The most worrying thing for me...

[TeemuVanBasten 3,327]

The most worrying thing about that game was that West Ham just looked fitter than us.

We knew they were bigger, stronger, and due to finances probably possess some technically better players. We're in the Premier League, we expect that and we knew we'd have to punch above our weight. 

If there was one thing I thought we'd be able to match any team in this division for this season it would be fitness and stamina. Last season we won so many points late in the game due to Farke getting us in the position we were probably the fittest group of players in the division, double training sessions saw to that. Only other team to do those double sessions was Leeds who finished 3rd. 

So were West Ham fitter, or did it just look like that because we didn't turn up? 

[Branston Pickle 3,632]

Who knows - I guess we’re entitled to an off-day, though it may have been better if Zimbo hadn’t been clattered....this certainly seemed to cost us.

[Jobsworth Canary 168]

We are not even out of August and already we are having to endure the unendurable, deal with the undealable and accept the unacceptable 

[TeemuVanBasten 3,327]

6 minutes ago, Jobsworth Canary said:

We are not even out of August and already we are having to endure the unendurable, deal with the undealable and accept the unacceptable 

Binner? 

[Iwans Big Toe 312]

I read the title and thought this was going be a new Brexit thread.

 

 

 

[TeemuVanBasten 3,327]

Just now, Iwans Big Toe said:

I read the title and thought this was going be a new Brexit thread.

Don't care about Brexit as long as Boris doesn't revoke Teemu's right to live and work in the UK. 

[Making Plans 936]

Fact is, if we had played today anywhere near what we are capable of, we could have won this game as West Ham were effective but not great.

But we looked short of ideas, low on confidence and we had too many players underperforming all on the same day.

[Christoph Stiepermann 1,131]

I don't see it as a fitness difference. More that pretty much every one of their players was 6 foot something, athletic, strong and fast which allowed them to dominate us and get about the pitch quicker. They're a team perfectly suited to this league, they're organised, direct on the counter, have athletes all over the pitch and a handful of top quality players to make things happen. I'm not saying they're like a Pulis era Stoke team, they play decent football and mostly keep the ball on the ground but in all physical aspects they were a league ahead of us today and that was the difference. I don't think our players having a higher fitness level would be enough to deal with the physical disparity on show today

[Ramrod 258]

Weak refereeing allowed WH to kick their way back into the match. 

Even the diving went unpunished. 

I wonder whether our players were in the right frame of mind. Farke too. 

[Chelm Canary 404]

3 minutes ago, Ramrod said:

Weak refereeing allowed WH to kick their way back into the match.

He was weak. He seemed  confused when were awarded a decision for offside and then allowed us to take the kick ten yards within their half. 

[Canary73 150]

It was a shocking performance from the ref and from a game we really could have got something from given their line up isn't anything great and the ground lacked any atmosphere so had we taken the lead it would be interesting to see how they reacted. I do think we need to offer a different dimension to our play or have an alternative outlet on the bench as the midfield is all pretty samey and without Hernandez to run the channel we are lacking any sheer pace. 

I noticed that Lewis and a couple of others were criticised for not chasing back but this was a little harsh in Lewis' case as he was the full back and winger in one go with no one covering him.

The stadium is not fit for football given the facilities and set up. I decided to walk the long way round back to Straford to avoid the queues. Even getting the train back to Chelmsford at 2000 there were still loads of WH fans getting on the train so they may have decided to avoid the queues and travel back later. 

I think the decision to start the season to broadly go with what we had given the defensive attacking areas being a little sparse for this level might be our undoing. We would need some sort of miracle to get something from Man City etc, but it is on the road where we are going to have to target games to get a big enough haul of points to keep us in the hunt. I think it is really important that we get the first goal as heads will start to drop if we start well and the concede the first goal.   

[Bonzo 198]

The issue isn’t one of whether we won or lost because the result is history now. The issue is what we have learned and how we can improve. Last season our ability to learn and improve was a huge part of our success. This season it will be a huge part of our survival at this level.

Misfortune with injuries has overshadowed our preparations for the game and the Zimmerman injury continued this distraction. In a tight group this is entirely understandable- but mourning a colleague lost to injury doesn’t help the performance.

The players and manager need to be focused only on what they can change. Farke is quite the Stoic. We actually need more of this from our leaders otherwise players whose emotional make up is of a more passionate nature will begin to lose heart.