West Ham Banter Archive August 16 2015

16 Aug 2015 04:15:18
Am I the only person who doesn't think we need Austin? Don't we want to play a fast pace, high pressure, passing game? If we sign Austin we'll have 2 of the best target men in the league, could we afford to have one warm the bench as both would be on high wages? We wouldn't play both in the starting 11 so one wouldn't be happy playing second choice? How slow would we be with giant's running the field? Kouyate 6.4, Obiang 6.1, Sakho 6.1, Ried 6.3, Ogbonna 6.3, Austin 6.2, Carroll 6.3, Song (possibly) 6.1, Jenkinson 6.1, Oxford 6.3, etc get my point? Most of our starting 11 are over 6 foot, this looks a lot like an Allardyce side to me. We've got 3 starting players under 6 foot , noble, Cresswell and payet. If we have Austin and Sakho up front with our tall team we might play a passing game but it won't be fast and we'll resort to high crossing game as we won't be quick enough to move around a 10 man defense. That's why we're not in for Austin maybe if we didn't have Carroll but we do, yes he's injured all the time but we still pay his high wages, what are you going to do when he's fit? Have him sit on the bench? Just so we're clear yes some of our players have decent speed but only in straight lines, not many have the ability like payet to evade and move in tight spaces when teams today set up 10 man behind the ball.

{Ed001's Note - you think height makes someone slow? How tall is Usain Bolt?? Ogbonna certainly looked quick when he outpaced one of their forwards yesterday. Kouyate is no slouch, Jenkinson is quick. I am sorry I just don't understand what you mean by this post.}

16 Aug 2015 05:42:29
We got some players that are reasonably fast in straight lines but not many can turn with pace! That's the difference. How many tall players can move around players at pace with ease? Not just straight line running.

{Ed001's Note - if you are passing and moving that should not be an issue at all. That only affects running with the ball surely?}

16 Aug 2015 07:17:01
Yes that's partly true . if you watch the leicester game we're trying to get around a 10 men defence, the ability to turn and change play to open up teams that fill the back third is very important in creating space and opening opportunities 2/3 seconds can be the difference. We're just to slow when we attack and so predictable, take out our first option we retreat and change play, but we take so long to switch play the opposition have already organized to stop our advance. Our team is powerful, strong and engines to burn, I believe with so many similar types of players we lack players with agility, players that can turn and change direction on the spot with ease. This is just as important in defending, we get caught out so many times on the counter attack. look at Jenkinson for example, running side on he's fine, but come at him when his flat footed and his very weak. Look at the top passing teams in football barcelona, arsenal etc they have smaller player cause they can turn quickly, move fast, change direction. all I'm saying is to many tall people in our team can effect the style of play we want to play, having that extra payet style of player in the team will allow us to be faster on the ball.

16 Aug 2015 07:28:25
That's why I believe our main target is hernandez and not austin and why I think we should consider bringing in an alternative to alex song, like a kevin mirallas type of player but then again song on a free does sound great even if we do have to many players to fill that position. Especially if we plan to partner Carroll and sakho or yilmaz (if he comes) me need that extra speedster in our midfield to stop us from going long when teams flood the back third because we're to slow to open up teams with the players we have.