Sheffield Utd 0-1 West Ham Utd (22/11/20)

[Bonzos4Lagers]

Oh, and I should have added . . . in a dressing room where you aspire to be as good as Declan Rice - he's your role model.

Loving what I'm seeing

[Clacton-ammer]

Strange game, we were not at our best but looked incredibly solid bar a couple of half ish chances. Wasn't the most exciting, in fact it was quite boring for the best part, but everyone put a shift in and one thing we are now is difficult to break down.

Moyes has done a Moyes on us, can only be a good thing moving forward.

Another 3 points & sitting comfortable in the league, I would have bitten your hand off for where we are now at the start of the season.

I would say though that against the "lesser" teams, where when they play us they will target our game for 3 points I would like to see us be a little bit more expansive, not so much pragmatic. Not complaining, just something that will hopefully evolve. Saying that, a fit & firing Iron Mike in the team allows more players to get forward due to his hold up play. Not having a pop at Seb, as he has done alright in a system that is not built to his strengths.

[Graza]

All in we just shaded a game that on balance of play we deserved to just shade. Some missed chances either end, both teams hit the woodwork, but one quality strike settled it. For possession and positivity we probably deserved it in the end but we coughed up enough chances to draw or even go on to lose the game - the one off the bar in the 75th just after Rice had hit the bar strikes me as a potential turning point, they score that and anything can happen.

We seemed to finally recognise that Haller is not Antonio for this game so less hopeful punts into space for him to chase and more thoughtful build up play, though we need to either send one of Soucek/Rice or pinch in Bowen/Fornals more to support the middle. We also need crossing practice. While I credit the endeavour of the blunts defenders to get out and create pressure, and they were moving right up to the last whistle so full credit there, on the odd occasion when the cross wasn't blocked the ball in was too high, too wide, aimless and easily dealt with. The two half decent balls in saw Rice hit the bar and Haller receive to feet just forward of the front post and it's a real shame he couldn't/didn't do more.

Goal was a bit sloppy in construction, good pressure forced then to cough up the ball, some solid passing, a scuffed hopeful shot by Fornals closed down and the rebound went to Haller in space who leathered it in, keeper got a decent hand on it but was beaten by the power. It was a goal that Haller needed, a goal the team needed and it turned out to be the winner.

Really couldn't understand all the crap Haller was getting throughout the game and at half time. He isn't Antonio, he doesn't have the dog in a park mentality, he doesn't have the pace to do what Antonio does, but lots brand him lazy for not being Antonio. Lots say we shouldn't change a system for one player - even though that system is set up for one player who did his hamstrings. I think many are just blinded by the price tag we paid and think for that money he should be able to do it all, it doesn't and he can't. Thought we saw a lot of his game in this one, little bits of movement, lay offs and setting up one twos that never came back to him, nearly created a goal for Soucek, was involved in the pressure for his own goal, but he didn't score a hat tick of worldies so we should sell him for half what we paid... Things you learn aye?

I fully expected us to draw or lose this game so it's definitely an improvement, another game against a struggling team where we fought and got a reward can't be a bad thing, a goal for Seb, decent performances across the board but I'm going to have a moan about one thing, as I do every week, where were the ****ing subs. Lanzini on for Fornals after 76 gave us some legs which was useful, but we had tired players all over the shop. Rice looked shot after playing twice for England in the previous week, Bowen looked like he was running on empty, Coufal was wearing a swimming pool worth of sweat. We just could have done with freshening it up. What do we do, Haller for Noble in the 92nd... As a sub in injury time I don't mind a striker for a midfielder when you are running out the clock but surely some legs earlier would have given us a bit more? I realise they were chasing the game but they subbed on 62, 65 and 76 and looked like those changes gave them the impetus they needed as we were fading. It's a constant bug bear of mine, we had the options on the bench and we didn't use them.

At least we didn't give away our usual "penalty".

[Ethanadict]

Yes I agree with you Graza.

Antonio “the dog in a park mentality”... like that!

I was hollering at the tv to make subs. Moyes doesn’t seem to want to trust the flair players to come on and do their defensive shift. Several looked very tired, all the ones you mentioned. Didn’t Noble replace Bowen not Haller? But whatever, Benrahma or Fredericks were sat on the bench while we had knackered players.

[DasNutNock2]

6 points off Fulham and Sheffield, either side of an international break - come on, that sort of consistency is usually well outside our remit.

[South African Iron]

Agree with a lot of the comments already posted

Decision making needs improvement
Crosses can be drastically improved
On the whole of Bowen and Formals, work ethics are a critical part of our winning formula.
Our defence yet again played solid
Love it when we don't play at our best and still win.
Fab was solid, and inspired confidence
Pleased for Haller, and was the difference in the end for the 3 points
Not the greatest entertainment of a game , but a hard fought win, were our fitness levels are coming to the fore.

Thought we would draw before the game, so well chafed.
I really enjoy the team spirit, and the togetherness with the coaching staff, long may it continue.




GSB#OUT

[South African Iron]

Yes I agree with you Graza.

Antonio “the dog in a park mentality”... like that!

I was hollering at the tv to make subs. Moyes doesn’t seem to want to trust the flair players to come on and do their defensive shift. Several looked very tired, all the ones you mentioned. Didn’t Noble replace Bowen not Haller? But whatever, Benrahma or Fredericks were sat on the bench while we had knackered players.

Ditto , its still a bug bear I have with Moyes, make some sub's even when we are winning , to get some fresh legs on.

[S-H]

Lanzini looked good when he came on.

I still don't understand why we signed Benrahma though.

[Billy Bonds boots]

Solis panic signing to keep us off his back, wont succeed, just needs to f#ck off and give the club a chance to grow

[hammerman11]

not a fan of haller`s like many on here but he scored a good goal and contributed more. moyes talks of a different seb after coming back from international duty. would be great if he could turn it around and we had two strikers in antonio and haller.

its a good job we dont play until next monday night as a few looked tired; soucek fornals balbuena and rice must need a rest !

a game we would have lost in the past. "we arn`t west ham anymore " is for once a good thing.

onto villa .

[S-H]

not a fan of haller`s

No, really?

Maybe you should post about it every single day, just to remind us.

[Hampshire Hammer]

Ditto , its still a bug bear I have with Moyes, make some sub's even when we are winning , to get some fresh legs on.

Not an easy call, I was thinking that he should put Benrahma on with 15 or 20 minutes to go as fresh legs to run at the Blunts defence but perhaps Moyes was thinking about defensive duties as well? Sometimes a professional manager is thinking about holding on to what you have whereas fans are thinking "lets score more".

[hammerman11]

benrahma on for fornals was the only sub he could make really but chose lanzini instead .

good we have competition for some places. the cover for rice/soucek is snodgrass or noble which is not s great . hopefully addressed in the jan window.

[Samba]

the cover for rice/soucek is snodgrass or noble which is not s great . hopefully addressed in the jan window.

I'm really not going to hold my breath for that, h..

[asters89]

Don't get some of the negativity on here. I thought we played well.

If all that changes in the game is that Declan heads 2 inches lower, Haller opens his body up properly and Soucek doesn't suddenly develop two left feet, the narrative about that game changes completely.

So what they had more shots on target than us? None of the above count in that but they were probably the best chances of the game.

We restricted them to probably one good chance. Delighted McBurnie smashed that on to the bar because it would have been a travesty if they walked away with anything from that game. We were the better side on the day by a long way.

No side has survived with 1 point from their first 9 games. Let's hope Slav does everyone a favour next week and makes it 1 point from 10.

[hammerman11]

always nice to beat the sheffield pigs

[S-H]

No side has survived with 1 point from their first 9 games.

[Graza]

Not an easy call, I was thinking that he should put Benrahma on with 15 or 20 minutes to go as fresh legs to run at the Blunts defence but perhaps Moyes was thinking about defensive duties as well? Sometimes a professional manager is thinking about holding on to what you have whereas fans are thinking "lets score more".

I wasn't thinking of scoring more, I was thinking about getting fresh legs on to give us an out ball and stop then building into the game later on. For me Benrahma might not no as much defensively so you put him on the left where he has both Masuaku and Cresswell doing the cover. Lanzini puts a shift in and can hold and move the ball making him decent cover at the very minimum. Rice and Coufal both looked really tired, Noble/Fredrick's for the last 10/15 would have just given us a bit more IMO.

I get if it ain't broke don't fix it, but if it looks like it's going to break and you leave it then I call it negligence.

[wivenhoetim]

Lanzini looked good when he came on.

I still don't understand why we signed Benrahma though.

Nor does Moyes

[wivenhoetim]

Not sure what would make evrybody happy tbh..

• Theres no easy game in this league
  SUFC are fighting for their lives and remain a well drilled team
  We went away from home and ground out a result with an equally well drilled team
  We could have won by more on another day
  Much of the team had just returned from International duty
  We seem to play to a system now
  We`re in 8th spot

..I could go on, suffice to say, this is as good as it gets supporting the mighty hammers, so come on fellas enjoy the moment and walk round with a smile on your face, there aint much else to be happpy about at the moment !!