PSF: Racing Club de Lens 0-0 West Ham Utd (30/7/22)

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MB
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Re: ⚽ Racing Club de Lens v West Ham Utd: match thread

Post by MB »

In Moyes' defence, we looked a lot better with a decent passer at LCB, a much better passer at LWB/LM and better passers in midfield. All the things we seem to have been after in this transfer window.

Hopefully that is Masuaku's last run out in a West Ham shirt and I worry about Soucek's future if we persevere with this formation.
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Re: ⚽ Racing Club de Lens v West Ham Utd: match thread

Post by PortCityIron »

Agree re camera angles. They are not flattering for the way we move (or lack there of) when in possession. The formation looked very bizarre. It was either a line of defense with a bunch of midfielders, or a line of defense with a bunch of strikers. Absolutely zero link play. If it happened on accident, it was through Soucek who, let’s face it, is a horrible passer and the antithesis of someone like Lingard. We need to make some serious changes or serious purchases otherwise Scamacca will be as useful as a bicycle to a fish.
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Re: ⚽ Racing Club de Lens v West Ham Utd: match thread

Post by Puff Daddy »

Jesus H Christ. ~ That was bucking awful. Painful to watch
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Re: ⚽ Racing Club de Lens v West Ham Utd: match thread

Post by EastleighHammer16 »

Another poor performance. Can’t see us starting the season well. I’m sure we’ll pick up eventually but we still seem to be hungover from the poor end to last season.
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Re: ⚽ Racing Club de Lens v West Ham Utd: match thread

Post by Burnley Hammer »

Is it really the formation that's the problem? We've played with a back 3 plenty of times before.
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Re: ⚽ Racing Club de Lens v West Ham Utd: match thread

Post by Burnley Hammer »

MB wrote: Sat Jul 30, 2022 7:10 pm In Moyes' defence, we looked a lot better with a decent passer at LCB, a much better passer at LWB/LM and better passers in midfield. All the things we seem to have been after in this transfer window.

Hopefully that is Masuaku's last run out in a West Ham shirt and I worry about Soucek's future if we persevere with this formation.
Personally I thought we looked more composed in midfield with Coventry on the pitch. Not for the first time this pre-season.
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Re: ⚽ Racing Club de Lens v West Ham Utd: match thread

Post by StevePottsGoalsReel »

Well, I think we all learned a lot from that:

- We're likely to start the season playing 3 CBs;
- We have one fully-fit CB;
- We're likely to start the season using WBs;
- None of our players look any cop at WB;
- None of our midfielders or attackers look fit or in form;
- We currently have no fit strikers;
- If Antonio or Scamacca can't start next week, we'll probably be trying out Pablo Fornals as the next Fellaini.

Love you West Ham. Roll on City! :scarfer:
Last edited by StevePottsGoalsReel on Sat Jul 30, 2022 7:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: ⚽ Racing Club de Lens v West Ham Utd: match thread

Post by Absolutely Hammered! »

I thought towards the end of the game when Lanzini came on we found more of a rhythm but in general we were poor.
Ben J does concern me a bit as he really struggles to pass and hasn't really improved in that area. Defensively a really good player but offerers nothing going forward.
Last edited by Absolutely Hammered! on Sat Jul 30, 2022 7:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: ⚽ Racing Club de Lens v West Ham Utd: match thread

Post by Johnny Byrne's Boots »

I wonder what Moyes learned from that game that he didn't already know.
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Re: ⚽ Racing Club de Lens v West Ham Utd: match thread

Post by Morocco Mole »

Burnley Hammer wrote: Sat Jul 30, 2022 7:14 pm Is it really the formation that's the problem? We've played with a back 3 plenty of times before.
In simple terms: 7 ‘defenders’ and 3 ‘attackers’.

High press against that and you disconnect the two which is what happened today. Criticizing any of the front three today is massively missing the point. They were starved of the ball and reduced to ‘hail Mary’ counter attacks.

If we’re going to play a back 5 at least one of the centre halves needs to be good at distributing and one of the centre mids needs to take on a semblance of a playmaking role. As it stands I don’t believe we have the players to make it work.
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Re: ⚽ Racing Club de Lens v West Ham Utd: match thread

Post by DMumford »

Jesus what a performance that was…

- Zero link up play
- Fornals and Behnrama about as creative as a a wooden door
- We look shattered, looks like the players have had a game everyday since the end of last season.
- No sharpness at all, no killing edge about us.


Worryingly that was probably the best team we have bar Antonio/Scamacca.
I am actually concerned for this season. I know you don’t go off Pre-season but we kick off the season next weekend so this game is probably the one where we see the best of our players really but does not look like we are no where near ready for the start of the season. I think we could potentially play 63 games next season if all goes our way (more than last season).
Worried is an understatement.
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Re: ⚽ Racing Club de Lens v West Ham Utd: match thread

Post by IronZ-79 »

I know it's pre season but I see no sharpness in our play. Don't care about the result etc.

We don't look on it physically and mentally.
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Re: ⚽ Racing Club de Lens v West Ham Utd: match thread

Post by Kermit »

Watched the first 15 minutes on the official site stream but as everyone else has remarked it was real Mickey Mouse stuff. The RC Live stream, in French, was a perfect picture but unfortunately the game was far from perfect.

I know the PSFs are only friendlies but last season we were beating Celtic 6-2 and this year we have looked sluggish. In fact our most impressive performance imo was the one in Switzerland when a bit of rustiness and lack of cohesion could have been excused.

I am concerned that the "real" West Ham is the one that appeared following our win over Chelsea and not the team that was so impressive in the earlier weeks of last season.
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Re: ⚽ Racing Club de Lens v West Ham Utd: match thread

Post by waynepin »

when Dec went to centre back he looked our best centre back since Rio, passed the ball really well and looked quality, sadly that meant we missed him in midfield, Fornals covered the grass and was busy but got pushed off the ball a lot, Lanzini did what he does moves the ball quickly and opens teams but needs better options only Declan seems on the same wavelength, Benrahma was like a boy playing against men, I thought Soucek was a bit slow moving the ball he took some knocks though they seemed to target him for winning the ball back and were on him every time he had the ball. City will do that even better. a couple in this week hopefully including a dead ball specialist unless Cresswell is staying in the first 11
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Re: ⚽ Racing Club de Lens v West Ham Utd: match thread

Post by WestcliffHammer »

The lack of creativity was frightening
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Re: ⚽ Racing Club de Lens v West Ham Utd: match thread

Post by Burnley Hammer »

To play with 3-4-3, the middle four need to be proficient on the ball, and they need to be equally comfortable in the attacking half as they are at the defensive work. The middle two also need to be good at recycling the ball and keeping possession ticking over. I'm not sure that Coufal, Soucek, Johnson, or Masuaku really look like they fit this particular system. I'm not really sure what system Masuaku fits but the other three clearly suit a 4-2-3-1 a lot more. I would say that Zouma looks uncomfortable with it too... but I'm not sure it's the formation that's the problem with him. He's just generally looked out of sorts all pre-season.
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Re: ⚽ Racing Club de Lens v West Ham Utd: match thread

Post by Cuenca 'ammer »

well reading the match thread just saved me 90 minutes..

:crylol:

said before, a back 5 for us means playing with 7 defenders. we never seem to get a right balance and juding from what I've read here, it hasn't changed much.

probably practicing for next week when we won't see much of the ball is all I can think of.

so I suppose now instead of watching the game back I can do something else..
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Re: ⚽ Racing Club de Lens v West Ham Utd: match thread

Post by Ironing Board »

Kermit wrote: Sat Jul 30, 2022 7:35 pm Watched the first 15 minutes on the official site stream but as everyone else has remarked it was real Mickey Mouse stuff. The RC Live stream, in French, was a perfect picture but unfortunately the game was far from perfect.

I know the PSFs are only friendlies but last season we were beating Celtic 6-2 and this year we have looked sluggish. In fact our most impressive performance imo was the one in Switzerland when a bit of rustiness and lack of cohesion could have been excused.

I am concerned that the "real" West Ham is the one that appeared following our win over Chelsea and not the team that was so impressive in the earlier weeks of last season.
When Celtic started last season they were abysmal. They made a lot of signings to get into title winning form.
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Re: ⚽ Racing Club de Lens v West Ham Utd: match thread

Post by WCpete »

Cuenca 'ammer wrote: Sat Jul 30, 2022 7:38 pm well reading the match thread just saved me 90 minutes..

:crylol:

said before, a back 5 for us means playing with 7 defenders. we never seem to get a right balance and juding from what I've read here, it hasn't changed much.

probably practicing for next week when we won't see much of the ball is all I can think of.

so I suppose now instead of watching the game back I can do something else..
That's what I said. Problem is that we used players that won't be in that side, and ones that will be were used in wrong positions, so the whole exercise was pointless.
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Re: ⚽ Racing Club de Lens v West Ham Utd: match thread

Post by one.paulhilton »

Rice was different class when he moved into the back line.
Has to play there for England.
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