West Ham Post Match Thread

[Nicey]

Exactly ..surely we have had enough of this ****ing ****

[vonk]

You won't find many celebrating being top of the league now. Make no mistake about it, the scum have a far easier run in than anyone and are now 6pts behind with a game in hand. We had to win that game to send a message. Ask any neutral fan and it's chavski or the scum again. Not us. And it's clear why.

That performance was pathetic from top to bottom. The fans at Anfield waited until the game was over and as far as I'm concerned had every right to boo that dross. If the players and manager know that teams like this are going to come to Anfield to park the bus, yet still decide to employ the same sterile, one-dimensional tactics against dross, then why should the fans bother to pay good money to watch? It was dross, plain and simple, and not good enough for this football club. Any of you celebrating that we are top of the league think that we will be there in one month? Cos I don't.

Can someone tell me why our stubborn manager, or someone in the club, doesnt point out that getting down the flanks behind teams like this is better than constantly cutting inside into traffic? Even Riera, who has fallen from the heights he started at, is doing it now. Bennyoun is the expert at jinking back and losing the ball. We need someone in and around the box who can cause problems. Riera, Keane, Bennyoun and Kuyt is a toothless front four. Still Rafa claims to have the players. Not on this evidence. Even our set pieces are rubbish. Every time games like this happen it's like we didnt expect it!! Why not practice some set pieces that don't involve trying to pick our Sami?? It's fairly obvious to the opposition. I have no confidence that Rafa knows how to break down these teams. The players were ****e, but so were his tactics.

Keane needs to change his attitude and stop whinging when taken off. He offered absolutely nothing. I'd take the 20m back and buy a 2m crocked Michael Owen any day. Without Torres we are nothing in attack.

IMO, Rafa has got this season. He has us top but I think we've ridden our luck in games against Boro, Wigan, City, Pompey etc. We played well against Utd and Chelsea because it suits our style to be tight, defensive and try to win by the odd goal. It wins no titles and Rafa needs to sort it out.

[Reece]

Yeah, cos we're only top of the league and through to the next round of the CL. ****ing disgraceful. He should be sacked.

Admit it, you enjoyed the loss of points didn't you, sat there waiting for it in gleeful anticipation? You're not a supporter you're a boo boy. **** off to red cafe you'll be more welcome there and your attitude will fit in better.

****.

Exactly ..surely we have had enough of this ****ing ****

Right cut out the abuse please. It doesn't do anyone any favours.

For what it's worth, I had a PM conversation with Sarb before the match, and trust me he wanted us to win this as much as anyone.

[Leyton388]

What let us down tonight was not playing Babel from the start IMO. Should have been Babel up top with stevie or Kuyt

[Matt]

You won't find many celebrating being top of the league now. Make no mistake about it, the scum have a far easier run in than anyone and are now 6pts behind with a game in hand. We had to win that game to send a message. Ask any neutral fan and it's chavski or the scum again. Not us. And it's clear why.

That performance was pathetic from top to bottom. The fans at Anfield waited until the game was over and as far as I'm concerned had every right to boo that dross. If the players and manager know that teams like this are going to come to Anfield to park the bus, yet still decide to employ the same sterile, one-dimensional tactics against dross, then why should the fans bother to pay good money to watch? It was dross, plain and simple, and not good enough for this football club. Any of you celebrating that we are top of the league think that we will be there in one month? Cos I don't.

Can someone tell me why our stubborn manager, or someone in the club, doesnt point out that getting down the flanks behind teams like this is better than constantly cutting inside into traffic? Even Riera, who has fallen from the heights he started at, is doing it now. Bennyoun is the expert at jinking back and losing the ball. We need someone in and around the box who can cause problems. Riera, Keane, Bennyoun and Kuyt is a toothless front four. Still Rafa claims to have the players. Not on this evidence. Even our set pieces are rubbish. Every time games like this happen it's like we didnt expect it!! Why not practice some set pieces that don't involve trying to pick our Sami?? It's fairly obvious to the opposition. I have no confidence that Rafa knows how to break down these teams. The players were ****e, but so were his tactics.

Keane needs to change his attitude and stop whinging when taken off. He offered absolutely nothing. I'd take the 20m back and buy a 2m crocked Michael Owen any day. Without Torres we are nothing in attack.

IMO, Rafa has got this season. He has us top but I think we've ridden our luck in games against Boro, Wigan, City, Pompey etc. We played well against Utd and Chelsea because it suits our style to be tight, defensive and try to win by the odd goal. It wins no titles and Rafa needs to sort it out.

I agree with all except the bit in bold.

Booing is unfortunate but to pay 40 quid to watch that on a freezing night must be extremely frustrating. I can understand it if not condone it.

Carragher said after the Chelsea game that we need to show we can handle the pressure of being top and so far there isn't much evidence of it.

I love Rafa but he's got a stubbon streak and in the case of Babel it's causing a detrimental effect on the team.

[rage]

never have i seen us go top of the league to see the players leave the pitch to the sound of boos across the stadium. some would have you think this is a sign of the fans not backing the team. those that have been around a bit and remember the last time we won the title will tell a different story - we carry on playing like this and it doesn't matter that we're top in december, it won't last.

i'm really struggling with rafa's transfers this summer. dossena didn't have a bad game today but it was far from a good game, riera after a bright start is now playing at his level, keane is a mid table superstar and clearly out of his league and as for ngog. somebody please tell me why ngog came on whilst babel was still sat on the bench?

as far as i'm concerned i wouldn't want to see rafa's contract extended until the end of the season, the flaws are all too obvious.

[Sconniee2]

It has been about 5 years since I last replied to a Sarb24 post. Funny how times are different but you spout the same drivel.

Get behind your team and support them. They are top of the league. They have beaten Chelsea at home (the first team to do so for 90 games). They have beaten the Scum.

To say that Rafa does not deserve a contract extension on tonights showing - because we have taken 2 points from 2 home games, whereas the competition Chelsea have taken 1 point from 2 home games - is beneath contempt.

[vonk]

Top of the league in December. Does it matter? Does it ****. Who cares that we are top of the league, the people who have watched Liverpool for 30 years who were at that game are not celebrating because what matters is that we dropped two points we should have easily had, that our rivals would not have dropped. Being top of the league is meaningless in December. Meaningless.

[Dhav]

Absolute rubbish. We may be top of the league but seldom have I ever been so hacked off. This team has no creativity; none. Man Utd and Arsenal pummel teams who line up with 10 men behind the ball against them at OT and Emirates respectively with wave after wave of attack; we labour. Usually we're so poor on set pieces yet tonight they were the only phases of the game where we trouble WHU. If our set pieces went to form (ie ****e), we'd have created nothing. Keane at £20m was a complete waste, and even if he cost £2m i'd be saying the same; yes we needed a forward but not him and not his type. For that money we should have addressed the distinct lack of creativity in this team with a creative midfield/forward player, a Joe Cole or Arshavin for the right. We need a skilful technical player who can carry the ball, yet all we seem to have is hoof ball merchants.

Rafa waits too long to make changes. 65mins on the dot and not a second too soon. Riera was pants yet lasted until 77mins, Babel has been criminally under-used this season and should have had longer than 13mins. The only thing missing that would have made this ****fest complete is an appearance from Lucas, we should thank ourselves for very small mercies I guess.

Dossena looked very good when he didn't have any defending to do. Benayoun is rubbish, more expensive squad filler to add to Rafa's collection.

Am rapidly losing faith in Rafa, his defensive approach, cautious tactics and disastrous summer dealings.

[YNWA_IRE]

So ****ing frustrating, Rafa baffled me tonight, Ngog for Keane wtf?? Robbie wasn't playing well but he was pretty much playing up top on his own which is not his position, give him someone to play off, Babel would have been perfect. Kuyt, Yossi and Riera just aren't good enough.

[Craig_H]

Dont really know what to say. 9 points in the next three games will make everything seem lovely again, but once again, dropped home points put immense pressure on us to go to places like Blackburn and Arsenal and win.

[Icon]

Can't help feeling that before long we'll win a few on the hop, some by big margins, and we'll all be saying how great life is and Rafa needs his contract signed/sealed now etc.

Then we'll draw one or two, maybe lose another and Rafa is a tit and we are still way behind the other 2.

When were we last in this position?
We are in with a major shout at the moment and still so many on here are committing hari bloody kari.

[Craig_H]

Can't help feeling that before long we'll win a few on the hop, some by big margins, and we'll all be saying how great life is and Rafa needs his contract signed/sealed now etc.

Then we'll draw one or two, maybe lose another and Rafa is a tit and we are still way behind the other 2.

When were we last in this position?
We are in with a major shout at the moment and still so many on here are committing hari bloody kari.

You cant even see where the next goal or even clear cut chance is coming from, at the moment. Dunno about winning games by big margins. Seems a long way off.

[Icon]

.... put immense pressure on us to go to places like Blackburn and Arsenal and win.

Which we did at Bolton, Man C, Chelsea and Everton

[Craig_H]

Which we did at Bolton, Man C, Chelsea and Everton

Yes we did. I'm being silly really, it's plainly obviously that we'll win every single one of our away games, isnt it. Not a remote chance that we'll fail to win any of them.