PSF: West Ham Utd 0-1 Newcastle Utd (20/07/19)

[goa127]

I only caught the end of the game, which I struggled to see due to the claret shorts. I was struck by the fact that this was one of the weakest teams we could have put out. First time I've seen anything of Johnson, looks like a lot of potential there. Wilshere is still the same frustrating mix of good skills and perception counterbalanced with a tendency to hold the ball too long. Long way to go to have a fitness work out. They'll need 5 days to get over the jetlag.

[neathiron]

Betray

:lol: Top work as always mate.

[dodger]

He hit a few stray passes early on but in his defence I thought his passing did improve as the game went on. Perhaps it's just a confidence thing with him.

His only successful passes were when no one was within 10 yard of him. Any hint of pressure and he couldn’t pass for toffee, and his tracking back and tackling were both non-existent. All that and he was as slow as a tortoise on sleeping pills.

[e-20]

No way as sharp as the first game. Everyone looked a little lethargic. Looks like the conditioning work has finally caught up to them. Hopefully the hard work now will pay off later when the season starts.

I think the two halves did highlight the fact that Cullen is perhaps not quite ready yet. He wasn't able to dictate play from the middle. He wasn't able to cross that imaginary advantage line when he got the ball unlike the way Wilshere was able to in the second half.

If he isn't ready now he never will be, we really can't wait till he is approaching 30 can we. He plays a very simple game and there really is nothing about it that will improve substantially by further experience in playing it in my opinion. The only real value he may have is as a safe busy bee to come on late in a game to keep things tight and compete in midfield a type of player we are desperate for. I just don't think he offers even that though or do I have confidence in him ever being even that consistently. League 1, perhaps average Championship is sadly probably his true level.

[EastVillageHammer]

How many 3rd choice centre backs do you think would get four 9/10 performances in 10 games?

He's a scapegoat. If you're constantly getting peppered by the opposition with little to no assistance from anyone in front of you, of course you're more likely to make mistakes. If the player to the left of you is utter gash and you're having to do more than just your job, of course you're going to make mistakes.

He looks lackadaisical, but he actually does an alright job relative to his status.

I accept everything you say and it makes perfect sense.

The trouble is that he’s still 3rd choice after all these years, is on a first team wage etc. I don’t think for a second anyone would swap Ogbonna for either Balbuana or Diop, so he isn’t good enough. He never really inspires confidence in me, despite what actually seem to be very good ratings - not that I have much sway in whether he’s picked!

We should have 2 players for every position that fight it out for a first team place, otherwise when there’s inevitably a drop in form or an injury, the collective are weakened by their inclusion. That’s really my only point.

If I had the money I would suggest we spend on both fullbacks and a DM as Sanchez really is all shades of awful, then a back up striker. I think a first class CB should be next on that list.

[neathiron]

His only successful passes were when no one was within 10 yard of him. Any hint of pressure and he couldn’t pass for toffee, and his tracking back and tackling were both non-existent. All that and he was as slow as a tortoise on sleeping pills.

Yes but he couldn't pass straight early on when he didn't have pressure on him so he did show little signs of improvement. Agree with you about tracking back though, no attempt to make a challenge when that player went through for Newcastle towards the end.

[claretnblueglasses]

Nobody go on Twitter. Absolutely no level of perspective or coherence on there.

[e-20]

One suspects, as an attempt at raising our Chinese profile this is something of a misstep. Probably have less fans there after it than before it. Meanwhile as an on field pre season workout it was probably even more self defeating a distraction from the real work of preparing for the new season, only Johnson of the peripheral players that might have benefited from real competition seem to have taken their chance. Of the established with doubts hanging over them probably only Wilshere moved forward. I suspect what with added jet lag to complicate matters staying in Europe would have been far more productive . I wonder if this was Pellers or the owners idea, I suspect the latter and as such was a gamble that didn't work out and in performance sadly reminiscent of our recent European mis adventures.

Just hope at least Pellers has been able to confirm the negatives he may have already suspected so that he can plan to eliminate or around them, that's often more valuable I suspect than just having your positives re-confirmed or worse still left with more questions than answers at all.

[DannyboyDJL]

We looked lightweight, soft and showed a lack of effort and discipline first half.

Hernandez, Anderson, Lanzini, Yarmolenko and Ogbonna hall have that lazy streak in them. Too many 'showy' sprints to close down before selling yourself and stopping rather than doing the disciplined thing and tracking. Too many 5 a side players in this team at the minute for me who love to do a trick and beat a man, but can't find a final pass or do the hard defensive side.

[Beavis Danzig]

Nobody go on Twitter. Absolutely no level of perspective or coherence on there.

that's a general rule that'll serve you for life.

[e-20]

I think one thing is clear we need further strengthening if a true attack on the top six is to be likely even if the two new players work out too often we are going to be relying on players that over the years fail to give the team overall a competitive edge when anything short of its strongest 11 and sometimes even with it. It is amazing how a team like Wolves a year out of obscurity can at least appear to be a far more consistent and tidy unit than we can ever match. And that's despite the improvements that Pelle has already managed to instil. Eratic seems to be the word that eternally plagues us.

[hammer1975]

Gave up posting at half time, felt that Newcastle stepped off after the break as much as us improving.

Lots to do, no money left to do it

[S-H]

Nobody go on Twitter. Absolutely no level of perspective or coherence on there.

It's pathetic, it really is.

You'd think it was a load of kids spouting off, but no..

Embarrassing.

[Burnley Hammer]

first half we were trying to be too complicated when we had the ball, which resulted in losing it very quickly. We have a tendency to do that. Newcastle kept it simple and dominated by simply knocking the ball about in a risk free fashion, drawing our players forward, and then finding a gap to play it into. Very simple tactics that we should have handled better.

They played with a bit more passion too which obviously helped.

[WTID]

Positive Lanzini looked sharp and good to see Reid back.

Negative Hernandez is far too light weight/slow to be up top on his own. Yarmolenko looks way off the pace wouldn’t be no where near my starting line up come August.

[The Old Man of Storr]

Thing is , these competitions are only there to get players' fitness levels up , don't be too alarmed at these results .

[bubbles1966]

On any given day, barring a league cup game or an FA Cup one, most of the XI who started today will not be starting....and if they do, it will usually be just one or two of them rather than eight at a time.

We can get away ,some times, with having the odd ropey one on the pitch. The problem develops mostly when there are several.

No part of the team looked like it functioned in the first half, though the subs improved things in the second half.

These selections seem to very clearly show that he regards some very well paid players as no better than squad players, and it would be reasonable to try and offload a number of them because they are poor value for money.

[Wilko1304]

Positives:
Minutes on the pitch, especially for Reid and Yarmolenko who really need it.
Reid is probably going to be at least good enough to be third/fourth choice, which is good news as it could have looked a lot worse.
Rice looked good in central defence too.
Lanzini was good.
Anderson was good when forced to be forward.
Wilshere is very smart and lovely with the ball at his feet.

Cons:
Ogbonna's inconsistency means he doesn't just have a bad game, he has nightmares.
Cresswell cannot play near Ogbonna as their brain farts seem to go together.
Anderson is better when made to come and find play, but looks slowed down when dictating from the left.
Yarmolenko needs a lot more time before 90 mins in the Premier League.
Cullen looked a bit lost (although it's harsh to write him off already)
Hernandez offered nothing as an actual striker
Antonio could use a tenth of Hernandez's positional play
Our defence is not organised
I had to see Sanchez play

[Burnley Hammer]

Positive Lanzini looked sharp and good to see Reid back.

Good to see Reid back but I disagree about Lanzini. He played well against City but today I thought he was muscled off the ball too easily and far to risky and over intricate with his passing, giving it away sloppily and needlessly quite a few times. Sometimes it's worth keeping it simple until a better opportunity presents itself.

Negative Hernandez is far too light weight/slow to be up top on his own.

Agree. We need a strong striker up there that can really battle with the defence and give them something to think about. Good job we've just bought one.

Yarmolenko looks way off the pace wouldn’t be no where near my starting line up come August.

I'll reluctantly agree as I really like him as a player. With the time he's had out though, he looks really rusty and not capable of 90 minutes. It may take him a few games to get back to full sharpness and fitness. I wouldn't be surprised to see Lanzini or Fornals start on the right against City. I reckon Wilshere's place in the first team is virtually guaranteed now.

[Burnley Hammer]

Positive Lanzini looked sharp and good to see Reid back.

Good to see Reid back but I disagree about Lanzini. He played well against City but today I thought he was muscled off the ball too easily and far to risky and over intricate with his passing, giving it away sloppily and needlessly quite a few times. Sometimes it's worth keeping it simple until a better opportunity presents itself.

Negative Hernandez is far too light weight/slow to be up top on his own.

Agree. We need a strong striker up there that can really battle with the defence and give them something to think about. Good job we've just bought one.

Yarmolenko looks way off the pace wouldn’t be no where near my starting line up come August.

I'll reluctantly agree as I really like him as a player. With the time he's had out though, he looks really rusty and not capable of 90 minutes. It may take him a few games to get back to full sharpness and fitness. I wouldn't be surprised to see Lanzini or Fornals start on the right against City. I reckon Wilshere's place in the first team is virtually guaranteed now.