⚽ CAC3: West Ham Utd 2-2 (9-10 pens) Blackburn Rovers (9/11/22)

[Burnley Hammer]

Edit - will post in a different thread

[Rocksteady]

I didn't see David Moyes' post match interview but i assume he said something like this

"It’s strange that people ask me if I think we should be beating these teams. It’s changed, it’s amazing isn’t it? I came at the point where we were relegation fodder and now you’re expecting us to beat Blackburn. It just shows you. It’s great, the questions, thank you. I am really taking that as a compliment to be honest"

[jabbaglob123]

I didn't see David Moyes' post match interview but i assume he said something like this

"It’s strange that people ask me if I think we should be beating these teams. It’s changed, it’s amazing isn’t it? I came at the point where we were relegation fodder and now you’re expecting us to beat Blackburn. It just shows you. It’s great, the questions, thank you. I am really taking that as a compliment to be honest"

You didn't see it because he never showed. He sent Mark Warburton instead.

[sutts07]

Antonio up top on his own for the vast majority of the game, at home against Blackburn's second string XI.
Fornals was the closest to him, other than that, Coufal and Emerson were our most advanced players.

That is a new level of negativity for me. Really disappointed.

[Hockley Hammer]

Conceding a poor goal after 6 minutes having already nearly gifted them a goal hardly gave us a positive start to the game.

We took the game to them and our current inability to put the ball in the net compared to the chances we create made us nervy again.

We did all we could to get a winner and it succeeded. Then we went all West Ham at the end with schoolboy defending.

I thought last night was the most entertaining game at the ground so far this season. Shows how bad it has been.

[Bonzo]

I was close to goal at Andelecht match and the indecision was clear on faces if Soucek, Bowen, Coufal, etc. we are getting back to team of past when concentration goes out if the window. This is evident in the late goal we are conceding in both half’s. I thought our game management had improved after Europa L run but is really suffering again.

[Bonzo]

I was close to goal at Andelecht match and the indecision was clear on faces of Soucek, Bowen, Coufal, etc. Also we are getting back to team of past when concentration goes out if the window. This is evident in the late goal we are conceding in both half’s. I thought our game management had improved after Europa L run but is really suffering again.

[ChzMff]

I tend to read more than post. It's interesting to see the change in views of people which I guess is natural considering we're not playing particularly well. Many had declared how we tailed away because the manager stuck with the same players. Now I'm reading he's making too many changes and should keep the same team. I do wonder whether people realise this is West Ham they are supporting though. I actually said to my old man last night this is probably one of our better cup runs as we had at least got through a round due being in Europe - just how many times have we been able to say that!

It's funny people have jumped on this 5 at the back bandwagon. I don't recall seeing a wing back system referred to as that. It has always been to my knowledge a 3-5-2 and I think that was what was quite clearly what was played last night, albeit pretty badly. Aguerd was central, Ogbonna to the left, Johnson to the right and the wing backs on the half way line or beyond. Now, all three centre backs struggled I thought, particularly Aguerd who had a terrible opening and could not hack Blackburn constantly dropping balls in behind him and having to face his own goal.

Thoughts on the game:

- Areola did not look close or convincing with any of the penalties
- Not just on last night but I don't see anything in Coventry to see he's a squad player at this level
- Antonio was good in the main and had their 17 on toast. Having seen him booked early on, we should have targeted that area much more. I do wonder if that's the player he is now; useful against lower league or inexperienced players as he didn't have anywhere near the same impact when he came on at the weekend
- Benrahma seems to have gone from villain to hero despite his overall outputs not changing
- We are so static and also bunched up. I think this is partly confidence where good footballers in space would rather a first time ball backwards or sideways than taking a touch and turning. This is causing us a lot of our problems and most of Blackburn's chances last night

[Cockneyboy311]

I went to the game last night. The first 5 or 6 minutes were absolutely dreadful and it could and should've been 0-2 to Blackburn by then. After that though it was pretty much one way traffic given the odd attack here and there by them. Also that 2nd horrendous back pass near the end of the 1st half. What in lords name was that?! Was that Aguerd? It was like a cross into the box. Totally bizarre and again we got lucky there.

2nd half we totally bossed it and eventually got ourselves in front. However I was watching Brereton Diaz when he came on and i could see he was pulling out wide a lot. He didn't get into the game that much but it definitely felt like a deliberate tactic to have him up against Ben Johnson. As sure as death and taxes he gets in a good position, Johnson gives him too much room and bang 2-2. That was a Premiership quality finish imo but Johnson should've been much tighter.

Once it goes to Pens it's a lottery as we all know. 19 excellent pens which neither GK got near until Oggy stepped up and became the fall guy.

We can all talk about formations and tactics etc but there isn't much Moyes can do when players make bad errors. We were the better team but lost. Everyone needs to be better. Manager and players. It's just not happening for us right now and we need a break. Maybe the WC will be a blessing.

[Albie Beck]

What in lords name was that?! Was that Aguerd?

Coventry wasn't it?

[bubbles1966]

Yep, Aguerd's one was in the first few minutes.

[the pink palermo]

2nd half we totally bossed it and eventually got ourselves in front. However I was watching Brereton Diaz when he came on and i could see he was pulling out wide a lot. He didn't get into the game that much but it definitely felt like a deliberate tactic to have him up against Ben Johnson. As sure as death and taxes he gets in a good position, Johnson gives him too much room and bang 2-2. That was a Premiership quality finish imo but Johnson should've been much tighter.

Absolutely spot on.

When he came on he specifically went to the left flank. moving the Blackburn player who was there, inside. Clearly upon the instruction of their manager.

They knew the chance would come. Downes fluffs a tackle, Johnsons too loose, shift the ball inside, one step, bang, goal.

[Ironing Board]

Johnson could’ve at least attempted to put a boot in as well to be fair.

Yeah, but Downes had the better, clear opportunity to just hit it out of play. Too many of our players won't do the basic clearing of the lines. Too much stupid little jabbing of the ball.

[fjthegrey]

When he came on he specifically went to the left flank. moving the Blackburn player who was there, inside.

It isn't the masterstroke you guys are making out. That's Diaz's position, where he plays about 90% of the time.

He came on and simply went to his natural position.

[chigwells finest]

i dont know why areola is coming in for stick with the pens, the Blackburn gk faced the same 10 shots and got nowhere near any of those too

[Colours never run]

Praising ourselves getting back in to it in the 2nd half, for the umpteenth time this season? We shouldn't be going behind very early on in the 1st half to a weakened Blackburn side at home in the first place.

Far too much credit is placed on the Team chasing a game firing shots off like we're really an attacking Team once we are already behind, it's often usually after the event that we keep on doing this. And I think it's badly affecting the whole team struggling to score with added pressure to keep trying to get level, let alone go back in front. No wonder we're 1 of the lowest scoring Teams around at the minute this season under that constant pressure to score.

[simon hammer]

What you mean the cup we've never ever won?

There are plenty of teams that can also say that. We're nothing special.

[goa127]

Why should we be thrashing a weakened Blackburn team? We made 11 changes as well. Both teams had this game low on their priority list. I didn't see the game (only the very brief TV highlights) so I can't comment on the performance, but I'm puzzled by this sense of entitlement. I never knew we had so many players who could score penalties, given we've missed 2 already this season, even Oggy's beat the keeper! Never like to lose a tie but actually good to avoid fixture congestion after the WC

[BondsoBob]

Why should we be thrashing a weakened Blackburn team? We made 11 changes as well. Both teams had this game low on their priority list. I didn't see the game (only the very brief TV highlights) so I can't comment on the performance, but I'm puzzled by this sense of entitlement. I never knew we had so many players who could score penalties, given we've missed 2 already this season, even Oggy's beat the keeper! Never like to lose a tie but actually good to avoid fixture congestion after the WC

Who said anything about thrashing Blackburn? We were the Premier league side, we were at home. So I think that most people would have expected us to have the advantage. That's all.

[goa127]

Who said anything about thrashing Blackburn? We were the Premier league side, we were at home. So I think that most people would have expected us to have the advantage. That's all.

That's reasonable but it's not quite what others seem to think