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

[asters89]

As usual Lanzini was a very good watch. His control of the ball and ability to keep things ticking is still the best at the club.

With both he and Fornals on the bench there really is no need to be playing Soucek as a 10.

I agree, the problem with Soucek is that he isn't really a defensive midfielder or an attacking midfielder. He's a box to box midfielder. His best attributes are that he can run all day and is decent in the air.

A couple of years ago Rice-Soucek was a good partnership because Dec was more happy to sit and do that defensive midfielder role while Soucek got up and down the pitch. As Rice has got better and better he understandably wants to get forward and influence the game more, which puts Soucek in a weird spot as he isn't as good at sitting and has quite poor distribution. This was compounded at the start of this season by trying to move a more possession based system and you have Rice and Paqueta in there who can play that way, but Soucek who can't.

Downes is a better partner for Soucek because he plays more like how Rice played about 3 years ago.

We won 4 nil though, so Moyes (rightly) won't change anything for the Brighton game, but I'd much rather see Fornals start on the left and Benrahma given a freer role behind Ings.

[Eggchaser]

They are divers, and have shown that several times. Just something we have to put up with in modern football.

You've ignored my point, I said "in a similar fashion".

The player did not need to go to ground after a minimal contact from Johnson, he wasn't impeded and could have easily continued, yet when he dives, you cry "penalty!" and use it as a stick with which to beat Johnson.

Antonio or Bowen feels contact and go to ground as described above, and you (the collective you) cry "cheating b*stard, don't want to see that from a West Ham player!". There has been contact in incidents with them too, but it's never a foul when West Ham are in possession.

Double standards.

Simple contact in the penalty box does not equate to a foul, if it did there wouldn't a single corner that didn't result in a penalty.

FWIW, I fully expected Antonio's goal to be disallowed as it appeared to me that he climbed, or at least leant, on the back of the defender which meant he couldn't jump, though perhaps it was decided that as he hadn't left the ground already it had little/no effect on the outcome.

[nt_hammer]

Great well deserved win. Moyes picked the right team, an attacking one, and it showed with not just the result but the way we went about it.

However, it was only Forest who have the worst away record going so it will be interesting to see how we fair next week against our bogey side Brighton, after a midweek cup trip to Man Utd.

[Clacton-ammer]

Bloody marvellous that

Not going to say I wasn't a little frustrated to see Soucek in the 11, but it worked in the main, lovely to see some goals, the guv celebrating, the players giving it, a welcome return to some happy vibes! Let's hope it keeps going the right way now.

[Jedi Al Khalaas]

From the Guardian

8) Moyes shows he can change his spots

David Moyes was derided for West Ham’s lack of sparkle during their recent defeat at Tottenham. What a difference a week makes. Saturday saw a shape shift, four changes and a very different outcome. West Ham oozed attacking intent against Nottingham Forest from the outset and by the end, they had a four-goal haul. The Lucas Paquetá-Saïd Benrahma left-sided combination dazzled, while Jarrod Bowen was relentless down the opposite flank. Declan Rice did what Declan Rice does, and Danny Ings showed his poacher’s instinct. Moyes’s eyes glistened afterwards: he loves it when a plan comes together. Sam Dalling

Match report: West Ham 4-0 Nottingham Forest

[Johnny Byrne's Boots]

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)

I posted a few days ago that I think this is where Rice should be for corners, not taking them. Have him sweeping five or ten yards outside the penalty area, capitalising on those half clearances.

[Crouchend_Hammer]

I posted a few days ago that I think this is where Rice should be for corners, not taking them. Have him sweeping five or ten yards outside the penalty area, capitalising on those half clearances.

Paqueta does that now
We need to sort the corners out so that not every single one is aimed for the same area just in front of the keeper with all our big players standing in the six yard box

[Johnny Byrne's Boots]

I did think of Paqueta but I feel he'd be better in the area, more likely than Rice to get a shot away when a half chance drops to him.

[Coops]

Have I missed the Opposition View?

[S-H]

Have I missed the Opposition View?

Usually comes out around midday, doesn't it?

[Coops]

Usually comes out around midday, doesn't it?

So long as I haven't missed it. I have a dislike of Forest fans for some reason I can't quiet remember.

[Cuenca 'ammer]

maybe we should look overall at WHY Soucek is so needed and effective ?

what is it that we're NOT doing elsewhere that puts us under the kind of pressure that only Soucek can solve ?

cause and effect if you like..........

[Crossd_Hammrs]

FWIW, I fully expected Antonio's goal to be disallowed as it appeared to me that he climbed, or at least leant, on the back of the defender which meant he couldn't jump, though perhaps it was decided that as he hadn't left the ground already it had little/no effect on the outcome.

My initial thought was that Antonio had fouled, but when I saw the replay I didn't think there was anything in it.
Unlike Dier's goal in the Spurs v Chelsea match yesterday. But even then, the replay suggest Mount had no interest in going for the ball, just to block Dier. He undoubtedly climbed all over Mount, but it was probably justified.
Neither goal would have stood in the Europa though.

[MB]

maybe we should look overall at WHY Soucek is so needed and effective ?

what is it that we're NOT doing elsewhere that puts us under the kind of pressure that only Soucek can solve ?

cause and effect if you like..........

Exactly. It is looking at the balance of the team rather than playing Top Trumps with individual players.

Simply swap Soucek for Fornals in Saturday's line up for example and you need to change:

How you defend set pieces

Goal kicks and how you progress the ball

Have a different easy out ball for the defence

How you press and how high you defend

Wanting as many of your better footballers on the pitch at the same time is a good thing but it has to be recognised what is involved.

[Cuenca 'ammer]

taking your points into consideration then, rhetorical I know but...

is Soucek the "easy" solution in that we either can't be arsed to fix the other issues, or that we don't have the players to do it ?

or a combination of the two ?

it obviously takes much more to fix the issue rather than to play Soucek for sure....

[MB]

taking your points into consideration then, rhetorical I know but...

is Soucek the "easy" solution in that we either can't be arsed to fix the other issues, or that we don't have the players to do it ?

or a combination of the two ?

it obviously takes much more to fix the issue rather than to play Soucek for sure....

It think it was just easy while he was scoring goals. Clearly Moyes/the club have concerns longer term hence the break down in contract talks and without the goals (both for him and the team) more questions get asked now than before.

[Up the Junction]

The opposition view: Nottingham Forest
https://www.kumb.com/story.php?id=137830

[HammerPDC]

The opposition view: Nottingham Forest

Cheers UTJ been looking out for this since Saturday gonna be a belter

[view from the shires]

Being as Soucek played the quick free kick that started the move for Declan's goal and was involved in the passing move on the right prior to the 4th goal I am not sure this is the game to question his passing ability.

[kenthammer]

I'll have some of what Macbeth99 is on