coalman

He already unleashed his potential. Sadly that was the potential for us to funnel money to another club in the Sport Republic galaxy.

We need to move the ball faster and with more variety. We need to play with intensity so we're competing for the ball all over the pitch. We've got to do it for 90 minutes. For some reason we're not doing that so far this season. Whether that's because we're undercooked after pre season, the players are pissed off about Spygate, the squad is not committed while the transfer window or whatever.

In the second half of last season he had THB alongside him and two of Jander, Downes and Charles in front of him. Plus Bree was playing out of his skin and Manning was tracking back. He's exposed more this season and his qualities are more on display. Him and Wood are not a great partnership at the best of times and their slow recycling of the ball means the players in front of them stop making runs. Even at his best he's a decent squad player. Making and keeping him as captain is mental.

We played three premier league teams last year. Beat two of them, including the champions. We haven't competed today. Last season we made it hard for teams to play against us. Today we've been easy to defend against because we're just so slow with the ball.

There's no movement. No anticipation in attack or defence. No thought to get after the game. Just slow recycling and ball watching.

Stephens half hearted challenge again.

We completely brought this on ourselves. We were comfortably on top then let our intensity drop to criminally low levels. The glacially slow play around the back invited West Ham back into the game and now we have no clue how to turn it around.

We need to play with some intensity.

Stephens ponderously gives it away (again)

It's like the games under Still. Anonymous in midfield. No intensity. Just going through the motions.

Stephens and Wood together move the ball so slowly the opposition have forever to get back in shape. Stephens is an error prone ball watcher and Wood is the very definition of lumbering.

Stephens calmly passes to the attacker.

We deserved that. Utterly limp display.

I remember when Peretz was a lot happier just hitting it long. We seem to have coached that out of him.

Stephens does his best to give away a penalty there.