Freedman out!

[TKIZ!]

It's not on it's own though as we've managed 6 undefeated (should have been more wins in that sequence but then hey)

[SmokinFrazier]

N'Gog has never been a bad player though. Some of the criticism he has received in the past few months has been excessive and no matter how bad some of his performances have been, it's clear he was just out of form and low in confidence, rather than not having much ability. The same could be said for pretty much every other player who has been criticised, except Knight who I think has aged considerably and doesn't have the legs anymore. Mills, Ream, Baptiste, Spearing, Eagles, Chungy and Beckford are a few of the others who have been heavily criticised by some of our fans, yet they're all good players, even if they aren't performing their best. As the saying goes, form is temporary, class is permanent and I think that sums up our most of our underperforming players.

[CAPSLOCK]

Danny Ings scored 3 goals last season. Hardly a proven goalscorer. Talk us through the 'bag of shite's' goal yesterday.

He took it around the keeper and struck it cleanly into the back of the net


His best moment in the game was midway through the second half when he took the ball and played a beautiful diagonal ball to Beckford

He then made his way into the box and watched the defender head clear a ball about 3 feet in front of him

Aye, watched...fcuking watched - summed him up in the spacve about 5 seconds

Talented and gutless

[thebish]

The average points we got whilst playing 4-4-2 would have been enough for us to finish 2nd in the division last year, had we played that way throughout the entire season.

errr.... only if you accept a chain of "ifs" including "if we had kept up that points average playing 4-4-2 for all the other games".. past performance is no guarantee of future success... what works in one game and with one set of available players does not necessarily work in another...

anyway - I thought you said that Freedman's decent run was merely a fluke - not tactical formation genius!

personally, my opinion is that this is mere statistical monkeying around...

anyway - I'm interested - can you list the games we played 4-4-2 - and for how long we played that formation in each game - and the average points we got? I ask because you have fired off stats in the past that have proved less than watertight...

[LeverEnd]

It's not on it's own though as we've managed 6 undefeated (should have been more wins in that sequence but then hey)

I mwas referring to Ngog's goal but in terms of wins our 2 are still looking a bit lonely!

And SF, I've never doubted Ngog's talent, I used to defend him on the basis of it but his subsequent performances have me me feel something of a mug for doing so.
'Talented and gutless' is probably the best summary of him from anyone on this page. Like Dougie, I hope he proves me wrong, but I doubt it. Then again he's out of contract in the summer I believe so maybe we can expect an improvement.

[Lost Leopard Spot]

Plus, a lot of the run up the table was also down to other teams having a less than convincing time. If only two of the clubs above us had also put in mini runs of above average results, our ascent would have seemed merely mediocre.

Nonsense logic.

Really?

So consider the scenario where towards the end of last season we'd had a highest table position of 8th. How wonderful would that have seemed when the target was the playoffs.
As it was, we briefly occupied a playoff league position - which is why people say we had a run up the table. If we had,n't, it would'nt have looked so ok.
So, nonsense to your 'nonsense logic' sir. I am, I know it, a logician of superior quality.

[Enoch]

Nonsense!

[TKIZ!]

It's not on it's own though as we've managed 6 undefeated (should have been more wins in that sequence but then hey)

I mwas referring to Ngog's goal but in terms of wins our 2 are still looking a bit lonely!

And SF, I've never doubted Ngog's talent, I used to defend him on the basis of it but his subsequent performances have me me feel something of a mug for doing so.
'Talented and gutless' is probably the best summary of him from anyone on this page. Like Dougie, I hope he proves me wrong, but I doubt it. Then again he's out of contract in the summer I believe so maybe we can expect an improvement.

Ahh right, sorry LE misread the whole thing.

[Il Pirate]

That season started with second-tier West Ham buying Nolan from top-flight Newcastle. He must sure love Sam, eh?

I remember Allardyce stating in an interview, that 'I mentioned to the chairman Nolan was a leader in the dressing room, & someone I'd like at the club'; (And I apologise for the paraphrasing). 'And when I went to work on Monday, I saw Nobby in the foyer. Hiya boss, he said. I've just signed for West Ham'.
.............. I found it hard to believe meself...................

[bobo the clown]

That season started with second-tier West Ham buying Nolan from top-flight Newcastle. He must sure love Sam, eh?

I remember Allardyce stating in an interview, that 'I mentioned to the chairman Nolan was a leader in the dressing room, & someone I'd like at the club'; (And I apologise for the paraphrasing). 'And when I went to work on Monday, I saw Nobby in the foyer. Hiya boss, he said. I've just signed for West Ham'.
.............. I found it hard to believe meself...................

I suspect that's because any right minded person would know it was bollox.

Quite apart from the fact that no-one would do that (OK, it's football & crackers things do happen I guess) but in practical terms you'd call your old boss up and discuss stuff.

[Worthy4England]

Danny Ings scored 3 goals last season. Hardly a proven goalscorer. Talk us through the 'bag of shite's' goal yesterday.

He took it around the keeper and struck it cleanly into the back of the net


His best moment in the game was midway through the second half when he took the ball and played a beautiful diagonal ball to Beckford

He then made his way into the box and watched the defender head clear a ball about 3 feet in front of him

Aye, watched...fcuking watched - summed him up in the spacve about 5 seconds

Talented and gutless

On the back of an away win, apparently folk are wrong about Mills, Ream and N'gog. They're suddenly very good.

The Manager is still shit.

Anyone see a theme here?

N'gog does have some talent. The talent generally seems to be hiding his "undoubted footballing talent" from the watching public for most of his games.

Ream has been utter crap for most of his time here, he seems to have picked up this season, but hardly Franz Beckenbaur yet.

Mills is still shit.

[CAPSLOCK]

I actually have a bit of time for Ream and Mills
Both seem to have bought in to Freedman's plan and have formed a decent partnership
No credit to the manager for that, of course

[LeverEnd]

I actually have a bit of time for Ream and Mills
Both seem to have bought in to Freedman's plan and have formed a decent partnership
No credit to the manager for that, of course

Not looking to knock Dougie particularly but they themselves deserve the vast majority of the credit. He clearly wanted rid of them but they have knuckled down and played well. I'll give him some man management credit for getting them back on board, but more to the lads themselves, particularly Ream who has looked a class act of late over a period of games. Mills is dogged if not skilful and I have a lot of time for that too.

[boltonboris]

I'll praise Ream and Mills when they look half decent against half decent opposition. Can only play what's in front of you mind, but I'm not going to get carried away. The Ipswich lads pulled them both all over the show last weekend

[bobo the clown]

Ream us three times the player he has seemed up to now.

[Lord Kangana]

Fascinating fact - West Ham's wage bill is higher than that of Borussia Dortmund

Think ours was for some of the years 2008/2011...

So that'd be the players that Gary Megson signed being paid more than Dortmund, only for him to be sacked when having them in the relegation zone?

God, I really, really hope Willy is wrong and you're right.

[BL3]

I actually have a bit of time for Ream and Mills
Both seem to have bought in to Freedman's plan and have formed a decent partnership
No credit to the manager for that, of course

What 'plan'? The plan to stop chopping and changing the back four? Who would have thought that would have worked eh?

[boltonboris]

[Tombwfc]

I haven't seen Saturday's game, so maybe they were watertight, but in pretty much every game I've seen them play this season one of Ream and Mills have made a glaring error that could've led to a goal. It didn't cost us anything on those occasions (partly because the last six teams we've played haven't had a striker between them), but I certainly wouldn't be getting carried away just yet.

[thebish]

I haven't seen Saturday's game, so maybe they were watertight, but in pretty much every game I've seen them play this season one of Ream and Mills have made a glaring error that could've led to a goal. It didn't cost us anything on those occasions (partly because the last six teams we've played haven't had a striker between them), but I certainly wouldn't be getting carried away just yet.

you do surprise me!!