West Ham Match Thread

The area we need to be careful is the first 30 odd mins. In their last few home games plus at Wolves they were out of the starting blocks like lightning. We have to contain them. I just hope we, as it’s always important, score first. It’ll knock the stuffing out of them hopefully. But those quick starts are worrying.
 
It will be interesting, neither of us are established 'top' clubs as such, so in many respects it is an even fight as there are no great expectations of who should win. Our away record is great but West Ham Are on a bit of a role too. Bloody Lingard!

Both teams have casualties and 'walking wounded', who is and who isn't fit and firing on the day will make a difference as will the determination of the teams to take the points.
 
Don't we all play the same 38 fixtures?

I am sure Truro means from the standpoint of where we are now.
You are of course correct we all play the same fixtures. The only thing I can say is we play the nasty ones when the pressure is the greatest. It seems in the last few seasons we always end with a tough finish.
 
Vardy has got to play. I don't base that on any sentimental judgement, purely that any poor spell when you are approaching mid-thirties is deemed to be decline. Vardy being a late starter and a person who still looks lean and hungry to me, still has plenty to offer
I personally believe Vardy has struggled with an injury niggle for a while. This as coincided with a barren spell. Vardy imo is still quick and certainly a clever footballer.
Recently he looks like a player who as become a bit anxious about the lack of goals and consequently become snatchy.
The Man City game was no game to judge Vardy, such was Man City's control over us he virtually had fuck all to work with.
The off the ball running is vital also, Vardy also emits a powerful reputation which attracts close attention, leaving space for others to exploit.
No doubt Vardy needs a goal, he will get it very soon and when he does his confidence will be back and I would expect the bandwagon to roll again.
Don't write him off, I am still glad he wears our shirt rather than an opponent
If you look over every season he has played in the Prem he has had barren spells. They occur almost without exception in the 2nd half of the season. This spell is longer than any other.

The injury he has been carrying has been constant since 2015/16 season. He missed games after Christmas that year as a result - so 'injury' isn't an excuse.

Snatching? Snatching is his game. He is an impulsive finisher. Given time on the ball he scores far, far fewer. His finishing has never really had finesse but his natural instincts and speed have enabled him to score many many more than most strikers would.

Man City game aside he has been AWOL since pre Christmas in reality. I can count on 2 fingers max this season where I've felt he has made the difference in a game - let alone been the best player on the pitch.

Off the ball running is vital - you're right. That's stopped too. Crucially so has his press. If Vardy isn't pressing or running the channels then you are getting only 60% of the player - he can't afford to lose that from his game - yet despite a 2 week rest he was never ever at it versus Man City. In fact if you watch he drops into the number 10 spot at times when playing alongside Nacho.

He needs to be calmer in front of goal if he is going to get back scoring as the combination of teams we have left to play will drop deep or simply mean he has to score from maybe the single chance he'll get to score in some games.

100% its important he plays every game but only if he can press and run the channels otherwise his hold up play reminds me of Slimani.
 
I am sure Truro means from the standpoint of where we are now.
You are of course correct we all play the same fixtures. The only thing I can say is we play the nasty ones when the pressure is the greatest. It seems in the last few seasons we always end with a tough finish.
I was being a bit facetious but teams end up where they deserve over a full season, not the last handful of games.
 
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If you look over every season he has played in the Prem he has had barren spells. They occur almost without exception in the 2nd half of the season. This spell is longer than any other.

The injury he has been carrying has been constant since 2015/16 season. He missed games after Christmas that year as a result - so 'injury' isn't an excuse.

Snatching? Snatching is his game. He is an impulsive finisher. Given time on the ball he scores far, far fewer. His finishing has never really had finesse but his natural instincts and speed have enabled him to score many many more than most strikers would.

Man City game aside he has been AWOL since pre Christmas in reality. I can count on 2 fingers max this season where I've felt he has made the difference in a game - let alone been the best player on the pitch.

Off the ball running is vital - you're right. That's stopped too. Crucially so has his press. If Vardy isn't pressing or running the channels then you are getting only 60% of the player - he can't afford to lose that from his game - yet despite a 2 week rest he was never ever at it versus Man City. In fact if you watch he drops into the number 10 spot at times when playing alongside Nacho.

He needs to be calmer in front of goal if he is going to get back scoring as the combination of teams we have left to play will drop deep or simply mean he has to score from maybe the single chance he'll get to score in some games.

100% its important he plays every game but only if he can press and run the channels otherwise his hold up play reminds me of Slimani.

A bit harsh imo. The service to Vardy in the City game was poor to nonexistent.
We rarely managed a decent pass out of our own defensive third.
It's impossible to compare an injury to previous seasons. If it's say a groin then the degree or variation of the problem is likely to be on a wide scale.
BR probably feels that Nacho deserves more game time now, and you don't usually see the modern game played with 2 directly up front. BR may have told Vardy to drop back a bit because he iknows he is not 100 %. I did notice he was deeper at times against City, whether that was instructed or whether it was Vardys frustration about not getting any decent ball I don't know.
The West Ham game will tell us alot about a number of things.
Time will tell if it's terminal for Vardy, but at this moment I will stick with my mantra that he is just a goal away from sparking again.
 
I came on here a few moths ago and suggested that the hard press BR demanded was taking too much out of the players and may have been a factor in our decline last season as well.
I now read that they have been told to press a little less physically.
This means a more zonal approach for much of the game and particularly more conservative first halves.
So I expect a cautious first 45 on Sunday and a more energetic second half with more possession. Like MC was (it didn't work well as they had us doing too much running with their movement and passing). West Ham are not so technically blessed.
Needless to say who scores first will affect this approach.
 
If you are taking one moment where he should and could have kept himself onside as a reason to think he's rediscovered form then you must've missed the other 93 odd minutes whereby after 2 weeks rest he never looked in the game. Never pressed. Never threatened.
And if you are slaughtering him for a few average games you are forgetting how good he has consistently been.
Selective amnesia I think
 
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A bit harsh imo. The service to Vardy in the City game was poor to nonexistent.
We rarely managed a decent pass out of our own defensive third.
It's impossible to compare an injury to previous seasons. If it's say a groin then the degree or variation of the problem is likely to be on a wide scale.
BR probably feels that Nacho deserves more game time now, and you don't usually see the modern game played with 2 directly up front. BR may have told Vardy to drop back a bit because he iknows he is not 100 %. I did notice he was deeper at times against City, whether that was instructed or whether it was Vardys frustration about not getting any decent ball I don't know.
The West Ham game will tell us alot about a number of things.
Time will tell if it's terminal for Vardy, but at this moment I will stick with my mantra that he is just a goal away from sparking again.
I think he will bag a couple on Sunday
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A bit harsh imo. The service to Vardy in the City game was poor to nonexistent.
We rarely managed a decent pass out of our own defensive third.
It's impossible to compare an injury to previous seasons. If it's say a groin then the degree or variation of the problem is likely to be on a wide scale.
BR probably feels that Nacho deserves more game time now, and you don't usually see the modern game played with 2 directly up front. BR may have told Vardy to drop back a bit because he iknows he is not 100 %. I did notice he was deeper at times against City, whether that was instructed or whether it was Vardys frustration about not getting any decent ball I don't know.
The West Ham game will tell us alot about a number of things.
Time will tell if it's terminal for Vardy, but at this moment I will stick with my mantra that he is just a goal away from sparking again.
I think he will bag a couple on Sunday
 
It’s a season-defining game. A win would be fantastic, a draw good enough. But a loss would give them a massive boost and put us in a very vulnerable position. We cannot lose this game.
 
Echo a lot of the above thoughts. Win would be excellent obviously because it puts us in complete command in the top 4 race but after the defeat earlier in the season coupled with Soucek’s disrespect towards us re Slavia it would be a nice feeling to put them in their place somewhat.
But overriding feeling is must not lose!
 
Most Sky sports panelists reckon a win tomorrow should see us through to CL but another Devon Loch scenario could be on the cards. Most of the panel also said we were so poor against Man City and didn't seem to have a go at them.
Edited to say that shows a big and small team mentality surely.
 
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Tomorrow will tell us wether we have the chemicals for the job. With Liverpool winning and Chelsea cruising, to me its a make or break game v
 
Now or never. Unless we have a gap those last 3 games will kill us.
Anyway when you are at the top end you can't rely on others to keep falling.
If we are to qualify, we must put the foot down tomorrow.
 
Most Sky sports panelists reckon a win tomorrow should see us through to CL but another Devon Loch scenario could be on the cards. Most of the panel also said we were so poor against Man City and didn't seem to have a go at them.
Edited to say that shows a big and small team mentality surely.
You can't have a go at Man city they'll tear you to pieces. Our tactics were working first half. You have to let Man city have the ball.
 
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