Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
The 2023-2024 Football Thread
- Thread starter Scepticalscribe
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Seemingly coasting and then, switching off and losing concentration.
And, I am not sure that Raya is quite what we need; I remain mystified by - and cannot fathom - Mikel Arteta's uncritical love for him.
And, I am not sure that Raya is quite what we need; I remain mystified by - and cannot fathom - Mikel Arteta's uncritical love for him.
I’ll be quite happy for you to continue coming up blank. But I’m not hopeful.
We’ve done well on the break.
Given our makeshift central defence pairing and loosing Paqueta I’m very pleased at halftime.
Wow. 4-2 in the other game this evening. I’d have enjoyed watching that if we weren’t on the other side.
Great night for the Hammers. So nearly an assist for Declan Rice at the end!
Defended exceptionally well.
If I was Arsenal I would move heaven and earth to get Toney in January. This lot never really looked like scoring. All that possession was a complete waste.
Defended exceptionally well.
If I was Arsenal I would move heaven and earth to get Toney in January. This lot never really looked like scoring. All that possession was a complete waste.
Yes, you did, unfortunately.
I do not understand those who say that Moyes is "a dinosaur", and "tactically, in the Dark Ages".
He has been excellent for West Ham, and - clearly - fully prepared his team for this match.
Well, someone who is a serious and accomplished striker.
Personally, I'm not sure about Toney, and the baggage he would bring in his wake.
Too true, alas.
And I thought this from early on.
That is what I meant by "huffing and puffing".
Agreed.
We couldn't make it count, and wouldn't have scored tonight if we had played until Doomsday.
Last edited:
Actually, as my friends from Bristol Skyped me (they had missed me last night), and we chatted for well over an hour, I missed most of the match, including all of the second half, until just now.
However, from early on, I had this ominous sinking feeling that it was not going to be our night, and it was better to chat to old and cherished friends.
However, from early on, I had this ominous sinking feeling that it was not going to be our night, and it was better to chat to old and cherished friends.
I agree we should be extending Moyes contract now. If there is nothing on the table that is insulting. He has more than earned an extended term.
As far as I can judge, he has been one of the best managers West Ham have ever had.
Many West Ham fans are showing how fickle they are. They get thrashed by Liverpool in the cup and the fans immediately start calling for Moyes to go. The team goes on to beat Man Utd and Arsenal and there are still calls for him to go. I just don't get it. What are West Ham fans wanting? a 100% win on every game??
Indeed. Apparently our 33 points is the most we’ve ever had at the halfway stage. Plus a trophy. 3 consecutive years in Europe (maybe a 4th!). What more does he need to do.
Apparently he doesn’t feel a new contract will be a big issue.
Well I’m wanting him to stay 100%. I’ve been consistent on that.
Well, he is not fashionable - and nor is he a stylish European - and some will never forgive him for that.
Anyway, I think that he has been excellent for West Ham - if memory serves, this is the best they have done - most successful that they have been - since the days of the legendary 1960s team.
And he clearly had the team adequately prepared - not least, tactically - for this evening's fixture, which is more than can be said for Arsenal.
I’d forgotten that Arteta actually played under Moyes. Not that had any bearing on the result.
We tried fancy foreign managers in Pelligrini. Didn’t work out.
Moyes is a good fit for West Ham.
I think that Moyes is an excellent fit for West Ham, and I think that Arteta, while good, still has some blind spots and still has quite a lot to learn.
Reading the various football pages of the press about the West Ham/Arsenal game it was noticeable about how many ex players the press approached asking for their opinions on the game. There are articles from Ian Wright, Alan Shearer, Michael Owen, Owen Hargreaves, Dimitar Berbatov, Thierry Henry and Gary Neville, all giving there view/opinion on where Arsenal went wrong, the players who should be dropped sold and players who Arsenal should buy to improve/strengthen the team.
Do any of you read/listen to what these ex players say about games and players and managers? They are all very experience players both domestic and international (some more than others) so naturally they have been round the block at bit but does that mean their views/opinions are worth listening to or do all of you just ignore what they have to say and just move on to reading other things about the games?
Do any of you read/listen to what these ex players say about games and players and managers? They are all very experience players both domestic and international (some more than others) so naturally they have been round the block at bit but does that mean their views/opinions are worth listening to or do all of you just ignore what they have to say and just move on to reading other things about the games?
It depends on the player, - some players I would listen to, (or, note what they say), others, I have little interest in, irrespective of their successes as a player, but, no, even then, in general, I usually ignore what they have to say.
The thing is, having been good at playing football - having been able to make a career, sometimes, a very successful career, out of it - does not necessarily make you (one) a good analyst, a good pundit, even when discussing football.
Alan Shearer, Michael Owen and Thierry Henry were all working for Amazon so were there last night as pundits. That’s probably why they had an opinion.
Basically the issue Arsenal had last night were two fold.
1.They lacked a good finisher. There seemed a reluctance to take a shot and most they did were very poor efforts.
2. West Ham defended very well. I mean yes it was our third and fourth choice centre halves, but they were good enough to keep you at bay!
Agreed.
Again, agreed.
More than that; 30 something shots on goal are useless unless you can convert at least some of them into goals.
Between them, Arsenal's front three have scored ten goals; that is nowhere nearly enough.
Moreover, their judgment - such as, sometimes, failing to pass to better placed team mates - was also at fault.
And, candidly, too many of the team failed to psychologically turn up on the night.
Furthermore, I suspect that their preparation - such as failing to adapt to the challenge posed by West Ham as the game progressed - was inadequate, and that is on Arteta.
Complaining about VAR when you failed to convert one of around 30 chances is ridiculous.
By contrast, West Ham had a game plan, adhered to it, and were well briefed and prepared and played to their strengths.
I have been reading some of the Arsenal blogs (occasionally, one can find intelligent commentary and thoughts there), and, some of the (reader) comments below the opinion pieces are ludicrous, very blinkered, blind and extraordinarily myopic as to Arsenal's failings.
Put simply, we weren't good enough on the night, and should have done an awful lot better.
Just 10? That’s less than Jarrod Bowen.
As for the VAR regarding our goal. The ex referee in the pundit team explained it very well.
The referee awarded the goal. It can only be overturned by VAR if they can show the ball went out. Due to the camera being obscured by Bowens leg, it could not. So the goal stood.
I wonder if goalposts could be fitted with a camera that once fitted could withstand the force of a ball hitting the post because it seems to me there has been a rise in cases where goals have been scored from what appears to be balls crossing the outside line of the posts but the current camera's are not able to see the ball properly because it is being blocked by the players body.