Pre-match thread

[AvonVillain]

As West Ham desperately need a helping hand, everything points to this being the beginning of the end for Gerrard.

[Marka Ragnos]

28 minutes ago, Villatillidie95 said:

Very tough game coming up for us, i don't buy that they will be tired after playing in Europe at all, they will still have enough in the tank to bully us and get the ball down the sides quickly and with intent. We need to really run in midfield and pressure them but also when we have the ball need to move it fast and have our players make runs off the ball too.

Agreed. And how could they not sense weakness after our abject first half display in Bolton? They will smell an opportunity to throw us off-balance. Maybe there are some ways we can use their confidence against them? I'd like to see us draw some fouls, for example (which Jack was SO good at).

You know what beats 'Spam more than "physicality?"

Speed. They don't respond well to clinical passes and brisk pace in their half. It throws them off and prompts fouls. Would really like to see Bailey and Buendia and Watkins run circles around their defenses, and hopefully Ings can be well positioned for some clinical strikes.   

[Peter Griffin]

Just now, tomsky_11 said:

Thought that about last night but not Sunday. Surely a win against West Ham given their last two seasons is a good result, irrespective of how they’ve started the season?

I think a win against Hammers would be an excellent result, unfortunately I doubt all will see it like that but I guess that is what creates debate on a football forum. If we all agreed on everything this place would be very boring

[Keyblade]

Just now, Peter Griffin said:

It would be 3 wins from 5 if we beat Hammers but I get your point. We are all desperate for a good performance 

Even if it's not a good performance, 6 points from 4 is the kind of form I expected/hoped for going into the season. Puts us on course for 57 points over the season and would have had us finish 7th last season. Keep picking up points like that and it doesn't matter how we do it. The problem is, I don't have much faith we can do it. 

[Jas10]

2 minutes ago, Lupinthe5th said:

I agree tactics and performances have been a joke. I think if we beat West Ham on Sunday then it kills the Gerrard out campaign and puts the new manager of aston villa thread silent for months. If we lose to West Ham it will get louder. 

It would… beating them and performing well would encourage me and make me feel more positive. But, even though they haven’t had a great start, I can’t imagine that that will happen. Will be pleasantly  surprised if it does…

We haven’t beaten them since 2015 btw…

I am worried about the Arsenal and City games though… we could be thrashed and badly embarrassed… I don’t want that to happen. Team morale and spirit could be broken… could be hard to recover form and it would affect us badly for the rest of the season… 

[Lupinthe5th]

Gerrard IN for now! Let support him and the team on Sunday! 
Luiz must start.

[Peter Griffin]

1 minute ago, Keyblade said:

Even if it's not a good performance, 6 points from 4 is the kind of form I expected/hoped for going into the season. Puts us on course for 57 points over the season and would have had us finish 7th last season. Keep picking up points like that and it doesn't matter how we do it. The problem is, I don't have much faith we can do it. 

6 points from 4 is 1.5 ppg. If u offered me that at the start of the season I would happily take it. 

[picicata]

2 minutes ago, Peter Griffin said:

6 points from 4 is 1.5 ppg. If u offered me that at the start of the season I would happily take it. 

Yes indeed. 

The thing that makes the West Ham game so important is that it is followed by Arsenal and Man City, which we are unlikely to get anything from. Win against WH and we have 6 points after 6 games. Poor but probably enough to buy Gerrard more time. Lose to the Hammers and it will probably be 3 points from six and a place in the relegation zone. Not a good look.

Gerrard needs a win against West Ham

[OutByEaster?]

1 hour ago, Marka Ragnos said:

Who is going to go toe-to-toe with Declan Rice? Who has that physicality? Dougie? I can't see us getting anything from the match if we don't find a way to contain if not intimidate Rice.

If it's Dougie then either Dougie is too far forward or Rice has come a long way out - I think it's why Buendia should start this one over Coutinho, I think Buendia, Watkins and Ings can press him enough to hurry him and stop him controlling things from the deep.

I'm concerned about what happens with Antonio - I don't want Mings getting into an ego contest with him, but I don't want him left alone to overpower Chambers or Konsa and we'll need to be mindful of Benrahma and Bowen exploiting the space behind the full backs. 

West Ham are a decent side and one that matches up well against our system - this will be tough.

 

[Villatillidie95]

19 minutes ago, Marka Ragnos said:

Agreed. And how could they not sense weakness after our abject first half display in Bolton? They will smell an opportunity to throw us off-balance. Maybe there are some ways we can use their confidence against them? I'd like to see us draw some fouls, for example (which Jack was SO good at).

You know what beats 'Spam more than "physicality?"

Speed. They don't respond well to clinical passes and brisk pace in their half. It throws them off and prompts fouls. Would really like to see Bailey and Buendia and Watkins run circles around their defenses, and hopefully Ings can be well positioned for some clinical strikes.   

I think speed is a must, if we just play it in front of their midfield or try aimless long balls their CB'S will have an easy game mopping up. We have the guile and pace in our team in EMI B and Leon B, we can undo them but we must play in the right way. lets get the basics right, i would like to see us work hard in midfield for a change

[sheepyvillian]

2 hours ago, maqroll said:

Is the game Sat or Sunday?

Monday.

[Marka Ragnos]

9 minutes ago, OutByEaster? said:

If it's Dougie then either Dougie is too far forward or Rice has come a long way out - I think it's why Buendia should start this one over Coutinho, I think Buendia, Watkins and Ings can press him enough to hurry him and stop him controlling things from the deep.I'm concerned about what happens with Antonio - I don't want Mings getting into an ego contest with him, but I don't want him left alone to overpower Chambers or Konsa and we'll need to be mindful of Benrahma and Bowen exploiting the space behind the full backs.

Yes, well said. Coutinho would make a good impact sub after we get ahead, but not to start, please no. Wise words on Antonio. It may be a bit of a "swinging dicks" contest, inevitably.

Edited August 24, 2022 by Marka Ragnos

[Adam2003]

1 hour ago, Peter Griffin said:

I suspect West Ham is a Lose Lose for Gerrard on here. We win, and it will be: Hammers are bottom of the league on zero points it is the least we should expect. We lose, and it is Hammers were bottom of the league on zero points and clueless Gerrard loses to them.

Well yeah but it’s always like that when you play the team bottom of the league.

Unless you’re suggesting that’s why Gerrard’s trying to get us bottom, to eliminate this situation?

[messi11]

---------------Martinez-----------------

Young Chambers Mings Digne

              Kamara    Luiz              

     Bailey     Buendia   Coutinho     

                    Archer



Tactics: Gegenpress
In Possesion: Pass out to space. Shorter Passes Play Out of defence. Low Crosses. High Tempo. Fairly Narrow.
In Transition: Distribute to CB. Distribute to full backs. Counter. Counter-Press.

    

[VillaParkAvenue]

Sit deep, force them out wide and play on the counter? Traditionally the best way for us to get points. 

[VillaParkAvenue]

Checked some West Ham forums, Moyes isn’t exactly loved right now.

”If he carries on playing the same way,there is not a chance in hell.
Dosen't he realise,we have been found out the way we have been playing.It's not like we try and have a go?We just sit back and wait and try and hit Antonio and Bowen or try and get a set piece.There is nothing else to our game.I watched the 2 other games today.Newcastle gave it a real go today against City.What a brilliant game to watch.Throughly enjoyable.Leeds took it to Chelsea and demolished them.Us v City,the biggest bore I have seen for a while.City playing like they were having a kick about with the young kids at the club.That was embaressing,when you watched how Newcastle played especially.No wonder there is no conifedence in the team?
IF Moyes carries with this negativity,nevermind not getting results,he needs to leave.Put Warburton in charge till Christmas.”

”Have to say one of the worst and inept displays from this football club and I’ve seen some **** shit over the years.
Zouma plays like a patient with **** club feet 
Soucek is a total embarrassment on the **** pitch
Fabianski too **** old
Antonio two bob
Bowen **** woeful 
Rice seems disinterested never thought I’d say that 
Lanzini what a **** joke he is
Fornals runs around a bit but does the square root of **** all.
Cresswell needs replacing pronto 
Coufal needs replacing got his feet under the table for decent money now don’t give a ****
Give the new fellas a bit more time but I can see them getting pissed off big time the way this clown keeps playing the same **** way week after week so predictable it’s **** embarrassing.
We will be in deep shit in the next month or so.
You can’t even make excuses for the words removed
**** dogshit.”

[delboy54]

8 hours ago, VillaParkAvenue said:

Checked some West Ham forums, Moyes isn’t exactly loved right now.

”If he carries on playing the same way,there is not a chance in hell.
Dosen't he realise,we have been found out the way we have been playing.It's not like we try and have a go?We just sit back and wait and try and hit Antonio and Bowen or try and get a set piece.There is nothing else to our game.I watched the 2 other games today.Newcastle gave it a real go today against City.What a brilliant game to watch.Throughly enjoyable.Leeds took it to Chelsea and demolished them.Us v City,the biggest bore I have seen for a while.City playing like they were having a kick about with the young kids at the club.That was embaressing,when you watched how Newcastle played especially.No wonder there is no conifedence in the team?
IF Moyes carries with this negativity,nevermind not getting results,he needs to leave.Put Warburton in charge till Christmas.”

”Have to say one of the worst and inept displays from this football club and I’ve seen some **** shit over the years.
Zouma plays like a patient with **** club feet 
Soucek is a total embarrassment on the **** pitch
Fabianski too **** old
Antonio two bob
Bowen **** woeful 
Rice seems disinterested never thought I’d say that 
Lanzini what a **** joke he is
Fornals runs around a bit but does the square root of **** all.
Cresswell needs replacing pronto 
Coufal needs replacing got his feet under the table for decent money now don’t give a ****
Give the new fellas a bit more time but I can see them getting pissed off big time the way this clown keeps playing the same **** way week after week so predictable it’s **** embarrassing.
We will be in deep shit in the next month or so.
You can’t even make excuses for the words removed
**** dogshit.”

At full time on Sunday these Wet Spam fans will be giving 10 out of 10 for all their players listed above and Moyes will continue to be their messiah

[gwi1890]

11 hours ago, messi11 said:

---------------Martinez-----------------

Young Chambers Mings Digne

              Kamara    Luiz              

     Bailey     Buendia   Coutinho     

                    Archer



Tactics: Gegenpress
In Possesion: Pass out to space. Shorter Passes Play Out of defence. Low Crosses. High Tempo. Fairly Narrow.
In Transition: Distribute to CB. Distribute to full backs. Counter. Counter-Press.

    

You definitely play to much Football Manager. 

[duke313]

We'll see the 442 diamond I reckon, Gerrard's go to shape when he needs a win.

--------------------------Martinez------------------------------
Cash-------Chambers---------Mings-----------Digne
-------------------------Kamara---------------------------------
-------------Luiz----------------------McGinn-----------------
-------------------------Buendia---------------------------------
------------Watkins----------------Ings------------------------

[rjw63]

10 hours ago, VillaParkAvenue said:

Checked some West Ham forums, Moyes isn’t exactly loved right now.

”If he carries on playing the same way,there is not a chance in hell.
Dosen't he realise,we have been found out the way we have been playing.It's not like we try and have a go?We just sit back and wait and try and hit Antonio and Bowen or try and get a set piece.There is nothing else to our game.I watched the 2 other games today.Newcastle gave it a real go today against City.What a brilliant game to watch.Throughly enjoyable.Leeds took it to Chelsea and demolished them.Us v City,the biggest bore I have seen for a while.City playing like they were having a kick about with the young kids at the club.That was embaressing,when you watched how Newcastle played especially.No wonder there is no conifedence in the team?
IF Moyes carries with this negativity,nevermind not getting results,he needs to leave.Put Warburton in charge till Christmas.”

”Have to say one of the worst and inept displays from this football club and I’ve seen some **** shit over the years.
Zouma plays like a patient with **** club feet 
Soucek is a total embarrassment on the **** pitch
Fabianski too **** old
Antonio two bob
Bowen **** woeful 
Rice seems disinterested never thought I’d say that 
Lanzini what a **** joke he is
Fornals runs around a bit but does the square root of **** all.
Cresswell needs replacing pronto 
Coufal needs replacing got his feet under the table for decent money now don’t give a ****
Give the new fellas a bit more time but I can see them getting pissed off big time the way this clown keeps playing the same **** way week after week so predictable it’s **** embarrassing.
We will be in deep shit in the next month or so.
You can’t even make excuses for the words removed
**** dogshit.”

They will all look like Brazil '82 against us, I guarantee it.

Not a huge fan of SG currently but I'd rather us beat these, instead of shamefully handing them their first points of the season.