I’ve decided to join the Andy Carroll debate which has been concentrating minds since last Sunday and before.
But let me get this out of the way first, the performance against Spurs was horrible and I don’t really want to think about it for long. Sadly for Andy it just didn’t work for him and in fact hasn’t since he came back into the team.
I’m honestly not sure if he is fully fit but whether he is or not, the fact remains that West Ham – who have been producing the unpredictable this season – were thoroughly predictable at White Hart Lane.
I agree 100 per cent with those who say Sakho must go through the middle – that’s as clear as day after last weekend and was even before his lay off.
I don’t see how that leaves a place for Carroll – who is without doubt a very good player – in the team
He was fine under Sam Allardyce because that was the way the previous manager played but we are a changed team under Slav.
I’m hoping that Alex Song is fit and if so would play him in a midfield five of himself, Kouyate, Lanzini, Obiang and Moses.
Songy is capable of providing the craft and guile we hare missing as a result of Payet’s absence and that midfield behind Sakho up front looks strong.
It forces Kouyate into a holding role in front of the back four unfortunately but the midfield looks strong and has goals in it.
I think I’d stay with Jenkinson at right back for now whilst bringing back Ogbonna alongside Reid with Cresswell on the left of course.
We need a top performance after last weekend. It really was awful and we want no more displays like that this season.
Pretty much agree but not on the jenks and moses starting !!!!!
One is a player who is a defender who is not a defender and the other is one of the worst defending work rates I’ve seen in the prem ??
Games are won and lost in midfield and moses does not do enough defending and offencively on a game to game analysis,
He is in my opinion over paid and overrated !!! Hence the continued loan outs and not being good enough for Chelsea !!!
The guy buy performance is more cold than hot !!! Fact !!
I would like to give Antonio a chance , but there seems to be a problem there ! What else could there be for not giving him his chance ??? Baffeling really !!
Same as, no Jenks but the other 10 perfect,
And if Moses does not.cut it give Antonio ago and bring A C on if needed later on
Oxford as cover on the bench with Jenks and Zarate,
The front 3 would have a lot of freedom to create and Kouyate could have more freedom
You no it makes sense Slav
Why was this article even written when it contains nothing that many of us ‘mere mortals’ haven’t already written scores of times.
The only part that should keep getting brought up was in bulbs reply about Antonio
It was written because believe it or not his view is as relevant even as the exalted Canchaz
No need to be nasty Hugh but when a point has been made about a subject over and over, is there really any value to yet another post on it. It would have had value as part of a combined effort to try and get the ‘powers that be’ to take notice of what so many could see, which was the reason for mine and many others, but not now
In my view it’s not naty merely pointing out that as a striker Frank McAvennie’s view is as valid and probably more so than yours or mine. Yours too wasn’t the most pleasant response I’ve read. Give it take it
Exalted Canchaz.Yep,if ever a man rates his own statements as gospel it is Canchaz!!
Would far prefer to read an Ex-Pros view on things than The Gospel According To Canchaz!!!
I am a little concerned at the tone we are taking here, Hugh.
May we have fewer ex-players – no matter how exalted – and more consideration, please?
For instance, we need to give Lanzini more than one match to bed in his new role as chief playmaker, and we need to think about Kouyaté’s destructive powers further up the pitch perhaps.
To be frank – no pun intended – the situation with Carroll is neither here nor there if we can’t get these things right.
There is far too much basic ignorance about basic footballing stuff at the moment. For instance, did you know that Lansing is the third best passer in the Premier League? Or that if we take their best form, Noble, Song, Reid and Kouyaté have it in them to form the most powerful tackling quartet in the League – better even than Tottenham’s crew? No, I thought not.
We have the makings of a fine team here. But there is FAR too much undignified whining going on. We all need to take a deep breath, shut the **** up, and put our shoulders to the wheel right behind our beloved Slaven!
In my opinion, of course. 😉
Yes in your opinion mate. These pages are open to everybody and Frank McAvennie’s views will always be welcome. Given both were strikers and one our most exalted, his view is very relevant
As far as I can see Lanzini is included in the midfield and what Macca is saying is that he and Song can work together in a similar fashion to L and Payet. He is also saying that someone has to sit in front of the defence and that Kouyate is clearly the candidate. Truly don’t understand your points
*Lanzini
Excuse me.
If you have Obiang in the line up then surely he sits alongside Song in front of the defence with Kouyate in front of them.He’s a goal threat and needs to be near WBA’s goal.
I think Antonio should be playing in this game.
Adrian
Tomkins Reid Obiang Cresswell
Song
Antonio Kouyate Lanzini
Zarate
Sakho
We need to put them on the back foot.
Zarate for his craft and pace but if he isn’t putting in a shift then Obiang can come in and push Kouyate further up.