Article: West Ham v Saints match thread Football Southampton

Last season we tried to pass it in, and never shot from distance. So far today we have just been shooting from distance with absolutely zero quality..

 

Some very questionable efforts from Yoshida and Guly. They both had passes available.

 

We definitely lack a focal point without Rickie playing. We miss his intricacy at bringing people into the game. I can see us going 4-4-2 with lambert and rodriguez if things stay the same

 

Not so much worried about the long shots, more about the hopeful long balls. Even if we're not posing a threat, better off just passing the ball around and tiring their players out than just giving them the ball.

I'm not overly worried about us not scoring, this is what the team that has been sent out there is meant to be doing, control the game, keep us in it, Lambert and Mayuka on in the second half to give us the edge.

Let's not forget, West Ham have got their best line-up out there and are not threatening too much, we've still got more to come but are controlling the game.

The set-pieces are worrying though!

 

Puncheon is looking very lively!! and the one person looking to craft us a goal at present!

 

Hooiveld looking very impressive. Yoshida been much more comfortable than he was vs Fulham but appalling going forward - needs to play it more simple.

 

How's J-Rod looking? I'm stuck at work.

 

Was looking our best attacker in first 25 minutes but has been starved for service since.

 

So far, so good. I'll take that. And unlike West Ham, we've still got our main striker to come on.

I have though been breaking out in cold sweats every time WH get a free kick or corner.

 

West Ham's super fans booed them off at half time.

 

I'm usually happy!

 

The tactics are pretty spot on here. Fonte, Hooiveld, Davis and Schneiderlin are doing their jobs very well. Carroll has had none of the ball. We're not doing very well at getting into the West Ham box, but everything else is going well. The inevitable introduction of Lambert will be interesting.

 

Good performance so far...Hooiveld and Fonte doing really well. West Ham will wake up sooner or later so we need to concentrate for the full 90

 

Absolutely spot-on assessment in my book. J-Rod is in there to do the running up top with Rickie coming on for the last 25/30 mins. I think we've looked pretty solid so far, although Jarvis does look a threat down their left

 

Nobody having a bad game from our point of view, barring the nervous start, Carroll has been anonymous, similar to when we played Bent and Benteke for Villa, expect Rickie to come on and change the game! Adkins has got it spot on so far IMO, I wish fans would wait to see how the game turns out before questioning his decisions. Surely you realised this after the Man City game?

 

Beautiful, it's like a flash-back to last season.

 

Boruc is going to need to pull off some super saves if he wants to start against spurs in my book. Gazza and Davis look better so far.

 

Tell me about it mate.

I'm usually a very level-headed supporter, can calmly watch games and always have. But Saints so far in the prem, cor, my heart has been racing almost non-stop for every game we've played! And when West Ham get a corner I'm on the edge of cardiac arrest.

Very good first half I think, West Ham still only look like a threat from set-pieces, we've had no real cutting edge but still more dangerous than them, better on the ball and controlling the game. Let's not forget this is one of the toughest away games we'll play all season, and we're still in it at half time with our best attacking options on the bench. I don't think we're a shoe-in for a comfortable win, but we're in a good position to go and take something from this game, and that's all you can ask for.

 

Erm bit harsh to say that after 45 minutes where he hasn't conceded.

 

He made a mistake in the opening minutes, but he's been fine since then. He made one catch from a corner which I think Davis and Gazza may have struggled with.