will be followed by the quarter-finals on the weekend of Saturday 19 March, and the semis on the weekend of Saturday 16 April.

The FA Cup final will then be played at Wembley on Saturday 14 May."

~Rebel~

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118601798#Comment_118601798

It's nuts how it seems the backlash was totally a surprise to them - like, the brother uploaded it with loads of laughing emojis, so they clearly thought it was hilarious. Makes his apology about it being an isolated incident that he's ashamed of ring fairly hollow - he's only ashamed because people didn't laugh as the lads expected.

Shedite27

Man it's shameful that he was selected last night I thought. I'm delighted that some of the West Ham fans last night booed the decision. He should definitely have been suspended by the club for a few weeks. If not by the club, Moyes should have had the balls to drop him for a game or two. Shows how desperate they were to have him play