[Archived] West Ham Versus Blackburn Rovers

[JAL]

Along with Samba being dropped i'd like to see Warnock dropped for that embarrassing mistake when he stood on the ball whilst his head was up his arse - unacceptable and possibly part of the reason why Pedersen is playing poorly because MGP has to keep back tracking covering the little scouser.

[donis1410]

It's not all bad - apparently I got shown on Match of the Day

I got on there too, but realised wot an idiot I looked, jumping up and down in celebration right near the goal before derbs goal was wrongly disallowed!!!!!

[tcj_jones]

Haha, I was like the only person in the hundred or so surrounding me that seemed to recognize that the goal had been disallowed, so I didn't get embarrassed. I was shown fist clenching and clapping after Roberts scored, I've been told. Cargo shorts and pale blue shirt. I'm getting way too excited by this somewhat tenuous claim to fame!

[donis1410]

Haha, I was like the only person in the hundred or so surrounding me that seemed to recognize that the goal had been disallowed, so I didn't get embarrassed. I was shown fist clenching and clapping after Roberts scored, I've been told. Cargo shorts and pale blue shirt. I'm getting way too excited by this somewhat tenuous claim to fame!

well my girlfriend saw it and said she is NEVER going to a footy game wit me, lol, iv nearly lost me voice n all oh well, it is funny, if you have MOTD recorded you should look out for guy in rovers away shirt to right of goal on the front row, wot a pillock (ME!!!)

[roversmum]

Well I don't see what you're worried about, you had every right to celebrate that goal as has been proved by the playbacks. In my opinion, more foolish are the (sometimes I wish I wasn't a lady because I could say a few words that would be deleted) officials, who, yet again, got it (repeat previous statement in brackets) wrong.

[donis1410]

Well I don't see what you're worried about, you had every right to celebrate that goal as has been proved by the playbacks. In my opinion, more foolish are the (sometimes I wish I wasn't a lady because I could say a few words that would be deleted) officials, who, yet again, got it (repeat previous statement in brackets) wrong.

Too right RM, can't beleive how awful reilly was, the amount of times, as i have said before, davenport had his arms all over roberts is unreal!!!!

[herbergeehh]

The only thing overshadowing Reilly's performance was that of Rovers. Thought the tactic of having no midfielders failed, Parker with partner ran the show the whole first half. Samba, Emerton and Reid was poor - I really, really want to see Emerton back at right back against Arsenal. Ooijer in central defence wouldn't hurt either, it's easily his best position - and Samba isn't performing at the moment.

As for the referee: Wrongly disallowed goal, ridiculous amount of cards being shown to handicap players on both teams, and he should really have kept Roberts away from the penalty kick. If not Reilly, then sure as hell someone else. Give it to Samba, tell him to pick a corner and give his all.

Sick and tired of seeing sloppy penalties saved, would rather see someone blaze it over to be honest.

Lastly, Bellamy is still the unlikeable prick we all loved to have in our team. If he can keep himself injury-free, I can foresee a good partnership with Ashton.

[Frisky Jim]

It was combination of inept refereeing and inept defending that cost us on Saturday.

Not good enough, Ince.

[The Prof.]

It was combination of inept refereeing and inept defending that cost us on Saturday.

Not good enough, Ince.

So Ince needs to get better Refs?

[Frisky Jim]

Needs to improve the defence, and also the midfield.

[donis1410]

Needs to improve the defence, and also the midfield.

Ince will get the midfield right, Ince was an amazing midfielder himself in his hayday so he knows what it takes to have a strong midfield, just give him the chance and I am sure that Winterburn will make a difference to the defence he just needs time to settle in the ideas. Remember the majority of these players are still adapting to the changes from the way Hughes got rovers to play. So far from what I have seen we seem to want to go for the game even when we are losing which we didn't see under hughes, just have a lil faith

[USABlue]

My two cents, I thoroughly enjoyed the first 90 mins and thought we did more than enough to win the game. Missed too many chances, penalty, harsh offside division. I hope we can get a bit more effectivness at the back cos I am sort of enjoying the style we are trying to play. As the previous poster mentioned we do seem to want to go for it. I'll give it a bit more time.

[Cocker]

I cant see that this has been posted anywhere else:-

Click

Alan Curbishley's fraught season at West Ham was made worse by a dressing-room row with the club captain, Lucas Neill, after his team's 4-1 win over Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.

It is understood that, in front of the West Ham team, Neill told Curbishley that the players had "kept you in a job" and that the manager himself needed to do more to lead the team.

The clash came despite the second victory of the season for the West Ham manager and was with one of his more vocal, if not popular, first-team players.

Feelings were running high in the immediate aftermath of the game when Curbishley was told by Neill that he needed to "inspire" his players. West Ham had snatched two late goals to make the scoreline look lot more comfortable than the match had been.

There was a stand-off between Neill and Curbishley, although it is not expected that the player will be disciplined for his outburst.

When he spoke to the press after the Blackburn match, Curbishley admitted that it was "a bit lively in the dressing-room afterwards because we (were) a little frustrated" at letting Blackburn get "back into it".

According to sources that was an understatement, with Matthew Upson and Craig Bellamy also involved in an angry exchange.

Curbishley continues to have the support of most of the dressing room, although it came as a blow to him to have been confronted by Neill, who was one of Curbishley's first signings when he came to the club from Blackburn Rovers in January last year and was made captain soon after that.

The West Ham board has made a public show of faith in the manager, despite refusing to back him with any substantial funds in the transfer market.

[Billy Castell]

Alan's reply to Lucash should have been, "OK, thanks you for your opinion. That'll be a 1 week fine for your outburst and you'll not play the next game." As a senior player you should try and restrain yourself, and be a bit more diplomatic.

[Majiball]

Needs to improve the defence, and also the midfield.

With Reference to the defence, I have seen a positive in a couple of our games.

I have not read (someone may have commented) anything other than that Ooijer was too narrow for the goal against Hull (yes wrong game but read it through). On the side on view you will notice that prior to the ball being played in warnock, Samba lead by Nelsen drop back two yards to play them on. This is to entice the ball to be played over as it was just prior to the ball being played the three push back up making two players off side if they go for the ball. The trouble was Ooijer did not he was then on side. Him being narrow had nothing to do with it he did not follow instructions as he looked like he was caught in two minds.

That style of defending is classic George graham arsenal back four. The trouble with us is that Ooijer is not a follower he is a leader and has always dictated the back line. I can see some similarities between the way we defend the line and as I said GG's arsenal. Winterburn will be running them through the same routines that they did in his hay-day, my doubt is whether some of them have the head to do it?

There style of defending requires complete unity, it will not come in two months. I would like to see him brought in full time at the moment, drilling them constantly once a day it will sink in.

[Anti-Dingle-Brigade]

Just to add to the poster above, I noticed against Grimsby, Breda and Hull we are catching people offside a lot, lot more nowadays. The only problem is when someone gets through they tend to score, but we have improved a huge deal without our "playing offside" play.

[CAPT KAYOS]

we are catching people offside a lot, lot more nowadays. The only problem is when someone gets through they tend to score, but we have improved a huge deal without our "playing offside" play.

Personally, playing the offside game is a very dangerous tactic in my book unless all your defenders are on the same wavelength - which ours are definitely not.

Think there was an element of this in the Hull and Wet Spam game.

[Al]

Personally, playing the offside game is a very dangerous tactic in my book unless all your defenders are on the same wavelength - which ours are definitely not.

Think there was an element of this in the Hull and Wet Spam game.

It's a very negative and boring tactic too. I hate it in opposition teams so I can't endorse it for Rovers.

[waggy]

just a thought on the defence,all the outfield one's were signed by sparky

[Majiball]

Personally, playing the offside game is a very dangerous tactic in my book unless all your defenders are on the same wavelength - which ours are definitely not.

Think there was an element of this in the Hull and Wet Spam game.

The kind of telepathy you are talking about will never come in a couple of months, time and patience are required.

It's a very negative and boring tactic too. I hate it in opposition teams so I can't endorse it for Rovers.

Why is it negative?

If you get it working with success we always gain a free kick, instant possession, is that not a good thing? One thing Rovers really lack at the back is pace Samba is not that quick. So how else do we counter it, do we sit deep creating a huge gulf between our defence and Midfield. This in turn means our full backs have more ground to cover when supporting the wingers. Sitting deeper will also allow quick strikers to run at our defence. And on top would create huge space for the opposition to exploit.

GG's back four where hardly blessed with pace a bit like ours aren't and even in todays game they where second to none especially even when they where all late 30's. If you can get it working its a potent weapon.

I've been on about this since I first came on here I want to see a sitter just in front of Samba and Nelsen we need one. We are prone to making some rash decisions at the back they need help and protection.

[Al]

The kind of telepathy you are talking about will never come in a couple of months, time and patience are required.

Why is it negative?

Because it breaks up play like an over fussy referee giving masses of free kicks. It spoils the game as a spectacle for the spectators. The rule was introduced to stop forwards from sitting on the baby line and having the ball pumped forward to them, however in the modern game it is used as a deliberate spoiling tactic and it stops the natural flow of the game.

I appreciate that everybody does it and you miss out if you dont but I hate it.

I have long said that the half way line is the wrong place to enforce it from. There should be another line, further up the pitch, probably the edge of the penalty area, only behond which you could be offside. That might discourage defences from using it as a spoiling tactic and the forward caught offside would only have himself to blame.

Just my personal thoughts.

Is it worth a topic of it's own for discussion? Might be interesting to hear other poster's views.

[CrazyIvan]

Because it breaks up play like an over fussy referee giving masses of free kicks. It spoils the game as a spectacle for the spectators. The rule was introduced to stop forwards from sitting on the baby line and having the ball pumped forward to them, however in the modern game it is used as a deliberate spoiling tactic and it stops the natural flow of the game.

I appreciate that everybody does it and you miss out if you dont but I hate it.

I have long said that the half way line is the wrong place to enforce it from. There should be another line, further up the pitch, probably the edge of the penalty area, only behond which you could be offside. That might discourage defences from using it as a spoiling tactic and the forward caught offside would only have himself to blame.

Just my personal thoughts.

Is it worth a topic of it's own for discussion? Might be interesting to hear other poster's views.

I think the edge of the penalty area might be too far back. The amount of teams who drop further and further back when defending a 1 - 0 lead against a 'better' club would just sit on that line and defend. That would make for boring football.

[Majiball]

Because it breaks up play like an over fussy referee giving masses of free kicks. It spoils the game as a spectacle for the spectators. The rule was introduced to stop forwards from sitting on the baby line and having the ball pumped forward to them, however in the modern game it is used as a deliberate spoiling tactic and it stops the natural flow of the game.

I appreciate that everybody does it and you miss out if you dont but I hate it.

I have long said that the half way line is the wrong place to enforce it from. There should be another line, further up the pitch, probably the edge of the penalty area, only behond which you could be offside. That might discourage defences from using it as a spoiling tactic and the forward caught offside would only have himself to blame.

Just my personal thoughts.

Is it worth a topic of it's own for discussion? Might be interesting to hear other poster's views.

Fair enough if that's what you think.

Trouble is its part of the game, so we should exploit it. Can I also ask are you against tactical fouls?

Breaking up the oppositions attacking rhythm is great from my point of view, they never get going and frustration sets in. They will also start to play more in front of our back four and this is much easier to defend against.

The idea of having another line is fair enough but you give another headache to the defence watch the ball, watch the player, watch for the line, watch your team mates. Its hard enough defending as it is, you need more than two eyes at present.

I would argue that it is a art form in football four players working seamlessly as one unit, one entity. It may take away from the excitement or flow of the game as you have said but what would happen with out it.

In youth football U8's or so they now play small sided games with no offside to encourage skills. Now in these games there is always the one player who just stands out side the box waiting, he will never be off side and all you need to be able to do is hit him when you get possession. There are lots of goals scored thats the point of it, is it exciting I suppose, is it good to watch no I don't like hit and hope. Does it require less skill yes.

The same would happen if the line was moved back, our defence would rarely cross the line especially if the opposition tell there point man to just stay there, welcome to the long ball game. The space between the defence and midfield would be massive again more long balls. Defending half a pitch is hard enough let alone almost all of it.

Imagine this we have the ball in the oppositions box, we have all pushed up. There striker stays on our off-side line and we leave a centre back with him. Our attack breaks down there keeper hoofs it up field they get possession and score. Is that more exciting, I would say no. It would encourage a return to hit and hope football, the skill factor involved in that style is not very high.

Its food for thought.

[Al]

I appreciate your point of view but I'll place a small bet that when you play/played football you were a defender. I am in favour of open attacking football with as few breaks to open play as possible. There has to be an offside rule but I think that the current one unfairly favours defenders. The separate line is the only one I can think of. Maybe further back than the penalty area.

I also believe that the current rule is far too complicated. If you are offside you are offside. As the great Brian Clough once said 'If one of my players is not interfering with play I want to see him in my office first thing in the morning'.

Anyway I am diverting this topic. If we need to continue this discussion we need another thread.