Ron Eff
4:37 Mon Oct 10
Re: ⚽ West Ham v Fulham - Official Match Thread - Preview
|
I reckon we’re all misjudging Antonio’s lack of composure. Perhaps he intentionally played it off the keeper first because he knew it had hit his hand and as soon as it touches an opposing player it counts as next phase.
|
scott_d
4:10 Mon Oct 10
Re: ⚽ West Ham v Fulham - Official Match Thread - Preview
|
Or even July!
|
scott_d
4:09 Mon Oct 10
Re: ⚽ West Ham v Fulham - Official Match Thread - Preview
|
I hate to say it, but imagine Scamacca had been signed in January??
|
El Scorchio
3:56 Mon Oct 10
Re: ⚽ West Ham v Fulham - Official Match Thread - Preview
|
To be fair on Antonio, you are comparing a full Italian international striker with serie A experience worth 30mill to a bloke who was playing at Sheffield Wednesday in the championship at a comparative age.
There is no doubt Scamacca is the better player by a distance- and possibly quite a special player as well, but it's not like it's easy to do the things he can do. Load of premier league players simply wouldn't have been able to score any of the three goals he's just scored for us, or indeed attempted the chip.
|
Pedro
3:42 Mon Oct 10
Re: ⚽ West Ham v Fulham - Official Match Thread - Preview
|
I like Antonio but Scamacca is showing us what a proper striker is yes.
Scamacca’s chip was class. Antonio would not have attempted it.
The one on one at the end a good example. Antonio just had to chip the keeper.
|
mallard
3:24 Mon Oct 10
Re: ⚽ West Ham v Fulham - Official Match Thread - Preview
|
Ag! @ ‘Captain Chaos delivery’
|
Full Claret Jacket
3:03 Mon Oct 10
Re: ⚽ West Ham v Fulham - Official Match Thread - Preview
|
There is a fair bit of complaining on here but to be honest for years we have been soft against teams we should beat.
The better we are perceived, the bigger scalp opposition teams and players will see us. We normally raise our game against better quality sides so we have to get these type of results however we can.
We certainly have the makings of a good quality side. I am a critic of how we use players tactically but I'm pleased he is rotating players in the european games and that Scamacca is becoming first choice up front. Starting to see a lot more of why Paqueta is rated highly. Looks a bit lost sometimes but he is creating goals and working hard. A couple of times he somehow got off a pass when surrounded by 3 players. The sort of player who will win free kicks too.
|
BRANDED
2:56 Mon Oct 10
Re: ⚽ West Ham v Fulham - Official Match Thread - Preview
|
I think having two different strikers to harass the defenders is excellent. Either way they must get tired of the pressure.
|
Moncurs Putting Iron
2:38 Mon Oct 10
Re: ⚽ West Ham v Fulham - Official Match Thread - Preview
|
Trunds,
My thoughts exactly.
Having to depend on it for 90 minutes all Season, used to grate and put pressure on him, yesterday i was rubbing my hands together looking at the Fulham back line and thinking "You boys are in for it now".
|
Lee Trundle
1:52 Mon Oct 10
Re: ⚽ West Ham v Fulham - Official Match Thread - Preview
|
I don't think you could have got a more Antonio-type goal than he scored in this game.
Barging his way into the penalty box, with a little bit of miscontrol fixed by a handball, fluffing his one-on-one chance with the keeper, only for their GOALTENDER and defender to give the ball back to him with them both sitting on the ground allowing him an open goal to score from.
|
Moncurs Putting Iron
1:47 Mon Oct 10
Re: ⚽ West Ham v Fulham - Official Match Thread - Preview
|
Bringing Antonio on between 60 and 70 with Fresh legs, at full strength and his Captain Chaos delivery would put all but the top defences on the back foot.
|
Takashi Miike
1:43 Mon Oct 10
Re: ⚽ West Ham v Fulham - Official Match Thread - Preview
|
fornals is not a wide forward or attacking midfielder, the manager knows this and doesn't select him to do the same job as benrahma. he's primarily in the team as insurance for cresswell (I don't care that he had a half decent game). moyes did a similar thing with vlasic playing him out of position. jimmy would look much better in a midfield three (left or right) with someone like cornet/benrahma/bowen/antonio ahead of him. if course that will not happen in the league so we'll continue to see this lopsided mess of a formation
|
zico
1:36 Mon Oct 10
Re: ⚽ West Ham v Fulham - Official Match Thread - Preview
|
El Scorchio 12:53 Mon Oct 10
Totally agree. I like Fornals but he is frustrating to watch. You can't criticise his work rate and effort. The problem is he was voted top player in that Under 23 Euros' or something and hasn't quite lived up to the hype. My only problem with him is that he isn't really improving in the areas where he is frustrating but to be fair to the lad, he is shifted around the midfield, never really settling into a position, a typical utility player.
Benrahma - again to be fair to him he never gets a decent run in the side and being in and out you are never going to hit a level of consistency.
As you say these are decent players who were clearly more effective at a lower level. If you take a punt on either of these or a Bowen from a lower league you don't know how they're going to fare and again we are never going to grab talents such as De Bruyne. We might nick one who shines but then as you say if they do it's hard to keep hold of them.
|
Nagel
1:11 Mon Oct 10
Re: ⚽ West Ham v Fulham - Official Match Thread - Preview
|
Paqueta definitely seemed to have a problem with putting too much on a lot of the through balls, especially to the wide players. Maybe he was used to pacier players at Lyon but our lot were never going to reach them ahead of the defenders. Would be really surprising if he doesn't get better and better as he gets used to what his teammates can and can't do.
|
cholo
1:08 Mon Oct 10
Re: ⚽ West Ham v Fulham - Official Match Thread - Preview
|
Paqueta clearly understands his role, he's there to create chances for the forwards which is exactly what he's doing, yes he'll give away possession from time to time but that's an occupational hazard. If he was paying deeper he'd look much more assured and have more time but wouldn't be so much of a threat. I think he's made a decent start to his career here and hopefully will only get better.
|
El Scorchio
12:53 Mon Oct 10
Re: ⚽ West Ham v Fulham - Official Match Thread - Preview
|
zico 12:39
Agree- with players like Paqueta (and Benrahma- yes, Benrahma) you have you be comfortable with the fact that some things they try aren't going to come off and they'll come out of it looking a bit silly and have faith they'll get it right. Benrahma is more risky with the ball than Paqueta just by the nature of how he plays. Very frustrating sometimes but he is always trying to make something happen.
What frustrates me is when people get annoyed with (for instance) both Fornals and Benrahma at the same time for the different ways they play. Fornals for not being positive enough and for Benrahma for taking risks and losing the ball. You can't have it both ways and cane one for doing one thing, while also caning the other one for doing the opposite of what you're caning the first one for. You can't have both in one player unless you can afford the likes of Gundogan, Silva or Foden. And we can't. We have to take on comparatively 'flawed' players.
Paqueta is a bit of a better balance between the two of them in knowing what to do and when, (and he's also better than both of them) but even then he cost 50 million quid and we can't go buying 50 million quid players willy nilly. And if he's a success, then clubs will be sniffing around him before too long anyway. It's bloody hard to spot and acquire top talent and even harder to hold onto it.
|
Lee Trundle
12:41 Mon Oct 10
Re: ⚽ West Ham v Fulham - Official Match Thread - Preview
|
Razzle 12:30 Mon Oct 10
"Antonio is the next option....one i would like to see us play especially if we want to get on the front foot."
I'd love to see us play a front 3 of:
Antonio - Scamacca - Bowen
|
zico
12:39 Mon Oct 10
Re: ⚽ West Ham v Fulham - Official Match Thread - Preview
|
To be fair to Paqueta, just by going by the MOTD "highlights" he could have had a hat trick of assists yesterday if Scamacca had got a hat trick himself. At least he passes forward and when a player tries something that might unlock a defence it won't always work. I'd rather a player gives it away trying to do the positive than giving it away by being negative.
With a talented technical player, you have to accept the rough with the smooth. Both Payet and Di Canio had their negatives, but both were potential match winners. Ignoring his late petulance at the Club If Payet didn't take free kicks would he be looked at now as a show pony who contributed little?! I think Paqueta needs time to get fully used to the pace of the PL. Yes, he will need to add goals and assists as time goes on but compared to his first couple of games, I think he is showing glimpses of what he can do.
|
Russ of the BML
12:35 Mon Oct 10
Re: ⚽ West Ham v Fulham - Official Match Thread - Preview
|
Razzle 12:30 Mon Oct 10
Yep - That's pretty spot on I reckon.
I was a bit bemused yesterday when in second half we were 2-1 up and Fulham started to get alot of the ball centrally and started to over-run us through the middle. The game needed stretching and we needed to get the ball away from the centre and out wide.
When I see Antonio warming up and getting ready I would've bet my bottom dollar he was replacing Fornals so I was shocked when he took Scamacca off and put Antonio up front because our shape never changed and Fulham kept pushing through the middle.
So I think Antonio could be a perfect player for that left position as you say.
|
BRANDED
12:35 Mon Oct 10
Re: ⚽ West Ham v Fulham - Official Match Thread - Preview
|
We’re building confidence and that’s what matters at the moment but there was some play that made me smile. Looking forward to more of it.
|
El Scorchio
12:33 Mon Oct 10
Re: ⚽ West Ham v Fulham - Official Match Thread - Preview
|
Agree. It's my biggest criticism of him, and it's likely ultimately going to stop us taking that next step. I think his record against the top clubs is really bad as far as I remember. I also understand the 'don't lose' these last two games as it's likely he was battling to keep his job to an extent.
I'd like to think with some points on the board we'll be a bit more adventurous.
However, what I really want him to do is realise he's playing with house money against the top clubs. A loss is sort of expected anyway so just go for it. I'd rather we gave it a good go and lost 4-2 than not try to get out of our own half and surrender to a 1-0 or 2-0.
|
| 
