I’m always grouchy when I have to stay awake, in part explanation of the nit-picking review of last night’s tepid friendly. After a few hours’ sleep, I’ve had a chance to consider the pre-season so far and believe that this is one of those moments of a football club and all those who follow it arriving at a crossroads and pausing, looking fondly behind at what is about to be discarded before marching forward and embracing the brave now world.
As with any big evolution, there was, on occasion, an almost palpable fear of change visible: The players on show had difficulty in letting go of habitual mistakes, slow to start and later reverting to a flat back five and dropping off, high-press and possession forgotten in the moment.
It was almost a final chance to see those deficiencies exhibited before they are banished in the Lopetegui-coached future which beckons. Giving the ball away, backing off, defending deeper and deeper as the second half wore on – all too familiar flaws being displayed for one last time like a cigarette smoker taking one last fond drag, before discarding the butt and the packet forever.
Playing out the game in a sparsely-populated stadium which reminded me of those awful covid restrictions of yore, that combination of starters and replacements won’t be performing together much longer as the wind of change sweeps through the dressing room in London Stadium. At a rough guess, eight different names will be on the team sheet come the Aston Villa Premier League curtain raiser.
So, rather than be critical, I choose to bid a fond farewell. It will take time to complete the change, but we should embrace the potential. A high-press game, putting pressure on the ball rather than dropping off, using slick, one-touch passing to keep the ball instead of relinquishing possession. These are all drills we’ve seen in fleeting moments and in videos of training sessions.
And the attacking force we are assembling will have the ability to dismantle just about any defence in the Premier League. Exciting stuff indeed.
New players with new skills are about to arrive, and some of those ‘old faithfuls’ will be sold or discarded. Some will be painful good-byes, others less so.
Tim’s done his bit, now our Head Coach really starts to earn his money, gelling together a squad with some targeted players still unsigned (and even still under negotiation!) with just 14 days to go. So I’ll do my best to avoid rushing to snap judgments and see how our Hammers are doing by Christmas.
Like me, I hope the West Ham supporters will give this new butterfly time to emerge from its chrysalis: What is clear is that the ugly caterpillar will be no more.
Very good assessment, it’s always hard to change from one mode of ‘playing’ to another, I am very hopeful that the previous mode will be forgotten and that we can look forward to games instead of dreading them.
Here’s to the future!
Open football and not strangulation!
The idea of playing possession football is a good one but trying it with the likes of Cresswell and Soucek is pie in the sky. I’m concerned that Kilman alone cannot cover the back if he has to play with Aguerd and Mavropanos
Agree, I am waiting for a new CB recruit to appear on the radar. Surely both Mav or Aguerd have been found out as ‘average’ at best? I was a fan of both but they just make so many costly mistakes. Would rather have a new CB than a Striker to be honest.
Yes indeed, so then let’s hope the Moyes brigade has taken the last puffs of their bitter fangs which has embarressed the WH fans, and got us many losses.
May we soon see the end of such pathetic performances by the Moyes blue eyed boys, and see that replaced with a team showing stronger passion, fitter bodies, and a better game plan that will get us greater achievements than a tin cup.
We look forward to better team in the J-Lo era that will make the club and its fans proud again.
God bless West Ham
‘The last puffs of their bitter fangs’. What does that even mean?!
Think he probably meant ‘fags’? as in Benson and Hedges..
Yeah totally agree it has to be better than what we see last season getting stuffed by London clubs I went to most of them games this new season I’m am looking forward to seeing with a new change of tactics plus players coming in j lo may realise some of how players can’t play to his system only moyes slower coyi
It was always going to take time to take to jlo’s football , under moyes , we was a complete defensive unit , now they got to try to play possession based football , Christmas time is the right time to pass judgement.
A good article Martin and one I agree with.
Great to see some positive optimism. I have grown tired of gloom and doom merchants,everyone is entitled to their own opinion and I have no doubt they will be out in force if we don’t beat villa 6-0 in our first game. I have been a season ticket holder since 1978 so have been equally excited and disappointed over the years. This year I’m excited and the let’s see how we are doing at Christmas is a good shout
I am old enough to have started in 1958, Ciicken run also before getting season ticket from Brian Dear (NOT FREE !! ) in the new stand. So like you many many downs and a few ups as well over a long period. Somehow Stedlen felt like a new era and has really proved his worth. A week ago i was ‘twitchy’ but 7 days later what a dramtic chnage, Sorry Mr Stedten that i had few doubts. We as fans MUST give Jalo a reasonable chance and Xmas seems like a good ‘trial’. Without doubt the most exciting pre season in my long WH allegiance.
COYH
I shared your ‘twitchiness’.. happy to admit that I also had my doubts.
This is a new era and there are 2 situations to overcome. Firstly intigrating new players into both the team and the PL. Secondly a completely different way to play. As Martin B said Christmas at the earliest to see how it’s all working but as much as I’m looking forward to the new season my expectations of our season is a progressive one.
Yep the “be careful what you wish for” Merchants are just waiting to pounce. Christmas is a good shout
We all know certain media outlets are waiting for us to fall flat on our faces and start the nonsense about the stupidity of getting rid of Moyes….Don’t bite just stay calm and let the team evolve…anyone with an ounce of sense knows this is not going to be a quick fix but the game last night was for some i do not doubt a last throw of the dice before Jlo tells Tim who to get shot of.
Next weeks match against Celta Vigo we will see a very different looking West Ham side and one that will be as close to our starting line up as possible.
It’s going to take time, and he needs it. Personally I didn’t really want J-Lo but he needs time and there is plenty of more technically gifted players to come back who should be able to adapt to the new style better. I have the faith!!
I was thinking along the same lines Martin. I think January will be when we see a real change, before would be great but it will.take a while to coach Moyseball out of some of the team.
The future though looks bright, the future is claret and blue!
COYI!!
Looking forward to it immensely
This is a transition season going from a low block , defensive, low possession football. You could see some players panic last season if they held onto the ball too long and just kicked it up field to get rid of it. Too a possession based , high press, front foot football. I’m not really expecting much this season because of the transition. There are going to be ups and downs all season. Have some patience, believe in the project and see how we go. It’s going to take a bit of time but we’ll get there.
I read a Brian Clough book years and years ago
The that stuck in my mind was a few pages in which he said that when a new manager takes over a team the months/year are basically the previous managers team and style. I hope Cloughie was wrong about the time frame
The defensive mindset that our previous manager employed will take time to overcome.
December seems like a good time to consider our progress.
Some people will show zero patience with the manager and key signings. It’ll begin after the Villa game if it goes badly.
In defence, especially, it’s going to take time for them to click and work as a unit.
Christmas is a reasonable time to reflect on where we are.
We still need another classy centre back to go with the other signings we have made, we must get the wanbissaka deal done as well if the outfield players have confidence in their defence they will be more confidant and be able to be more expressive in their play especially when attacking. Confidence breeds success.
Wan-Bissaka was injured in Man u’s friendly. Cannot believe they started him
Good article and nicely balanced
Too many already calling doom and gloom where you rightly say only 3 from last night likely to start at villa
I referred to many about the tale of Bournemouth last season. Started out terribly when trying to risky adapt their style under a new manager, but by about 1/3 way through the season it clicked. I’m recording a slow start especially with so many new signings. I agree about Christmas
Sorry about too many autocorrect typos
But you get my drift
Tim hasn’t done his bit yet, we haven’t signed enough defenders, we need a right back and another left back. Cresswell is not a reliable starter, defending has never been Emerson’s strong point, Coufal needs cover and as for our cb’s they are not good enough or at least all out of form, will give Kilman time to settle in but the others look like they have all got mistakes in them. Our attack aren’t scoring more than a goal a game and like last season, we are conceding three plus a game. Lopetegui has been very vocal we need to stop conceding goals, part of that will be holding the ball for longer the other part is to make fewer mistakes that are gifting opponents goals. Hopefully we get Guido Rodriguez over the line as he will provide a bit of cover, Paqueta if his head is in the right place is good at winning the ball back as is Alvarez, we can’t rely on Summerville to do a lot of that, Kudus isn’t renowned for it either, so a lot of coaching required on how we press as a team to stop a lot of the negative aspects that Moyes couldn’t achieve. I wonder the influence of some of these players on that because it has been a trend for 2.5 seasons now, nearlyevery game we lost we gave away through mistakes rather than the other teams scoring good goals.
Some of the players we have were bought specifically for Moyes style of play. Lopetigui may be able to coach the team to how he wants to play but for some players at the club it might be like putting square pegs into round holes. I see the likes of Soucek being moved on towards the end of the season. Hopefully it won’t take too long for Lopetigui to stamp his philosophy on the team, especially if Steidten continues to recruit one or two more players that will fit into the new head coaches system.
I agree with you, 100%, we were supposedly a ‘defensively set up team’ but we conceded far too many goals, why was this ? Quite simply the players playing in deference are not good enough, and as you say , they have far too many mistakes in them, they also lacked pace ie coufal and cresswell, i like both players, and both players are decent going forward and can deliver a decent ball but too many times they were out of position and unable to get back once possession was given up which was a regular occurrence.
I dread to think how many times we let in more than 3 goals a game, sitting too deep just invites pressure and eventually you will just get picked off with the correct pass behind the lines. Hopefully we will change the mindset and it will take time for a new game plan to be adapted to , as you say lets see by Christmas , but as we know football is a ‘results business’ last year we looked decent until christmas but how i dont know , we had a few freak results and certainly got the rub of the green, we were very lucky and i think our league position was flattering, will the west ham faithful be patient and let the evolution progress?
Fortunes always hiding….. ⚒
Very well said and fair comment i’d say, wait and see instead of condemnation at this early stage
I am genuinely excited. We look to be investing in youth and pace. Like all teams it does take time to gel when you get new players. I am certainly going to be patient and if we could get a couple of the Accademy players playing as well (even off the bench). I just want West Ham to cherish the ball but also be brave. And when we haven’t got it we hunt for it back. Let us all not lose heart because of a couple of friendlies back the manager and let us back the team. I’ve got this feeling that’s going to be exciting. 😃