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Hammers1993 11:15 Tue Aug 16
Chelsea (A) Review

- Serious question marks over Bilic. Okay playing Antonio there last season was makeshift, but he continued playing him there costing us games and to carry on doing so into the new season is not acceptable. Even more so when you have Byram on the bench who is a better option there.

As a side note on Antonio/Bilic I have to say Bilic can't be blamed completely for Antonio to decide running out with the ball at right back and then clicking the guys heels.. However, him trying to take that out of right mid wouldn't of been such a danger if he wasn't being played at right back. So yes, that definitely lies with Bilic and if he plays him at right back again then I think the crowd could actually start to turn. (Remember Allardyce with Nolan playing, if that was Allardyce in charge last night this whole place would be calling for him to be sacked).

- Valencia - This guy is absolute toilet and should of been sold at the beginning of the transfer window when the rumoured offers of a loan/6 mil/ANYTHING were there. To play him over Antonio on the wing and not putting Byram at right back from the start makes me question Bilic even more. Valencia had a whole pre season and showed exactly why he shouldn't be in the team.

- Tore - I think it is harsh people judging him on last night, however.. When he feautured in pre season he barely touched the ball, same as last night. Really worrying signs to be honest. Having said that I still feel it is too early to judge him and put it down to him integrating with the team and it will come good (hopefully).

- "Midfield 3" - This will upset a lot of you as most think Noble is undroppable, but sadly, if Bilic plays a 3, when everybody is fit the best 3 would have to be Nordveit, Kouyate and Lanzini as you need that creativity in the 3 to move things forward, having Noble/Nordveit is too much of the same thing and it really tells as the midfield slows to a halt at times.

- Ayew - Not a striker, just unfortunate him getting injured nothing he could of done. Does this mean we sign another winger because Bilic obviously doesn't want Antonio their, or do we finally sign a striker?

- Payet - Looked good when he came on, unfortunately for us without him we are bog standard. Main reason we did so well last year and it showed when he was out of the team, something like 5 draws wern't it?

- Carroll - Did nothing, but had no service so can't blame him. Is that going to be the case all season though? What will happen when he get's injured? There was no striker on the bench.. Yet the board/Bilic seem to be saying business is done. Surely they realise we need a striker. Pay Bacca. Now. If he does want to come just go and fucking sign him, fed up of broken promises over a striker and never getting one, this will be the difference this year.

Referee - Yes Kante and Costa arguably should of been off. Same old seems to be happening but why did Adrian feel the need to piss about with it in the first place?

- Arthur - Only positive from last night for me. He looks very, very good defensively and with someone better (Mr.Payet) in front of him he will do very well getting forward too. Looks a good signing at this stage.


Overall, we deserved nothing from last night and would of been very, very fortunate to come away with a point.

Let's hope Bilic starts putting right some of his wrongs in our next game by dropping players who have had more than enough chances and playing a right back, at right back.

the exile 11:21 Tue Aug 16
Re: Chelsea (A) Review

Agree with all of that except Bacca - no way will we be getting him. Don't forget, Calleri is on his way.

Huffers 11:21 Tue Aug 16
Re: Chelsea (A) Review

So on what basis do you stick with Nordveit over Noble. I am not Noble's biggest fan but HN wasn't very good last night at all.

Krap not Pu 11:23 Tue Aug 16
Re: Chelsea (A) Review

Spot on '93.....not knicker wetting quite yet but we were disjointed in the extreme, the only positive for me from last night was Masuaku.

Hammers1993 11:28 Tue Aug 16
Re: Chelsea (A) Review

Huffers I feel technically Noble and Nordveit are very similar players and when both are in the team it would slow things down too much in the middle, to be fair they both had shockers last night. The only reason I would go with Nordveit over Noble is he is a proper DM wheras Noble I feel is more of a CM, over the season Nordveit in that deep role with Kouyate and Lanzini ahead would offer more creativity, that's just my opinion though and I can see the argument for Noble playing ahead of him too.

Swiss. 11:30 Tue Aug 16
Re: Chelsea (A) Review

Agree with most of that.

Noble - can look great against a Slovenian pub team but looked totally out his depth last night as usual. So slow. Rather have Obiang and Lanzini when fit.

Valencia - Where to start. Can't Bilic even just get him to do something simple like cross the ball into the box for Carroll. Play anyone but him. Martinez, Samuelsen, ..anyone.

Nordveit - Played him in front of the back 4. Don't think he's played this position before for us. Bit of a risk

Antonio - all has already been said. Playing out of position. Could have been an effect supply for Carroll.

Bilic has lost the plot.

I hate losing to Chelsea more than any other team so I'm really not in a good mood.

Swiss. 11:31 Tue Aug 16
Re: Chelsea (A) Review

Calleri can't come soon enough for me.

ih8robbiesavage 11:32 Tue Aug 16
Re: Chelsea (A) Review

93... agree with everything you've said in here. Noble and HN simply cannot both play. Personally I would pick Noble until HN plays well enough to deserve to start. If we insist on this 4/3/3 formation with AC as number 9 then the two wingers simply need pace and cannot be valencia and Tore... the game changed when Ayew went off last night as the little pace we had on the pitch was then completely gone

1964 11:42 Tue Aug 16
Re: Chelsea (A) Review

Very good. Can you send your report to Mr Sullivan and Mr Bilic, no good just leaving it here.

Hammers1993 11:47 Tue Aug 16
Re: Chelsea (A) Review

1964 11:42 Tue Aug 16

If only I could, I would.

I imagine young Jack would of seen this on twitter last night which will inevitably get passed on to his Dad, hopefully!


To be honest I am surprised Bilic hasn't had to answer for himself in interviews regarding his Antonio selection yet, very strange.

Admiral Lard 11:53 Tue Aug 16
Re: Chelsea (A) Review

One disjointed performance with a new line up and the shit hits the fan, after one bloody game!!

Hammers1993 11:56 Tue Aug 16
Re: Chelsea (A) Review

Admiral Lard 11:53 Tue Aug 16

If you read what I posted it includes from the back end of last season where the Antonio situation cost us points also.

master 12:01 Tue Aug 16
Re: Chelsea (A) Review

Brilliantly put in my opinion. Can't disagree with any of it, and only thing I would add is that Sakho MUST be brought back into the fold and made to feel welcome.

He offers us something which nobody else can in that position - pressure right from the front. Unless the board are willing to pay a lot of money for someone, we need him. And he needs us.

Alan 12:04 Tue Aug 16
Re: Chelsea (A) Review

Admiral Lard 11:53 Tue Aug 16

"after one bloody game!! "

Admiral, it isn't just one game though.
It was obvious last year that without Lanzini our central midfield doesn't work and we resort to hoofing the ball long. We need another Lanzini - type.
Pereyra is available - go get him Sully.

arsegrapes 12:14 Tue Aug 16
Re: Chelsea (A) Review

I agree with most you say, with the exception of Nordveit who was awful, Noble wasn't much better and although I thought Artur was excellent I also thought Byram was equally as good if not better when he came on.

El Scorchio 12:29 Tue Aug 16
Re: Chelsea (A) Review

Costa should have been sent off. end of. Another bottled referee decision has cost us points. It was shin high and very late.

Whoever the jock co commentator was just sat there defending him saying he 'went for the ball'. Big fucking deal.

theaxeman 12:32 Tue Aug 16
Re: Chelsea (A) Review

Whats clear is Lanzini, Payet, Sakho and feghouli will make a huge difference when they're back. No need to panic, had a bit of a vent but more rational now

flyingV 12:40 Tue Aug 16
Re: Chelsea (A) Review

The occasion got to us yesterday. How many times did we give possession away needlessly? Nordtveit, Noble, Ayew... all technically competent players who can pass a ball yet gave it away in dangerous situations too often.

And as for goal kicks to Carroll for him to head it on to a blue shirt...

You cannot gift the ball to the opposition at this level that often and not expect to get punished eventually.

On a positive, Collins was superb even if you take away the goal. One of our most important players. Makuasu did well too.

Payet didn't look like he was blowing out of his arse after his cameo so fingers crossed he doesn't need to be eased back that gently. Even if he's at 50% we are twice the team with him in it.

Could have done with Bournemouth at home on a Sunday as our opener really. But as poor as we were, we still were 2 minutes away from a point away from home and fell short due to a goal from a player that should not have been on the pitch.

Fuck 'em.

Your mum 12:45 Tue Aug 16
Re: Chelsea (A) Review

I think the reason commentators defended the tackle was Adrian fucking around, every attacker has to make a challenge in that situation, Costa did and made a right mess of it, second yellow should have been dished out.

We still should have lost though, Oscar looked a nailed on pen and Byram stuck an arm out to block a free kick in the area.

Scraper 12:50 Tue Aug 16
Re: Chelsea (A) Review

wouldn't of, should of, would of

Sorry kid, you write like an imbecile

LeroysBoots 12:52 Tue Aug 16
Re: Chelsea (A) Review

Noble gives cheap possession away at regular intervals and against mediocre opposition gets away with it, however do that against the bigger teams and you get punished.

Because he's West Ham and local lad made good he gets away with a lot, however if you are a team that strives to improve constantly then you need to replace the 50% players, the players that only give you a good performance when it suits them

Not saying Noble is in that category but we can improve as a team with him replaced with someone more suitable to the team ethic Bilic wants

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