West Ham Utd 1-0 Wolverhampton Wanderers (27/2/22)

[S-H]

To be fair to Johnson, I expect he's been practicing crossing with his left foot more than anything, considering he's been deployed as a LB more often than a RB.

He'll get there, the position is his to claim now.

[aboooooooooo]

Super performance, everyone played well, Fabianski took all the pressure off at the end, just taking the ball so confidently.

Do think we need to take our chances, we had a few. Edging that 1-0 was a bit fine, they could have got 1 and then a massive dissappointment. Which is how its been recently.

We said exactly the same yesterday. Fab was rock solid all game but last 10 - 15 mins he came and collected everything. His handling and distribution were superb. Took the pressure off when needed and didn't put a foot (hand) wrong.

On the subject of Fab... I listened to the Ben Foster podcast (cycling GK... quite a good listen) as he says that our Fab is the most underated keeper in the Prem. A Keepers Keeper is how he described him.

[YorksHammer]

I don't think we can underestimate how vital that 3 points could come to be. Wolves now can't catch us with their game in hand - essentially top 7 is ours to let go now. I know I'm saying that with three months and eleven league games to go, but five points ahead of 8th, and ten ahead of 9th now. Those gaps becomes harder and harder to close as long as we keep up our own performances.

Thought we played well, and had signs of our old zip about us at times. The goal was nicely worked as well, with Soucek getting into the sort of position he often did last season for once.

Minor quibble, but I still don't think we retain the ball well enough when we have it. It's hard to work out if that's a quality thing or looking to make things work rapidly with our relative low possession, but we have so little of the ball it would be nice to see us have better pass completion. Some players get a bit of a free pass for it - Zouma and Dawson, for example, were quite often just slapping the ball clear, 19 clearances between them yesterday. But someone like Bowen I'd just like to see be a bit neater on the ball and with the use of it, especially as the right back behind him, whether Johnson, Coufal, or Fredericks, is often a little bit loose.

It's relatively minor when we don't concede, but when we do I'm starting to see more and more it comes from loose passes that give away possession somewhere on the pitch.

[Liam]

Minor quibble, but I still don't think we retain the ball well enough when we have it. It's hard to work out if that's a quality thing or looking to make things work rapidly with our relative low possession, but we have so little of the ball it would be nice to see us have better pass completion. Some players get a bit of a free pass for it - Zouma and Dawson, for example, were quite often just slapping the ball clear, 19 clearances between them yesterday. But someone like Bowen I'd just like to see be a bit neater on the ball and with the use of it, especially as the right back behind him, whether Johnson, Coufal, or Fredericks, is often a little bit loose.

It's relatively minor when we don't concede, but when we do I'm starting to see more and more it comes from loose passes that give away possession somewhere on the pitch.

100% agree with this.

when we are playing well, Benrhama, Lanzini and Fornals are great at holding the ball and taking the pressure off. Yesterday Bowen and Antonio really struggled in that last 15 mins to get the ball and slow it down. Perhaps Fornals playing at wing back effected this as he wasn't the "out" ball.

[1895Hammer]

That last 15 is when Vlasic and Benny should be on to take the pressure off, both can retain the ball well and have that ability to go past a man with a bit of skill and energy to keep the opposition honest and unwilling to be as aggressive as they can once Antonio in particular runs out of steam.

[Up the Junction]

The oppoosition view: Wolverhampton Wanderers
https://www.kumb.com/story.php?id=136739

[London Fields Hammer]

The oppoosition view: Wolverhampton Wanderers
https://www.kumb.com/story.php?id=136739

That's the most honest, accurate and sensible OV I've read for years. Fair play.

[Bubbles Fortuna]

"Everyone has a go at Fabio, but I genuinely do not understand why we bought Hwang. Except for recognition in South Korea. Please don't play him again. Dreadful. Always passes back. Slows things down. Poor first touch. Slow to make a decision. Misses good chances as in today and at the start of the second half against Arsenal. Fabio will come good, of that I'm sure. Trincao I'm undecided because you can see a player there. But Hwang? Awful."
- berwickwolf

Thought this was interesting as a player we were linked with recently.

I think Wolves fans are being harsh saying we were 'equally dreadful', they ruined the game with their tactics.

[dasnutnock3]

"I know it means nothing, but I thought Anthony Taylor showed the other refs that they don’t have to let everything go and don’t have to card every tackle. He managed the game with common sense and, shock shock horror, the game flowed."
- Ned

Good point, thought the officiating was pretty decent yesterday.

[Bubbles Fortuna]

their fans loathe Antonio and have little time for many of the others.

Another weird one from the opposition view.

We 'loathe' Antonio? Even the posters on here who don't rate him I wouldn't say 'loathe' him.

[faubert93]

Another weird one from the opposition view.

We 'loathe' Antonio? Even the posters on here who don't rate him I wouldn't say 'loathe' him.

I thought Antonio had moments of quality and moments of dreadfulness yesterday. When he did the former I applauded and cheered him on and when he miss-placed an easy pass or when he lost the ball in the middle of the park clumsily I criticized him...

...what i didn't expect was for the lad behind me to threaten to 'knock me out' for not supporting the team....

...opinions are just like A-holes, everyone's got one....but i don't expect that from our own fan base.

[Clacton-ammer]

Get use to it Faubert, since covid the numpties are getting out more & more, I think it's the charlie from what I am seeing.

Oppo view - decent read, majority

Don't get the iron Mike comments either. Not many like the bowl do they! Funny that...not.

[Chavs]

Lots sitting in the home end looking at the oppo view there

[sussexhammer74]

Surprised so many openly admit to sitting among the home supporters in the OV.

that was a good point about the ref. Thought he had a reasonable good game.

[WebmasterFF]

Nice OV to read, no sense of entitlement like some clubs, critical of their team (with good reason) and weren't looking to blame the officials. All the points they raised I pretty much agree with - we are at our best when we sit back and counter and I think that shows in our recent results where we've tried to take the game to the opposition.

Re Antonio, there was a few people in the Sir Trev Lower who would constantly criticise him, for no real purpose. There was one where he slightly miscontrolled it from a driven pass to him however he managed to get the ball back and laid it off perfectly - immediately he was 'lucky to get away with it' instead of 'worked hard to keep it', that sort of mentality it seemed

[sutts07]

Huge step back in the right direction for us.

Rice seemed to sit a little deeper and that allowed Soucek the option to roam around a little. Rice was still outstanding, Soucek looked more like his old self and I thought that Lanzini in the middle made the world of difference, great on the all and his vision/composure are streaks ahead of both Fornals and Benrahma.

Back four and Fabianski were all absolutely on it. Can't fault any of them defensively, totally shut Wolves out. Zouma put in one of the most commanding CB performances I have seen from a WHU player for some time.

It felt as though Bowen and Fornals were asked to be a little more defence minded out on the wing, something that suits Fornals but hampers Bowen. Fornals was fine, linked up with Cresswell nicely and played a few decent balls into the channel for Antonio etc. Bowen wasn't at his best, that isn't to say he was bad, just not at his personal high standard.

Antonio was better, certainly for an hour. The way Wolves set up suited his game as he looked to drop deep between their back three and middle four, then spin into the channel. He looked more engaged and was unlucky with a couple of chances that came his way. Hard to be too critical of him in the last 20mins as he just looked shot to bits and needed to be replaced. When you are shattered, it affects you physically as well as mentally and that was evident with some of his decision making and execution. He still looks like he needs a rest to me, and even more so, he needs a goal.
I think it will come with him, just in time for the all important run in!

All in all, a much better team performance, solid throughout and created far more than we have in recent weeks. If we can be a little more ruthless when we create chances, we will be tough opponents for anyone in the run in. That same team performance with Antonio and Bowen both at their best would be enough to give anyone a game.

Quick one regarding Benrahma, I think he may have been told to sit this one out as Moyes was very disappointed with him strolling off the pitch v Newcastle when we were chasing the win.

[Turns to Stone]

One of the things that Moyes had previously done is sacrifice individual player ability for the greater good. In the last few months, he's slightly taken the leash off, and it had worked, but yesterday he went back to basics. Fornals, Rice and Bowen all went back to the game they had been playing 12 months ago when the defensive element of their game was probably as (if not more important than the other). Rice in particular sat deeper allowing Soucek to push on and in the end it resulted in us getting a goal.

What I would say is, whilst this gave us more solidity, Rice nearly scored in the first half and Bowen should have scored in the second, so it didn't take too much away from our attaking play.

I also thought Lanzini linked things up nicely. I can't put my finger on the difference between he and Benrahma. I sometimes think that Benrahma is just trying that bit too hard.

Anyway, a much improved performance with Zouma my man of the match. Great to see Antonio looking good again though. He's so much better when he works the channels.

[psychoscoredthelot]

they think we are worse than them - but i thought we were the better side and should have been 2-0 up at half time

I also thought Kilman had a good game for them but not one of them mentioned him at all in the OV

thanks for the 3 points though it was much needed

[Puff Daddy]

Tell yer what? Wolves got well and truly shafted for that Fabio Silva. Was glad to see his name on the starting eleven. He was equally inept when he came on for them last season. £32m they paid for him and the geezers ****ing useless

[psychoscoredthelot]

Thought it was £35m for gene Wilders grandson