ELQ3: Astra Giurgiu 2-1 West Ham Utd (06/08/15)

Relive every moment of every first team game since the beginning of the 2005/06 season. Our archive of matchday threads originally posted in the General Discussion Forum.

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RandomRover
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Re: FC Astra Giurgiu v West Ham United: Match Thread

Post by RandomRover »

I don't want to be a naysayer but I think a lot of people need a reality check. We're fielding a team composed of players that have played with each other maybe twice in a couple of training sessions (even ignoring the number of youngsters playing), and we're playing a team in the top Romania division who have been playing together for years and are already into the first few games of the season. Why would we win that?
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morrisey is a hammer
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Re: FC Astra Giurgiu v West Ham United: Match Thread

Post by morrisey is a hammer »

RandomRover wrote:I don't want to be a naysayer but I think a lot of people need a reality check. We're fielding a team composed of players that have played with each other maybe twice in a couple of training sessions (even ignoring the number of youngsters playing), and we're playing a team in the top Romania division who have been playing together for years and are already into the first few games of the season. Why would we win that?
I read what your saying but I believe the Romanians could take the kids lightly, and truck me I hope so. I just hope and pray the kids play the game of their Lives.
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Hammer1972
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Re: FC Astra Giurgiu v West Ham United: Match Thread

Post by Hammer1972 »

RandomRover wrote:I don't want to be a naysayer but I think a lot of people need a reality check. We're fielding a team composed of players that have played with each other maybe twice in a couple of training sessions (even ignoring the number of youngsters playing), and we're playing a team in the top Romania division who have been playing together for years and are already into the first few games of the season. Why would we win that?
Because we are West Ham, we never stick to the script!
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Re: FC Astra Giurgiu v West Ham United: Match Thread

Post by We_are_BML »

Unbelievable decision form the board / Billic to play a team of kids tonight...

Billic could be under pressure by the end of August and I hope he is with a decision like this...
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Re: FC Astra Giurgiu v West Ham United: Match Thread

Post by sharphammer »

not a prayer we're going to win this tonight, I actually think our front 6 could potentially be OK if its:

Nolan, Poyet, Cullen, Lanzini, Maiga, Lee

But our back 5 could just look a mess, a mixture of inexperience, players out of position maybe? and a less than convincing Randolph.

3-0 to them
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Re: FC Astra Giurgiu v West Ham United: Match Thread

Post by SirTrebor »

RandomRover wrote:I don't want to be a naysayer but I think a lot of people need a reality check. We're fielding a team composed of players that have played with each other maybe twice in a couple of training sessions (even ignoring the number of youngsters playing), and we're playing a team in the top Romania division who have been playing together for years and are already into the first few games of the season. Why would we win that?
I don't want to keep sounding optimistic as I'm trying to be realistic more than anything... but you have to remember we were better than Astra in the first 55 minutes of the 1st leg. Yes we had our practically full-strength team, but we didn't exactly set the world alight with the performance and still controlled the game nicely. Zarate's pretty awful dribbling got past their defence and his slip-over shot went down the middle of the goal.
I'm confident we can score goals against Astra tonight.
The only mater of concern is having the professionalism and hard-work ethic to not let in any goals. The youngsters and the experienced players on show should have that.
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Re: FC Astra Giurgiu v West Ham United: Match Thread

Post by RandomRover »

SirTrebor wrote: The only mater of concern is having the professionalism and hard-work ethic to not let in any goals. The youngsters and the experienced players on show should have that.
I think there's actually very little difference technically and physically between the average premier league player and a player in league 2. The main difference comes down to decision making - those who succeed make good decisions when on/off the ball, and those that don't succeed don't make the right decisions as often. If you add to that the effect of an organised, well-oiled team, I think we lose on both those fronts with our team tonight. We can run around and show work ethic all we want but that's also not going to change the fact that playing in Europe means a hell of a lot to the Romanians.
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Re: FC Astra Giurgiu v West Ham United: Match Thread

Post by Puff Daddy »

We_are_BML wrote:Unbelievable decision form the board / Billic to play a team of kids tonight...

Billic could be under pressure by the end of August and I hope he is with a decision like this...
No he won't. Even with the most atrocious of starts, Dave's will sit on their hands in the hope against hope he turns it around if only to defend their own decision to appoint him in the first place
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Re: FC Astra Giurgiu v West Ham United: Match Thread

Post by SirTrebor »

RandomRover wrote: I think there's actually very little difference technically and physically between the average premier league player and a player in league 2. The main difference comes down to decision making - those who succeed make good decisions when on/off the ball, and those that don't succeed don't make the right decisions as often. If you add to that the effect of an organised, well-oiled team, I think we lose on both those fronts with our team tonight. We can run around and show work ethic all we want but that's also not going to change the fact that playing in Europe means a hell of a lot to the Romanians.
I can't disagree with you there, those are the attributes of a well-performing team.
I'm hopeful that the youngsters do the basic things correctly (something which should be drilled into them from their even younger days) and don't yet have the bad habits or big heads that some senior players may have. Hopefully they can do a good solid job and our senior players can make a difference and win us the game.
In some strange way, I feel a bit more confident having some youngsters together in a group (they know each others game etc.) rather than the odd youngster chucked in. Someone like Poyet can be a good link between the youngsters and the seniors.

Anyway, I'm kinda going round in circles here and contradicting myself in a number of ways.
Either way, I still remain positive and hopeful! COYI
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Re: FC Astra Giurgiu v West Ham United: Match Thread

Post by il_martello_di_genovesi »

Puff...

Do you consider this as more of a disgrace than the match against Burton?
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Re: FC Astra Giurgiu v West Ham United: Match Thread

Post by Puff Daddy »

il_martello_di_genovesi wrote:Puff...

Do you consider this as more of a disgrace than the match against Burton?
What match against Burton ? Have we ever played them ?
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Re: FC Astra Giurgiu v West Ham United: Match Thread

Post by Dwight1970 »

The problem for me is that basically we have to go for the win tonight and even with a stronger side that wouldn't not have been a formality against a side happy to take 0-0, so with Astra able to sit back I see little in that squad that will open up, create and take chances against them.

Let's be honest the club properly always planned to concede this fixture but had hoped they had built a big enough lead in the 1st Leg to go through, after that didn't go to plan the club seem to happy to stick to their original intentions even though it seems it will mean we will go out.

Even in the unlikely event that we scrap through unless we make significant signings the same situation in the next round will happen so are we prepared to embarrassed by putting this side out if we draw say Borussia Dortmund or will some players play 2 games in 3 days, if so it begs the question why not do it now?
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Re: FC Astra Giurgiu v West Ham United: Match Thread

Post by rare as rockinghorse shat »

rare as rockinghorse shat wrote:Got £100 on 45 points & over @ 3.2

I set the market and now the sell is down to 2.2 :D

Not smirking that it's gonna win, just that it's outstanding value.
Hammer1972 wrote:For the less seasoned gamblers amongst us...what the hell does all that mean?!
Haha

Betfair works differently to normal bookmakers, as the punters (us) directly change the odds, depending on what we bet on. Some markets (like the above) hadn't had any bets placed on it yet, so it was blank.
I set a bet that there would be 45 booking points or more (10 for a yellow, 25 for a red).

I set the odds at 3.2 (just over 2/1) hoping someone would take it. I didn't expect it would, but it was.
Now, lots of people have entered the market and placed their bets and the whole market has levelled out to it's 'normal' odds which is currently around 1.9.

So it's 1.3 lower than I bet at, which means - with a combination of opposite bets - I can bet against it at better odds, ensuring a profit. Or... just let it run and hope for the win.

I got good value, because I got my money in at much higher odds than it should have been.

I bet at 3.2, it's now down to 1.9
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Re: FC Astra Giurgiu v West Ham United: Match Thread

Post by morrisey is a hammer »

sharphammer wrote:not a prayer we're going to win this tonight, I actually think our front 6 could potentially be OK if its:

Nolan, Poyet, Cullen, Lanzini, Maiga, Lee

But our back 5 could just look a mess, a mixture of inexperience, players out of position maybe? and a less than convincing Randolph.

3-0 to them
Cheer up ya miserable sod. Come on this is the hammers. This is not the time for fear............that's for later :raver:
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Re: FC Astra Giurgiu v West Ham United: Match Thread

Post by Slavish »

It isn't about whether we win or lose, there is a serious, very serious, point of principal at stake here.

The Board, all the spin merchants inside the club, constantly blattering on about the 'special fans' and other similar platitudes to make you feel warm and loved while they empty your pockets.

This decision proves it's boll0cks.

The Board, all the spin merchants inside the club, constantly blattering on about how seriously we were going to be taking the Europa cup, and bringing European nights back to the Boleyn.

This decision proves it's boll0cks.

Board, all the spin merchants inside the club, every transfer window opening they are blattering on about big superstar signings, end the window talking about 'how close' they came.

The OS, ticket pricing, iron-on transfers, same b0llocks at every turn.

The only thing they've done of consequence was get the Olympic Stadium, which was the only reason they bought us in the first place - and that is for their gain not yours.

This club is being run by a couple of hustling old pimps. And in hustle parlance the supporters are the marks.

And don't give me any of that old flannel about they 'saved us', because that's a story that Alistair Campbell would have been proud of. Every last penny they have put in to this club is to maximise the resale value. No more no less.

Get used to it. Because it won't change until they've sold up. And sell up they will. Because that sale is the only reason they're here.

If this decision serves any purpose, it should be to open your eyes to what's real.
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Re: FC Astra Giurgiu v West Ham United: Match Thread

Post by terryturbo »

With Arthur from Minder dying today there is only the 2 Daves and Delboy left hustling on the market......
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Re: FC Astra Giurgiu v West Ham United: Match Thread

Post by sharphammer »

3-0 to them[/quote]
Cheer up ya miserable sod. Come on this is the hammers. This is not the time for fear............that's for later

:wink: I'll go into it with a much optimism as ever mate, just a realistic view more than anything, I'll be gutted if we go out as well, was looking forward to some thursday nights away!

Would sooner lose a game we're expected to lose sunday than lose tonight

Massive lack of class and respect shown by whoever picked this side tonight as well, which really gets my back up!

As you say though ' this is the hammers'
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Re: FC Astra Giurgiu v West Ham United: Match Thread

Post by sendô »

Im not really sure the point of being in Europe only to play a reserve team.

Its clear Sunday's game vs Arsenal is the priority.

The Europa league is a joke competition anyway.
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Re: FC Astra Giurgiu v West Ham United: Match Thread

Post by Hammer1972 »

rare as rockinghorse shat wrote: Haha

Betfair works differently to normal bookmakers.....
Thanks for trying, I think I got the basics of that. I feel like my father-in-law must have when I tried to explain to him about sideloading apps onto an android box....!
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Re: FC Astra Giurgiu v West Ham United: Match Thread

Post by Voronin »

Totally agree with Slavish. It close to a miracle if we manage to get through tonight.
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