Slaven Bilic knows precisely what’s wrong with the under-performing Hammers – the same as any club at any level of the game which has forgotten how to win!
And that’s why he hopes the victory over Burnley was a brick in the wall – despite being precariously perched and in danger of falling out – and will set them up nicely for the weekend game against Hull City.
The Tigers – now second off bottom after a 3-0 drubbing last night – are probably the perfect opponents at this stage of proceedings but the Hammers need to play with far more confidence than we’ve seen over recent games.
The manager – assessing the performance – spoke for all of us when he explained he hopes the Burnley result will help his players get over what he considers their fear of winning. He compared their mentality to a ‘cramp’ — a side so low on confidence they are hampered even when ahead.
He said: ‘I saw that cramp in the second half. ‘They were afraid of winning. It’s normal. It happens to most clubs who are under-achieving and we were before the game.
‘It can only go away with climbing up the table. Hopefully, this should put us in a position on Saturday so we go with less cramp and more confidence. We can only get rid of it with wins.”
Anyone who has played the game knows he is right.
Thought we were booing Noble when he went off !! He is absolutely dire and nearly missed the pen . He contributes nothing . … can’t pass forward , can’t run ,can’t head , can’t shoot and couldn’t lead a troupe of Girl Guides .
Totally agree GW he is quickly becoming our ray wilkins!.
Been to every home and away game mate and he has been shocking when he’s played. He slows the pace down to a crawl with his sideways and backwards passing and as for his captaincy don’t get me started 🙂
I hate to knock the player who has been so loyal over the years but i couldn’t even clap him when he went off last night.
Maybe it’s time to rest him and give the armbad to reid.
I was clapping Bas was happy to see him off the pitch shame it was 5 mins from the end and not 5 minutes from the start, you weren’t one of the guys sitting next to me in row 70 were you he was making me laugh with Ray Wilkins comments about Noble 😀
No that wasn’t me 32 i’m in 63/128.
The problem is Mr West Ham in midfield and until we see Kouyote playing alongside Obiang and bombing forward to get onto one of Carrol’s flick ons instead of captain illustrious standing in midfield marvelling at one of his 3 foot sideways pass or watching midfielders running past him nothing will change. 🙂
Yes, I read this story in the Mail this morning too – it’s true that West Ham were hesitant and had little pace in the attack last night.
The whole ‘Andy Carroll’ problem was demonstrated over and over again as well last night – when he’s in the team you’re forced to play to his strengths and hoof the ball up to him, he wins it in the air but there’s never anybody there to pick up the pieces – takes you back to the old BFS days but we no longer have Kevin Nolan to profit from Carroll’s strengths – Bilic has got to sort out this problem and use Andy Carroll in a more strategic way, maybe more as an impact Sub when the opposition are tiring rather than as a a starter.
The other thing that is on my mind is the use of Kouyate, the Team are in bad need of his pace, drive and athleticism and it’s being wasted in the Defence, I think he’s got to be used in Midfield and Bilic has to find other solutions to the Defensive problem.
By and large that was last seasons team last night.He should know how to motivate that group of players.
I like Bilic but,why persist with the 3 at the back,there’s clearly a reluctance,to play the 4-2-3-1 top heavy,high pressing that suited so well last year.
I hope we go for the jugular against Hull.Having said that three points were vital.COYI