⚽ West Ham Utd 4-0 Nottingham Forest (25/2/23)

[Ironing Board]

So even our attacking midfielder should be picked for defensive responsibilities?

You pick a balanced side and play to your own strengths while trying to minimise the weaknesses.

[Coops]

When did we last win 4-0 in a Premier League game?

[Ludeksgloves]

When did we last win 4-0 in a Premier League game?

Didn't we beat Swansea 4-0 on boxing day about 4 years ago?

[daytimedave]

When did we last win 4-0 in a Premier League game?

didnt we beat norwich away at the end of a season one year , ?

[bubbles1966]

didnt we beat norwich away at the end of a season one year , ?

In May last season.

We did Wolves 4-0 the season before.

Norwich and Bournemouth the season before that.

[Tezza65]

didnt we beat norwich away at the end of a season one year , ?

It was Norwich Away last May.We actually scored 4 Five times in the PL last season(4 Away from home).

[Coops]

didnt we beat norwich away at the end of a season one year , ?

Yes I reckon you are right.
Lanzini was on fire.

[S-H]

Be nice to smash a good team one day..

[jabbaglob123]

Be nice to smash a good team one day..

We smashed Wolves and Leicester in 2020/2021 season.

Both were deemed good teams at the time we played them.

[Ironing Board]

Be nice to smash a good team one day..

We beat the two-time champions of Europe 4-0!!!

[Turns to Stone]

On the penalty, I don't think it was. But it was also clumsy by Johnson and gave the ref a decision to make when he didn't need to. It's not the first time that Johnson has these slight rushes of blood either annoyingly.

I do think that he's best right-back at present, and I think if we can get Zouma and Aguerd fit, and a new, quality left-back in the summer Johnson could absolutely do a job for us though. He does need to slow down and make better decisions both in our and their box.

As for Soucek, I think that Pacqueta is far better playing deeper (as I said before the game yesterday), but Soucek is going to get figured out playing in an attacking role and given that our aim is top 8, I'd like to think that we should be looking for more than a good header of the ball in a pivotal position.

We definitely have better balance with a back four though. 4 attacking players create so much more than 2 or 3, and this has to be Moyes blueprint for the rest of the season. Fornals, Lanzini and Soucek can rotate in the 10 role and Ings and Scamacca can share the sol striker role with Antonio as an impact sub. I prefer Cornet to Benrahma, but along with Rice's replacement and a new left-back I think the left-wing is where we should be prioritising our summer business.

Overall though - a good win and the right team picked by Moyes. The oppositie of the line-up against Spurs.

[Wilko1304]

Not a penalty because his ability to stop and react to it means he clearly wasn't impeded. If he was impeded, he wouldn't have been able to make the decision and action he did

[NedN]

Yes, like all others, he is kicking it into the area.

The point, though, with his delivery, is that it arches and comes down fast towards the back post. Defenders either have to stay on or in front of the goal line or risk it going in off them.

I mentioned this earlier, but it’s not just the delivery itself, we have no one available to collect the initial half-clearances…I can think of a number of occasions where they were unable to fully clear their lines and if one more player delayed his run, or backed off when the ball wasn’t near him, we could have challenged for more of their half-clearances to get them back into the danger zone (cue Kenny Loggins)

[miles]

Not convinced. I find the concept of playing someone like Soucek in the 10 position a bit soul destroying if I’m honest.

He's not really playing as a 10 though. He's basically shuttling like a madman between the opponents box and ours depending on whether we're attacking or defending. Think this position minimizes his weaknesses (passing) and maximizes his strengths (stamina, heading, defending, shooting). With Ings upfront it seems to work. With Antonio or Scamacca not so sure...

[miles]

I think you're over-rating his attacking prowess a little.

Well, it's only one game but we scored 4 goals and Ings didn't look isolated. It's really more about the overall blend of the team rather than just looking at the individual parts in isolation.

[DusseldorfHammer]

He's not really playing as a 10 though. He's basically shuttling like a madman between the opponents box and ours depending on whether we're attacking or defending. Think this position minimizes his weaknesses (passing) and maximizes his strengths (stamina, heading, defending, shooting). With Ings upfront it seems to work. With Antonio or Scamacca not so sure...

Also easier to free Soucek up a bit more when the opponent for whatever reason goes with Colback and Shelvey in central mid and you'll get the chance to get behind this line in quick transition like we did in the second half.

[bubbles1966]

Last week...Kane, Son, Romero, ....top 4 last year, top 4 this year....win 70% of their home games
This week...Chris Wood, Gibbs White, Worrall, ....newly promoted....three goals all season away from home.

It's almost as if some teams have better players than others and that's the biggest reason for different results and performances rather than some tactical wheeze.

[the pink palermo]

Not convinced. I find the concept of playing someone like Soucek in the 10 position a bit soul destroying if I’m honest.

I get what you mean Moley. My preference would be for a Lanzini or a Fornals to be there rather than Soucek, but the Manager wants Soucek in his starting XI, and that's the position, as others have pointed out, that is least risky in terms of the opposition exploiting his weaknesses.

We have needed a legitimate No.10 for some time now, hence we always go to flanks, rather than up the middle.

[hammerman11]

lets not get ahead of ourselves it was only forest . mind you we managed to lose the first game against them having had more chances and playing better up there.

lets see how we do against the next 3 in the league brighton a villa h man city a 4 points needed as a min in our position.

the only player who didnt look good against forest this time was benrahma who was poor for most of the game.

[GPP]

With the squad we have at our disposal I think Soucek is rightly a nailed on starter. He wins 50:50s, he breaks down opposition attacks, he allows Rice and Paqueta to build attacks, and he’s effective in both boxes.

If we don’t play Soucek our defence comes under a lot more pressure and we have to completely adapt our attacking tactics.

He’s not pretty to watch, but then neither was Peter Butler. Doesn’t make him ineffective. Quite the opposite.