Half time: Irons 2 Lusiantos 0
Mauro Zarate, Reece Oxford and Matt Jarvis were the stand out performers as the Irons went back to the West Ham Way to hold a 2-0 half time lead.
On a warm and hid night with the players barely back into the old routine, the team were pushing the ball around on the deck from the start and looking a million miles from the lump it and hump it we have seen for so long.
Zarate’s jinking runs took him past players at will and he was regularly fouled by a Lusiantos team with little to offer than a “bus ” they parked at the back.
Oxford, meanwhile was entirely composed and did indeed look like a younger Rio Ferdinand as he sprayed simple balls left and right and took up god defensive position.
Matt Jarvis on the left flank also went past men with ease and set up a series of decent crosses before Sakho headed home in the 40th minute and drilled home a second on half time.
Think now, it confirms the suspicion that Slavic intends to give Zarate the chance he never had under Sam, before we go looking for a fourth striker.
Zarate shifted that two stone that he was overweight fast that someone mentioned in the last couple of days.I would take being two stone over me limit if i looked like that,lol
Good show from the kids. Full time & the pitch was full of our academy. Could save the club £m”s super slav’s army 100% win ratio lol 😀
Haha,yeah was great to see some of the kids.Only playing part-timers so we shouldnt get carried away but they did themselves proud.Nice to see.Big step up from tonight to Prem though 😉
Ball played on ground, youngsters showing promise , Zarate showing touches of class where were these players last year ?oh that’s right they were there already just blatantly ignored due to not towing the hippo line…
Poyet was motm. Always available and used it well. Struggling to see how Jarvis shone but pleased with the football that was played and Cullen looked fantastic when he came on. Tonks was solid and JOB played some great balls down the line to Amalfitano who looked like he could step up a gear all night but looked class. Zarate looked comfortable and Sakho stepped up when needed. Taken as a work out and showcase for the kids. Have to say their theatrics were embarrassing.
Cullen looked fantastic when he came on.You can only judge by what they were up against but he still looked like a terrific little player in the making.
Zarate looked good when he began each jinking run but showed a complete inability to release the ball or make a meaningful shot against very poor competition. Until he learns to play the killer pass or shoot when the opportunity arises or preferrably both I doubt he will be first choice in Slav’s team. It’s ok being flashy and having skill but if there is no end product then you are a waste of space in any team, I like him and think he has a future but he needs to stop thinking as an individual and start playing for the team.
Poyet and Cullem looked impressive,
Zarate needs to pick his moments,even Messi does not try to beat everyone every time,
That’s what will make him a great player,
Alfitano showed great dribbling skills as well
Jarvis had his best game ever and needs to show that confidence in the premier,
All round a very good team effort
Zarate has always been sidlined by that fuc*ing idiot called Allardyce, the same applies to Amalfitano and all young players. The fat man always found an excuse to justify his decisions. Fuc* you hipposaurus.
some of the kids looked good and did not freeze, but Zarate still aint good enough, you don’t become a good player over night he wasn’t good enough before and i don’t think he showed much , remember we were playing a pub side. Amalfitano had some nice touches but i don’t think Zarate will feature much more than a squad player this season
Its funny about Zarate,i aint his biggest fan i must admit though i think he gives us something different but he gets savaged for being an average player,but this is a guy who has been at Inter,Lazio,West Ham.Whether he is success or not at these clubs is another matter.The fact is that he has played for some big clubs & you dont do that without being a decent player 😉