Watford 1-4 West Ham Utd (28/12/21)

[Turtlecharityracer]

Absolutely stunned with the disrespect Rice is getting because we beat Watford, who offered the poorest PL team performance in years, without him. Wow.
We beat a outstandingly poor Watford.

These posters are in for the shock of their life when Rice leaves

[Antwerp_Lad]

[Bubbles Fortuna]

West Ham beat a team, they must have been the worse Premier League performance in years!

Bearing in mind more than one side have been hit for 6s and 7s this season alone.

[Rust]

Decent result. Bowen is getting better and better, and hasn't missed a sitter in a while.

I'm wondering if the solution to the Soucek / Rice is debate is us getting a deep lying playmaker to join them. Like a Tielemans type to allow Soucek and Rice to both be box to box. Because we aren't getting the no. 10 position right anyway.

No idea who that would be...

[WCpete]

We've beaten the side that was on the same pitch as us, but they were so poor that it's difficult to know whether we did in fact play well. We did play well going forward, but my word Watford were shockingly bad.

[Shabu]

We were playing the WORST team I've seen in the PL in years

Interesting..Considering they are NOT even Bottom of the League or in the Relegation Zone THIS season,how can they be the worst team for years.Norwich(bottom) have a minus 21 goal difference between them too.

Yes,Watford were poor todat,but they have put 4 and 5 past Man U and Everton this season,but are deemed to be one of the worst in PL history in your eyes?

I know who you are,the same troll that goes on Hammerschat and who has ALWAYS been critical of anything West Ham,no matter what we have done,including criticizing our performances against both Chelsea and Liverpool this season.

The mind boggles.

If you know it's numbers, why are you quoting him :lol:

[pezza20]

All this talk from some that Rice wasn't missed today are talking out of your short and hairies ...

He is our best player talent wise .. when do you see him give the ball away .. hardly ever ..he may need to take some tips from Nobes but he is so far above anyone else in our side for all round playing ability and he is still ****ing only 22 !!

Today was a walk in the park .. Noble was embarrassing in the last game he played because the oppo had a more energetic midfield but put him in the side today and he had time and space to play the ball around.

Soucek has now found a bit of form but that is not down to Rice not playing ...

Watford was an ideal game for us after the Saints debacle. But it's up to Moyes to get the team balance right .. and that's the key.

Remember it's the manager that dictates who goes forward and who sits .. not the player.

[Mexhammer]

I’m more worried about hanging onto Bowen than Declan at the moment.

[Happyhammer52]

Not sure anyone was "outstanding". We won't play many worse sides than Watford, they offered little to nothing.

When on the ball, Noble was very competent and it probably suggests his true level, but he did a job today.

I must admit I was dubious about Johnson 6-12 months ago, but I feel relatively at ease with him at the back now. Unspectacular but does a solid job.

Felt Fabianksi stuck to his line on several occasions when coming out would have been the best option.

A much needed win though, the game against Palace should be a cracker.

[Davev]

Mic's a gentle giant but I love that we have someone who wont get physically bullied upfront for us. Beats some of the lightweight shirkers we have had playing for us before.

[Bubbles Fortuna]

Antonio had a good game I thought, set up a goal, was involved in a lot of our play, looked somewhere back to his best.

[WCpete]

I hope Johnson's niggle is no more than that. He looked uncomfortable for quite a while after he went down.

[bristolhammerfc]

I loved watching us win with ease and watching Bowen run rampant but...

Watford were awful. Not just awful but woeful. We were average today but were the better side. Against better opposition we would have been in trouble.

Johnson was caught out of position many times and better teams will exploit that. Benrahma does not track back enough. Yes he did once for a decent tackle but I counted at least 5 times where Watford attacked the left back position and he was on or around the half way line making no attempt to help out. He might be flashy going forward but defending is s team thing.

Lanzini on the other hand covered back well

Johnson was too close to Noble which meant Diop got pulled left. A team with Rice in it can do that as Rice fills the centre back position. Coufal looked out of form and tired as did Soucek and both were poor for the Watford goal.

Bowen and Lanzini played well and Noble had a solid game which tells you everything about the opposition.

We are a much better side with Rice in it.

Great win but I agree with the manager. We need to play better

[Watford Hammer]

Was going to post a happy post thanking West Ham saying how much I enjoyed the day in the ‘home’ end albeit very close to the fantastic away support.
But it has taken me so many attempts to post anything which has been the case since the change to the site with the intrusive adds I am well p***ed off I am not going to bother.
COYI

[kitthehammer]

I can’t say it was a particulrly convincing performance, it was more that watford weren’t very good. I hope it gives us a boost for palace and rice will be back but i have wondered if keeping messing about with the forward line is less effective than bringing in another central midfielder like noble.

Johnson did ok but i fear against better sides, such as palace, he may still struggle. Diops clearances were terrible at times too so again better sides will punish us.

Still plenty of room for improvement but will that come without new faces in essential positions?

[Watford 'Ammer]

I know football fans are fickle.

I know football fans have short memories.



But for any West Ham fan to even contemplate, for a split second, questioning the contribution or role of Declan Rice.
?

Wow.

[delbert]

I suppose arguing over the manner in which we won is preferable to arguing over the manner in which we was defeated........

[sendô]

I agree with most of this except the final line. For the Saints second goal both CBs were at fault, (leaving aside whether the contact with Dawson was in the area to warrant the award of a penalty), and for the Saints' winner Dawson was easily outjumped; (these defensive headers are supposed to be his forte).Today he was sat on his arse like a todler for their goal and when he came charging out around m90 their forward breezed past him for a good chance ; thankfully Fabs saved more embarrassment.

Dawson is what he is, a solid hard working defender that gives his all, wins 99% of balls in the air and leaves nothing on the pitch, but he is always going to be suspect facing his own goal, especially with fast skillful strikers running at him.

Southampton’s second was 100% down to Diop charging in, getting rolled, and then failing to take one for the team and foul Broja. Dawson was so much better with Ogbonna.

[WebmasterFF]

I hope Johnson's niggle is no more than that. He looked uncomfortable for quite a while after he went down.

I wondered if he was half injured before the game started.

Throughout the game he appeared to be hesitating when there was a chance to "get a toe" to the ball ahead of the attacker and stood off a bit more. Could be a sign that he wasn't 100% and was afraid of doing himself in.

Fingers crossed it was just a knock and nothing serious

[Johnny Byrne's Boots]

Typical MOTD. A routine 1-0 home win on first