Slaven Bilic didn’t mention his name but it’s clear who and what West Ham are missing at the moment!
Discussing the display against Hull he was again on the Andy Carroll issue and how we must help him become more effective.
He explained: “When it’s not going well you are trying to find something and you see Andy Carroll is doing everything. He is winning the balls, but he looks isolated and you think we will be much better if we can get someone who has good runs around him.
The name that immediately springs to mind of course is the missing Diafra Sakho but he is ruled out until probably the Crystal Palace game on January 14 although there is a danger of him being selected for the Senegal Afcon. Hopefully that will not present a club v country battle in mid Janiary when the tournament opens.
Bilic admitted that in the meantime Michail Antonio is likely to fill be breach as he did on Saturday but said: “You miss him a bit on the sides, because he can also make a cross, but we opted to have that type of combination to work them.
“Basically, you could see after ten minutes of the second half when Antonio had a couple of sprints, that it lifted everybody up. The crowd was up and we started to play much better.”
All true but it makes the point of how essential Sakho’s runs into the channels are to West Ham and we looked a far better team when he was around than we have since – he truly is our missing link.
Get well soon Sak but hopefully a week after the African Nations Cup tournament kicks off.
if slaven has finally realised pace is an issue, it can only be a good thing.
I hope the Fletcher rumours to Leeds are pie in the sky too as he is definitely someone who should be getting more of a chance at the moment.And Toni Martinez is just a natural goalscorer and surely now is the time to get him at least on the bench for the first team.Come January and no doubt we will acquire a new striker plus Sakho will be back so if not now then when will these young lads get a chance.?
Yep finished with a hatrick and an assist, can’t see how he can be worse than what we have seen this season, there may be a gulf of difference between u23 and PL but he averages more than a goal a game now I think, if I am correct there may have been one game he didn’t score in… yet when Zaza and Callieri were failing he has never yet been near the bench, what message does that send out to the u23’s ? Marcus Browne has also performed really well for the u23’s, Quina has performed well but looks a little lightweight at this stage, it must be said at that level we have a very good squad who pass and move the ball really well. Burke who is injured was often playing RB for Wigan so I wonder if he will fill that role in the first team ?
Sakho is only part of the problem the lack of pace is the problem, last season we had Sakho, Valencia, Moses, Jenkinson (briefly) Kouyate and Antonio, this season Kouyate is a CB, Antonio an RB or sometimes no 9/10 the others have either gone or been loaned out. We need more pace, more aggression and a system / players that allows us to counter attack effectively. We are akin to a worm at the moment, in that we move slowly forward are incredibly soft and ultimately toothless.
Just watching the PL2 game via the site updates if that is the correct terminolog Martinez already has two goals, why the hell hasn’t he got near the first team bench, he scores every game that he plays….
The arguement about Sakho or China Doll has been done to death but give me a fit Sacko over a fit China Doll every day of the week in this team.
Sorry Doll lovers,only my opinion 😉😁
4 4 2 . End of .
Yes, we are definitely missing Diafra, and Antonio is not the answer through the middle. He spirit is amazing but he is sometimes a headless chicken when going on his mazy runs. On at least two of his 60 yds runs v Hull he could have passed to Ayew but run into trouble and they came straight back at us. I do not understand why Fletcher isn’t being given more game time?
Surely he was worth a punt up front with Carrol first and Ayew secondly. Who knows it might start a revolution.
As Morecombe and Wise would say – We have all the right players, but they are not necessarily playing in the right position.
Unfortunately, the luckiest 6 points any team in the history of football, that we just got will give Slavin another 4 weeks to further destroy the confidence of the most skilful WHU team ever.
Those 4 weeks could send us down. Slavin’s record since last seasons home cup defeat to Mau U is the worst ever. And why – because he forces players to play in unnatural positions to play he’s formation – rather than play in a formation that suits the players.
For instance – if you don’t know – he is playing last seasons most dangerous attacking midfielder at ‘right middle full back’ – neither one thing more another. Every team we play now plays their fastest play down their left ! We can all see it, but Slavin has no idea.
How long have you been supporting ( or a fan of ) West Ham United ??
The most skillful WhU team ever ; please !!
Reckon you need to talk to a few people , or maybe your older mates .