Great summary of Saturday

[willo 0]

Interesting the author praises our build up from the back where as most of us, me included, see that as a weakness.

But well written piece, thought it be good to share....

https://tacticiancolumn.wordpress.com/2015/09/26/west-hams-rebrand-project-cast-envious-glances-in-the-direction-of-alex-neil-and-norwich/

[Barclay seats 4849 the 3rd 0]

Err,, I think you may find that it is ONLY you who sees that as a weakness ? 😳

[willo 0]

Really???? I must be on the wrong board then....

I forgot though whenever you post a thread on here be prepared on most occasions for the first answer to be some form of veiled criticism...

Will learn one day, anyway, just admitting that I have felt our passing to be a bit hit and miss from the back at times.

[lake district canary 4,831]

Thanks for posting that report.  It''s a good summary of the match and covers the good points of our play.  We can only play the way we do because we have good passers at the back who can cope with the passing through the team style of play.  It''s a shame motd couldn''t highlight that.....but that is maybe for another thread.    The way we play plainly works and although we may occasionally break down and lose the ball, it doesn''t seem to happen as much as it used to under Hughton - who also believed in playing in the same way, but with too much rigidity for it to work well often enough.   AN seems to have got the balance right - and we have better players now, which helps.

[westcoastcanary 173]

Yes, thanks for posting the link. That analysis could almost have been written by parma, who''s every bit as clear about what AN is doing.

[willo 0]

No problem. It will be interesting to see how/if AN changes the team on Saturday, especially with Jarvis back and in scoring form, along with Brady and Redmond....

It does seem though AN''s tactical nous allied with the type of player he signs to fit the shapes and formations he wants to play will provide for an exciting season ahead.

[It's Character Forming 1,204]

This is a good piece, thanks for the link.

For me what''s impressive this season is that we''ve improved our ability to control possession and pass the ball, compared to last season. Eg at Sunderland away, in the second half especially when we had gone 2 goals up, we were just stroking the ball around and they were struggling to do anything, it was almost embarrassing at times. It was a more comfortable away win that any of the games I went to in the Champsionship last season.

[westcoastcanary 0]

Agree entirely ICF. On Saturday I saw a level of technical ability that I honestly didn''t think the lads could achieve and maintain for as long as they did. They must be loving every minute on the training pitch at Colney. And that''s why I sympathise with LDC''s moan about MOTD. Yes they picked up on something (defending set pieces) that does need addressing, but the quality of our play was far more deserving of being highlighted, not just mentioned in passing. For much of the first half the Hammers were reduced to desperately holding on, and Bilic on the touchline looked as shell-shocked as his team.