West Ham 3 AFC Bournemouth 5
Bowen grabbed a couple and was excellent again
It was a game which inevitably was played in the long shadow of the Grady Diangana affair for surely none of us can surely remember a time when a squad has made its feeling so publicly clear on a player’s departure.
They had the right but there was no real excuse for the level of performance they put in after a previously strong pre-season.
It was a game which also saw us missing key players in Fabianski, Rice, Soucek and Yarmolenko but that cannot be used as an excuse – West Ham were a mess and often embarrassing today.
We went from two down to 2-2 courtesy of a couple from Jarrod Bowen, to 5-2 down before Robert Snodgrass showed us what we had been missing from his corners with a beauty flick-headed home superbly by Felipe Anderson.
In between times the newly relegated Cherries were the far better and more composed team often leaving us chasing shadows.
Ben Johnson was hauled off after three terrible tackles and a yellow card, looking like a major sufferer from his former under 23 mate’s departure to West Brom.
Issa Diop finally returned and looked shockingly rusty in the early stages but grew into things a little more later on. HOWEVER FIVE GOALS AGAINST SPEAKS FOR ITSELF.
If ever a message that we need back four men were hammered home it was this afternoon. We can discuss forever whether the funds should have been raised by Diang’s departure which has sent a horrible “we’re skint” message to the rest of the Premier League.
But unless some arrive regardless we are right to have a feeling of serious dread before the season starts,
Elsewhere Pablo Fornals kept his standard high, Mark Noble sprayed his passes around, Lanzini was taken off as a precaution, Antonio, was occasionally threatening, Bowen was excellent and Haller was ok-ish.
If the players are still struggling under the Diang departure they need to shake it off before Newcastle. For the fans it’s clearly going to run and run.
On the basis of what we saw today, the end seems night before a ball is kicked in anger and that has to change very fast indeed.
It certainly was pretty poor, although we played good footie the last 20 minutes of the first half. On a positive note, if anyone can get the lads back to focusing on the team and get that all important winning mentality, then it’s the guys we have in the coaching set up. Bear in mind the last few days have been a shambles but they have time to start acting like men again instead of looking like lost muppets in the wood. Under MP I’d have said we were doomed with a performance like today, but under DM, Pearce, Nolan et al, they certainly have the ability to get the squad playing like we know they can.
Simply awful defending, lethargic approach play, Too easily outmanoeuvred.
Today’s match showed how reliant we now are on Rice and Soucek. Without them there is no cover for the back four and no competition for the ball in midfield.
What was our shape? 4-1-3-2? Looked like 4-0-6. Through balls destroyed us in the first half.
Diagana is just another excuse these players could use.
That’s the DNA of these players, find something to moan about or blame.
No doubt they will be on the website saying we learnt a lot, a good exercise, it’s a warm up.
Bottom line is this group can’t defend, nothing has changed.
They need a new keeper as well.
This is not knee jerk I think everyone knows it.
Let’s remember Diagana hasn’t really played so they can’t miss him.
All this result does is make them more desperate to find players and pushes the prices up when we come calling.
Maybe more than ever underlines that the defence is where the recruitment is needed. As Moyes has openly stated. Not another midfielder.
If you want prove of how much were going to miss Diangana, that was it. No threat at all down the left hand side. For a lot of last season we were saying we don’t have any players that have the pace and skill to unlock defences. And it looked like that again today. Diangana was that player. Just take a look at this game and compare it to the Ipswitch match. Diangana made two goals out of nothing. Laying both on a plate for Haller. Not only that but he has the speed and energy to cover when defending. Compare that to Anderson wondering around the pitch without a care in the world. I know I keep going on about it, but this stupid sale will cost us dear, for years to come. Especially when we will constantly see him performing well. We sold the wrong player. We should have sold Anderson.
Still think the bigger prob is at the back – no clean sheets at all yet against chsp clubs
You can’t sell someone who nobody want’s to buy, how many bloody times do you need to be told???
We aren’t going to buy anyone and if we do they won’t be worth having, what is the point of selling a player with youth and positivity to again keep a overpaid has been who doesn’t care (proved by last seasons performances), we are skint! At least we can keep paying overpaid players and selling youth players until we are Non-League 😂
Oh dear I watched the game and I wish I had not. The feeling of dread is so true we played like a Sunday football team who has had its heart cut out.
I don’t know where we go from here but yes the writing is on the wall relegation is going to be starring us right in the face again.
I cannot understand why a player would want to come to a club where it’s lost it’s soul the fan base is so angry and the board has sent a message we are skint no investment.
I still pondering whether to spend a lot of my money renewing my season ticket or just watch it on the Telly.
I cannot afford luxuries now and maybe today’s performance has told me to stay at home. I bet there must be thousands like me sadly 😢
Steve Bruce will be rubbing his hands with glee waiting to unleash his speedster at that appalling defence.We knew there would be a player revolt following the **** storm caused by Diang gate and God it showed today on the pitch.Perfect preparation or what.
Total dark days at West Ham again. What a pathetic display by a bunch of overpaid footballers. Only players with class today were … Jarrod & Josh.
From Martin, Diop, Ben J …. to Haller ????????
And then the substitutions, taking off Jarrod etc …. that was where I stopped watching. Goodness gracious. Only God can help us out of this pit.
sorry … Pablo F again showed great improvement and sharpness …. !!!
Admittedly didn’t watch the game, sounds like I did the right thing swerving it!
But am I the only one out there struggling to understand why we are looking at centre backs?
Yes we are leaking goals (why always have since I’ve been watching them) and started to bang a few in since lockdown but with only Haller and Antonio (who love an injury miss season) and Silva reported to be going in loan, priority should still be a striker for me, then some full backs and then if any pennies left fabianski’s replacement.
I think the CB personnel should be good enough albeit one of them needs to have those leadership qualities Winston Reid had. To waste probably all our kitty on tarkowski seems more ludicrous than selling diang.
I rest my case 64…long long season mate ..dian gate gas caused more problems than they know
Indeed .After scraping survival you would think they had learnt but no it will be the same old same old until eventually the drop will come.
They are grown men paid more in week than most of us earn in years! Get over it and put in a shift!!
Too true. Noble will be stripped of the captaincy for his comments and his play. Worse, he has likely he has blown any chance of staying on with the coaching staff. The rest mostly embarrassed themselves.
Terrible , where’s the fight and spirit gone , Diang goes and we’re like lost souls. No investment, no incomings . Defenders are needed quick , however I can see it now GS pocket the money then say we tried to get our targets but missed out . What again what a shock that would be.
This wasn’t just a friendly it was “help yourself” football. Unfortunately, Diangana has gone. So the players don’t approve? Neither do we, mate. But don’t just roll over. Truly pathetic and uninspiring performances all over the place – except for a precious few.
Show some pride in the shirt!
Today was all the evidence you need that the back four is the problem. They were shocking, every one of them. Johnson had his worst showing but he is young and this is what happens with youngsters. The biggest problem however was the centre of midfield today. Bournemouth constantly passed the ball out from the back and were through our midfield before they reached our half and the biggest culprit was Noble. He was constantly out of position too far up the pitch.
Fredericks was terrible, so was Diop and Cresswell. Spend the Diang money on CB and full backs and with Rice and Soucek fit we will hopefully be much better