Southampton 1 West Ham Utd 0 (18/10/11)

[Turns to Stone]

In response to Puff, I'd say we need to remember that this is still a very new teams. Tuesday night we had a new goalkeeper, a re-signed left back, a new centre back, a centre back who featured little last season and a front six of players who weren't at the club last season and of which most have less than half a dozen starts this season.

We might want to "wipe the floor with these teams" but we don't have a divine right to just because we're "big" West Ham and "big" Newcastle did it a couple of years ago. It'll take time for a team of new players to come together to such an extent that they can adjust to and overcome all opponents. As it stands we're in an automatic promotion place and are better equipped than most to cope with the strenuous winter months ahead. We might not set any league records this year but we still have every reason to see ourselves as credible championship contenders.

Is absolutely the right response.

Anyone that goes to West Ham expecting us to just march through the league and beat everyone we come up against must be having a hernia watching the Premier League and seeing Newcastle 4th and Arsenal 10th.

As has been mentioned by a few of the more sensible amongst us, these performances are a little concerning. Not at all because we lost to a decent side, but because we're struggling to find rhythm and a little bit of a settled side/formation. Blackpool for dogshit on Saturday and we hammered them, we were average on Tuesday night and got beaten by a side who I think will be there or there abouts at the end of the season. This league isn't about having the best players, it's about consistency, going the distance, being organised and strong. If you think that the Newcastle side that went up 2 years ago wasn't as good as ours, maybe you should look at how a lot of those players are doing in the top flight this season.

We've been absolutely dogshit for 2 years, why the hell anyone would expect us to suddenly just start battering teams left right and centre is beyond me. Forget looking at the squad folks....if you start doing that you'll be left scratching your head for the next 3 months trying to work out how Ipswich could lose 1-7 to Peterborough and then beat us!

Football doesn't always make sense. Sometime teams raise their game, sometimes they underperform. Yes, we lost...but that really isn't the issue. The performance needs to improve and become a little more consistent. As I said before the season though, if we can be in the top 2 at Christmas, I think we'll win the league. Our squad and strength in depth will help us through.

[irving boleyn]

It does seem to me that the Dioup/Noble pairing is a must for the midfield.

Nolan can be effective with a slower concerted build up, and looked his best in a 4.4.2 on Saturday where he was effective at both ends.

Give Faubert another shot at Right Wide, and Taylor if he is fit Left, although he wasn't giving us much width on Saturday he was productive in the narrower role.

[Bobby Orangeboom]

It does seem to me that the Dioup/Noble pairing is a must for the midfield.

Nolan can be effective with a slower concerted build up, and looked his best in a 4.4.2 on Saturday where he was effective at both ends.

Give Faubert another shot at Right Wide, and Taylor if he is fit Left, although he wasn't giving us much width on Saturday he was productive in the narrower role.

Maybe Away it could be the :

---------Diop---------

--Noble---Nolan---

With Faubert & Taylor either side....

At Home it would surely be the 4 who started against Blackpool..

[w4hammer]

ive just had a look at the highlights on bbc..jeez we had enough chances to win, didnt we!?( and they didnt even show the nobes free-kick or the last minute desperate GK save!)

[ashbanki]

I think we all realise that, despite having a large squad,it is unbalanced and lacking in back up in key areas.We have one LB whose back up is our only LW (and both paceless at that)We do have a back up RB but he is injured and unproven in England at that - so the back up is our only RW.We have five CMs fighting over two positions.It is a long season with a lot of games - We need another LB/LWB and someone who can cover either side wing at least (preferably with some pace)
Tues night result was not a disaster,but it showed up the frailties of the squad (left side)coupled with the trying to keep too many CMs happy - SA needs to act on that and bring in reinforcements now, if he wants automatic promotion,imo.

[Cuenca 'ammer]

James and TTS

Not specifically an analysis of Tuesday because I only had the radio and we know how unreliable these days that it can be. Whether of not a team of players has just been chucked together for a Sunday morning kick about or is playing it's 250th game together, certain basic principals apply. For defenders it is a much easy job to be "destructive" than creative so I'll look at a generalisation there. It's not as if Linda and Faye are rookies. Whether or not they are new to the team, they certainly have the experience to play, which is why I assume, BFS brought them in. Lumping the ball forward at almost opportunity, as it sounded listening to the commentary (which I held back on until I read reports from the trusted lot who went) shouldn't be first choice. Now agreed the movement of the forwards is tied into all of this so just to reiterate, I am generalising about experienced defenders. If your seasoned boys do this, we know that it is "catching" and even the lesser experienced guys will do it too. So first things are that they show some composure and lead by example.

Now the midfield. Again pretty well seasoned blokes. Lansbury not so mch, but it isn't as though he has never kicked a ball in anger. 2 Fizzy Pop seasons, one with the reigning champions.

Sam ? Not so much but I can accept him being a bit jittery, 2nd start, after a good performance at home. Carew, well more experience than most of the rest put together, at a very high level. Nolan the skipper ? Please don't get me started.

So, yes in reality it will take a while for the team to "gel" but were this team filled with Academy players and trialists trying to impress, I could understand everyone taking a "calm down lads, they're kids" statements. And I am not being a divine right we're West Ham we should be tonking this league type either. I think I was one of those who were trying to say early doors (before a ball was kicked in anger) that this isn't as easy a league to get out of as though who would have us at 110 points and romping it.

I think people can be understood if they are scratching their collective heads and wondering where we are going with this, but trying at the same time to say, hey we've been ***** and are in an automatic promotion spot. I think that there is a "happy" medium there where
some of us who backed BFS prior to coming in, are asking ourselves WTF ?

Just kidding.

No honest mate, asking decent questions as to the line up, subs, style of play, where are are at the (give me 10 games) spot in the season. We see the team as a bit Jeckyl and Hyde at the moment and I do honestly question Nolan being the only name on the team sheet and the only player to have played every minute. At some stage, we need to look at a plan B. It seems that plan A is a 4-3-3 and plan B is a 4-5-1 both of which look fkcuing remarkably similar to these untrained eyes.

[tonkaman]

I think Ouston, that I'd have you in as manager. If only to keep you away from the computers....

[TheGavnor]

Interesting stat;

excluding Watford, we have lost every single other mid-week fixture we have played (in all competitions) this season.

[Cuenca 'ammer]

Tonka

Nah, then I'd get to play with Pro Zone......(but there would always be a stream of geeks to and from my office).....

[Dan1326]

Interesting stat;

excluding Watford, we have lost every single other mid-week fixture we have played (in all competitions) this season.

All 3 of them

[TheGavnor]

All 3 of them :lol

3 too many though

[chappo59]

When you think that the year Newcastle went down, they went thorughout the entire campaign unbeaten, wiping the floor with teams such as this, week in, week out and that with a team of players, no better than what we have, so why aren't we beating teams such as this ? What concerns me is that we have dropped too many points to the likes of Millwall, Crystal Palace, Cardiff, Ipswich and now a team who were two divisions below us last season. That is not good and we won't get out of this league with results like those, no matter what excuses are offered ? QUOTE

Spot on Puff

[Matt of iron]

When you think that the year Newcastle went down, they went thorughout the entire campaign unbeaten, wiping the floor with teams such as this, week in, week out and that with a team of players, no better than what we have, so why aren't we beating teams such as this ? What concerns me is that we have dropped too many points to the likes of Millwall, Crystal Palace, Cardiff, Ipswich and now a team who were two divisions below us last season. That is not good and we won't get out of this league with results like those, no matter what excuses are offered ? QUOTE

Spot on Puff

They didn't go up unbeaten at all.

They lost 4 games and drew 12

[chalks]

Spot on Puff

How is he spot on?

For a start his rant begins with stating that Newcaste went the whole campaign without losing.

They lost 4 games.

[Kitt the car]

I think Ouston, that I'd have you in as manager. If only to keep you away from the computers....

His after match emails would be a joy to read

[chappo59]

How is he spot on?

For a start his rant begins with stating that Newcaste went the whole campaign without losing.

They lost 4 games.[/quote]

Apologies I'm emailing puff now recommending he sack that lazy researcher!.....he's right about the last bit though you don't need a researcher for that, we are dropping too many points against poor teams and there is only a finite amount of time we can bully teams and knock long balls before we are found out unless BFS comes up with an alternative. I understand that his obsession to detail means he wants to plan for every minute in a game and control it at every play but when we fail to do this we are exposed to being punished by teams playing football. BFS doesn't trust flair and hasn't bought pace....we want to ****ing hope we bully enough teams for promotion!!

[chalks]

but when we fail to do this we are exposed to being punished by teams playing football. BFS doesn't trust flair and hasn't bought pace....we want to f***ing hope we bully enough teams for promotion!!

I look at things far more simply.

we have a brand new team with a brand new manager, who have shown glimpses so far of gelling and being a very good side.

As it is, we are sitting in second place in the table, 3 points off of the target the manager sets as the target to be promoted. We lost to a team who have won 17 games on the spin at home. We lost narrowly, and were missing our first choice centre back, and lost one of our most creative players to injury within 20 minutes.

When things really click into place, I think we will run away with the division.

[chappo59]

Chalks I'm not a pessimist and I hope you're right. I'm not anti BFS and as I said in a previous post it's a lot better than the nightmare of last season! I try to keep an open mind but I'm just a little concerned that the lack of guile & pace is costing us points when footballing teams dont get bullied by us........on a positive note we are 2nd and if we can get a point off Brighton & 3 off leicester I will be happy

[Bobby Orangeboom]

Spot on Puff

[Cuenca 'ammer]

I think Ouston, that I'd have you in as manager. If only to keep you away from the computers....

His after match emails would be a joy to read

Mart if you knew my track record with computers as does Tonka...you'd be bloody lucky to get an e mail once a month let alone after matches !!!!