Niall McDonald – the CandH ratings man kept a very close eye on the pre-match warm ups before tonight’s game after noticing the Spurs preparation was a lot more intense than West Ham’s a couple of weeks back.
Wondering if it was a one off he took another look this evening – here’s what he saw!
19:15 – I arrive at the stadium and find Arsenal all out already, first team and subs underway with their warm-ups
19:25 – our team emerges…
19:30 – the activity starts with some gentle jogging, while Arsenal are in a session of sharp, close passing
19:35 – we pair off and begin a sequence of gentle passing back and forth
19:37 – our subs stroll out onto the pitch and start a very relaxed exercise of standing in a circle about 2 yards from each other and passing the ball around – I’m reminded of doing similar with my son when he was about 5
19:39 – first team get together again on the far side for some stretches and some close passing. Down the other end, Arsenal are now set up in full formation practising building from the back, spreading the wide and then into the box for the attackers to finish
19:42 – Arsenal practising ‘full back overlapping his wide player’ moves
19:43 – Balbuena and Ogbonna are now clipping 45 yard long balls to each other. Noble and Rice busy doing the same. I notice Fredericks doesn’t seem to have anyone to pass to
19:45 – Antonio and the other attackers practising shots, all taking them from a central position, 20 yards from goal – how many of these situations will arise in the game?
19:46 – First team now doing some sharp shuttle runs, subs doing some very gentle stretches. Arsenal still raining shots in on their goal
19:47 – And that’s it! We’re off back to the changing rooms after, what, 20 mins??!!!
19:50 – Arsenal head back into the warm as well, having been out for pretty much twice as long and doing a sight more when they were out there
Result – more and more defensive mistakes in the second half and a lack of energy and enthusiasm from a tiring Hammers team.
I rest my case!
So why were they worse than us in the 1st half ?
Because they were crap
I’ve noticed this myself, the players are getting away with murder, they can’t even get the basics right.
The players should be ashamed of themselves yet again.
Somebody please tell me that is the final straw as far as pellegrini goes.That was truly awful against the worst Arsenal team I have seen in 40 years.Not one player deserves a mention tonight.as it was appalling and no manager can survive that.They look totally done in and it will only continue unless a fresh manager comes in.
That is the worst shambles of an Arsenal team I have seen in 40+ years the fact we were worse than them is a disgrace. Get Pellegrini out before he does an Abram Grant with this team. Antonio was clearly dead on his feet at half time after putting a shift in first half !!! I felt sorry for Rice, Ogbonna and Fornals who put 100% in. If we don’t get MP out sharpish we could lose Rice. As supporters we should expect a lot more than that and it’s clear the players have lost faith with MP and he shows us nothing, let him go immediately please !!!
That was bad …my god Ive never seen a team lacking in ideas ,desire and motivation..it was just plain awful..slow isn’t a word to the way we play my god I’m just shocked.
A real embarrassment
I was also a witness to this, and saw similar at the spurs game.
Pellegrini is a fraud.
Cresswell going off really didn’t help us. It had been his best game for us for a while. Meanwhile, Masuaku is definitely not a proper left back. Either play him as a wing-back or a winger…. We need someone else to challenge in that position.
Why did we not keep attacking and putting pressure on after we go 1 up . They are paid to compete for 90+ minutes not 50 where’s the motivation . It takes the p***s out of the fans lazy you only win games with commitment . There either not listening to Pelligrini or the systems wrong or they don’t want to play for him which in any case isn’t professional not good enough .
Totally agree Mark. I’m still in shock. Hate to admit it but I think we need to get Moyes back to try and help us avoid relegation (again!)
I am fuming 😤 worse Arsewall side I have seen in my time and we’re we’re actually worse!!!!
Been a Season ticket holder for 16 years and this will be my final year. I can’t take another minute of this dross. Overpaid, overpriced players, that have skelator for motivation. I will love West Ham from a far, but for me, the real West Ham dies in 2016. RIP ⚒
Bring back Big Sam.. This playing from the back nonsense is all BS. Knock the ball forward, get your center forward involved all the time and have 2-3 players picking up the loose/ 2nd balls. We need a complete re think of the tactics because our muppet directors don’t have the money to make us Man City!! We’re Everton, Bolton Wanderers, we’re an average 10th place team and always will be until we get billionaire investors. The 3 muppet directors are so proud strutting around the disaster of a stadium. Meanwhile true fans, loyal fans of many decades KNOW in their hearts these 3 have destroyed our club!!!
I TRULY hope we go down and these muppets lose millions upon millions!!!
Absolutely rubbish. Get rid MP now so someone else can have an impact against Southampton. It still baffles me why hes not tried 2 up in a partner with Haller-it cant get any worse. I am really losing faith in WH, and can quite Honestly say, you could not give me tickets to watch that crap.
We have always been an unfit team. I can’t remember which player came to the club in recent years and straight away said how soft the training was. Nothing has changed under MP
our team was all knackered after an hour, fitness is shocking