Mike Oxsaw 3:46 Sun Apr 25
Re: ⚽ West Ham v Chelsea (ExESL) - Official Match Thread

I suspect that had that red card been handed out to a "Big 6" club player, the media would still be so effervescent with rage there would be no room for any match reports today.

Burnhammeronsea 3:43 Sun Apr 25
Re: ⚽ West Ham v Chelsea (ExESL) - Official Match Thread

The hotline for Red Card appeals is open from 8am.to 5pm Monday to Friday on. 0800 keepwesthamintheirplace.

AKA ERNIE 3:32 Sun Apr 25
Re: ⚽ West Ham v Chelsea (ExESL) - Official Match Thread

Because pearce said on radio half hr ago we have not

Willtell 3:28 Sun Apr 25
Re: ⚽ West Ham v Chelsea (ExESL) - Official Match Thread

I dunno AKA ERNIE but maybe because their office only opens on Monday?

And how do you know we haven't anyway?

AKA ERNIE 3:04 Sun Apr 25
Re: ⚽ West Ham v Chelsea (ExESL) - Official Match Thread

Why have we not appealed red card yet ?

Mike Oxsaw 1:52 Sun Apr 25
Re: ⚽ West Ham v Chelsea (ExESL) - Official Match Thread

d) Board to keep it's fucking nose out of on-pitch issues. You've hired a manager, support him and let him fucking manage.

Nagel 1:17 Sun Apr 25
Re: ⚽ West Ham v Chelsea (ExESL) - Official Match Thread

"How does a club like WHU change that situation except gradually?"

Yes, it's a long term thing:

a) Don't appoint managers with completely different footballing styles and approaches who will require wholesale squad changes to perform effectively (eg Allardyce-Bilic-Moyes-Pellegrini-Moyes)

b) Don't hire a Director of Football who's there simply because he's the manager's mate and won't actually be his boss

c) Hire an independent Director of Football to oversee all managerial appointments and transfers

GreenStreetPlayer 1:16 Sun Apr 25
Re: ⚽ West Ham v Chelsea (ExESL) - Official Match Thread

And after such a poor start to the season. There was energy injected from the Soucek and Bowen signings that became instilled in other players. We became a mobile team capable of mixing it with the best.

Pagey 1:11 Sun Apr 25
Re: ⚽ West Ham v Chelsea (ExESL) - Official Match Thread

We really can’t forget just how far we’ve come this season and it truly is beyond anyone’s expectations as to what we we’re doing and the way we’re doing it. We’ve been fortunate with injuries up until the crucial moment in the season and the loss of Rice, Antonio and Cresswell was always going to hurt.

Whatever happens in the remainder of the season, we can’t let all the good work slip and it’s going to be a huge summer for Moyes. There are obvious players to move on and obvious positions that we need to strengthen. It was always going to be a slow process but we could be way ahead of schedule and some more astute business before next season could and should cement our place in the top 10. The main aim should be to never be involved in a relegation scrap again. We’re far too big a club for that.

Chelsea have spent an absolute fortune over the years and their new manager has built a defensive unit that is so hard to break down. The fact that we’re up there competing with them is a great sign and there are so many positives to take. That’s not to write off this season as there are still five big games left for us.

Willtell 1:07 Sun Apr 25
Re: ⚽ West Ham v Chelsea (ExESL) - Official Match Thread

Yesterday's game showed the difference in power of each club. We were without our Captain; lone striker; main threat on left flank - Masuaku and Cresswell.

We do not have adequate replacements so will lose out on tight games like this when our key players are injured. Our budget for players' wages is nothing when compared to the top clubs.

I feel another 5 points would have been possible from having better options in reserve so are still paying for Pellegrini's incompetence. How does a club like WHU change that situation except gradually?

Mex Martillo 1:03 Sun Apr 25
Re: ⚽ West Ham v Chelsea (ExESL) - Official Match Thread

And hopefully Cresswell and Masuaku will be back...

fraser 1:00 Sun Apr 25
Re: ⚽ West Ham v Chelsea (ExESL) - Official Match Thread

Hopefully it won't matter because we won't be playing five at the fucking back v Burnley..... CHARGE!

Mex Martillo 12:57 Sun Apr 25
Re: ⚽ West Ham v Chelsea (ExESL) - Official Match Thread

If I remember well Soucek’s red was rescinded on Thursday / Friday just in time for the next game at the weekend.

El Scorchio 12:51 Sun Apr 25
Re: ⚽ West Ham v Chelsea (ExESL) - Official Match Thread

So, how many days do we have to wait until Balbuena’s red card is rescinded?

southbankbornnbred 12:48 Sun Apr 25
Re: ⚽ West Ham v Chelsea (ExESL) - Official Match Thread

I’d have him on the bench, btw.

He’s certainly an option. Not sure he’s the solution. Hope I’m wrong.

theaxeman 12:48 Sun Apr 25
Re: ⚽ West Ham v Chelsea (ExESL) - Official Match Thread

Really disappointed but the reality is we are missing Antonio, Rice and to some extent Cresswell. We needed them yesterday.

threesixty 12:47 Sun Apr 25
Re: ⚽ West Ham v Chelsea (ExESL) - Official Match Thread

We didn’t lose because of the striker situation. There are time Antonio hasnt played and we still managed to score lots of goals.

We lost because we don’t have rice and Cresswell. Rice wins the midfield for us and brings us forward with pace, something noble can’t do. And Cresswell provides assists and is the best dead ball guy/ crosser we have.

Antonio is the icing on the cake yes. But I don’t think an average striker would have scored more goals than lingard has since Xmas. I think Moyes got that choice right.

I think if we can get in a euro place then the money saved will get us a proper striker next season.

southbankbornnbred 12:46 Sun Apr 25
Re: ⚽ West Ham v Chelsea (ExESL) - Official Match Thread

Mate - we also had no intent with Mipo upfront against Man Utd.

We can’t just play “potential”. It’s not Football Manager. This is real life, and our European hopes are on the line.

It would be a great story we’re it to come off (and there is a chance, of course), but largely untried 18 year-olds rarely come to the rescue in these situations. More commonly, their lack of experience makes things worse.

zico 12:42 Sun Apr 25
Re: ⚽ West Ham v Chelsea (ExESL) - Official Match Thread

One big difference I noticed yesterday was each teams approach when getting in wide areas. Chelsea opted for the pull back or a low driven cross, which ironically has caught us out for years, but worked well for them and if Werner had his shooting boots on they could easily have had three at least. Certainly they would have done something different if Giroud had been playing but the ploy worked well, especially early on when Mount had a couple of chances We however opted when in these wider areas to float balls in, which I can understand if Soucek, Antonio and Rice are running in, but you have to be extremely accurate when it's just Soucek. A low driven pull back top the edge of the area with the shorter Bowen and Lingard might have proved more fruitful and indeed Lingard has benefitted from balls like that before. Floating it in with Bowen up top is pointless.

master 12:38 Sun Apr 25
Re: ⚽ West Ham v Chelsea (ExESL) - Official Match Thread

Exactly. At least put a bloke up there who's going to play the position. Yesterday we have absolutely no intent.

We looked lost, surprisingly, even when we had freekicks and corners to put into the box. Almost like we'd not done any homework, which this season seems unusual. It's like we've lost Cresswell as our set piece taker so there is no alternative plan. Lingards attempt at goal early in the end half to catch Mendy off his line is a clear example of us not planning to take advantage of our strengths. Noble and Ogbonna completely terrified of Ogbonna going into the box and not having cover. Us ending up with only 3 players for a ball tod be swung in. Chelsea with 7 back. Lingard wastes an opportunity by shooting at goal. Rubbish attacking intent.

And we keep making it obvious that we're going to play through Lingard. Practically ever move is aimed at finding him. It's far too obvious to defend against. It has to be mixed up a little.

southbankbornnbred 12:38 Sun Apr 25
Re: ⚽ West Ham v Chelsea (ExESL) - Official Match Thread

Maybe, master. But maybe not.

Moyes is damned if he does and damned if he doesn’t over this.

If he plays Mipo in the next few matches - arguably the most important games we’ve played for a decade - and he fails miserably (or is even just ‘meh’), as he did against Man Utd, then the manager will get slaughtered.

“Why did you play a largely untried 18-year-old kid, who looked out of his depth last time, in the biggest games of the season that could have hit you into Europe?” Etc etc.

You’re asking a really experience manager to take a very risky punt on a kid whose track record is unproven and who suffered stage fright last time around.

Maybe it’ll work. Maybe not. Moyes has got us this far. He’s not a perfect boss by any means, far from it, but I’ll trust him to make the call more than most fans.

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