West Ham 3-0 Saints reactions

[suewhistle]

Oh well. That was a a bit depressing apart from the start of the first half. I thought FF was OK in the first half until we gifted the ball to them for their goal: mainly Valery's fault but Stephens dropped back when he should have been closer for the simple square ball that was played. For the second Arnautovic did handle but if the keeper is going to punch, rather than hold, get it away from the middle of the goal.

 

I was listening to a commentary in Portuguese: Long completely missed the ball and they mentioned that he had 4 goals in 5 games and then I think they were being sarcastic about was was needed to score in the Premier. His lack of skill was certainly evident today.

 

As for Mo I thought he looked a bit stronger but presumed he'd be substituted before the end. The fact that he wasn't and then got cramp I put down to RH making a couple of points: to the player that he needs to get much fitter if he is going to play (90 minutes?) in the top division, and to the management that this is what I have to work with.

 

Overall I don't think you can say anybody had a _good_ game although the match thread was full of the usual "everybody is crap and we're already doomed for next year" over the top reaction. We certainly had better play more effectively against Huddersfield.

[Whitey Grandad]

At Waterloo Station.

That was a waste of an afternoon.

We could have told Ralph how Forster

and Ely would play.

Why weaken a weakened team ?

I can only assume that it was Ralph wanting to have a closer look at fringe players.

[Cartman]

we are never moving on 17 players....maybe 7 or so but be amazed if we get into double figures from the 1st team squad

 

We will. Have you seen how many players we have under contract? We will give them away on free transfers and pay part of their salary if we have to, but one way or another we are getting rid of more than a dozen players.

[stknowle]

Not sure about that list, Armstrong clearly a no as is Bednarek. Both do not live up to the hype they have generated.

 

Bednarek is fine, a young cb holding his own in the strongest league in the world with the potential to get better. Armstrong? agreed.

[aintforever]

At Waterloo Station.

That was a waste of an afternoon.

We could have told Ralph how Forster

and Ely would play.

Why weaken a weakened team ?

 

It was a meaningless game, Ralph wanted to try out some fringe players before the transfer window. Makes sense to me.

[shurlock]

It was a meaningless game, Ralph wanted to try out some fringe players before the transfer window. Makes sense to me.

 

Did you go to the game pal?

[InvictaSaint]

It was a meaningless game, Ralph wanted to try out some fringe players before the transfer window. Makes sense to me.

 

In almost 30 years of supporting Saints I have never left a game before the end but today the players gave me absolutely no reason to stay. Appalling team performance. And West Ham fans remain among the most despicable bunch of morons on the face of the earth.

[saints-til-i-die]

I’m a big Ralph H fan but his post match comments today are embarrassing. Excuses, excuses, excuses.

[Katalinic]

I’m a big Ralph H fan but his post match comments today are embarrassing. Excuses, excuses, excuses.

 

Have to agree. The first time I feel he has made excuses. Today was simply not good enough.

[Saints foreva]

£35m on Ings and Moi is laughable.

[Webby]

Diabolical

[Heisenberg]

£35m on Ings and Moi is laughable.

 

The new Mane and Tadic.

 

#ouch

[Lord Duckhunter]

They were bigger and stronger today.

 

We’re a team of Son-in-Laws.

 

It isn’t the fringe players that aren’t good enough that bother me, it’s the lack of leadership and bottle amongst the senior pros. We need to get a couple of horrible bar stewards in. Too polite, too soft and too ****ing complacent.

 

 

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[hughieslastminutegoal]

Did you go to the game pal?

Do you have a point to make? Or do you just love making any kind of sentence(with or without meaning) that contains "pal"?

[Wes Tender]

So it seems that Hassenhuttl took advantage of the opportunity to give a last chance for a few fringe players to impress him before the closed season, knowing that there was little left to play for now that we are safe. Well, there are several things that are now clear to him. Forster should even struggle to play for the reserves and gives the defence no confidence having him behind them. Equally, when we play just two CBs and one of them is Stephens, no goalkeeper in the division would feel any confidence. Thirdly, Elyounoussi just isn't good enough to play for us, and every time he does, one is reminded that he was supposed to be the replacement for Tadic, who is setting Ajax on fire.

 

I have no doubt that had we played our usual formation with three at the back and our strongest team, it isn't improbable that we could have won against them. Starting with that team and formation, we were on a hiding to nothing and it is a surprise that West Ham were only one ahead at half time. In particular, Arnautovic managed to place himself between Stephens and Bednarek at will, neither seemingly knowing whose job it was to mark him. Maybe Hassenhuttl could persuade his fellow countryman to come here. He would pose more threat than Ings, especially when Ings will be out injured most of the next season.

 

Although there might be the temptation to meddle with the team selection next week, I think that Ralph owes we long suffering fans a full-blooded display of attacking football against the bottom team. A performance like today's will not be acceptable.

[Shroppie]

I was at the game. We lacked intensity, urgency and energy. Agree with Ralph saying we're tired and it does emphasise how much has been put into staying up with a limited squad.

 

Valery did look tired and made a tired error for the first goal.

 

But Elyounoussi and Forster weren't tired. They were just poor. Don't agree that Forster did anything particularly good. Kicking was bad. Made two saves, one if which he pushed into the danger area. I'm still terrified when he plays. Elyounoussi was too slow, too indecisive and just lacked awareness.

 

I thought Armstrong was ok, but bottled chances to shoot more than once. At least he tried to be direct. Long should gave shot rather than trying for the penalty (but thought it wasn't a bad shout)

 

Lemina was also ok. Some nice touches but lacks Romeu's no nonsense approach at critical moments.

 

So, if we can get takers, and it's a big if, Forster, Elyounoussi and Stephens can go. Armstrong is good enough for backup. Austin I think will go. Long night gave a season in him as an impact sub. Really don't know about Ings, but seems we have to buy him.

 

I do not agree with the poster who suggested Bednarek isn't good enough. He is, and has had to hold the defence together with first Vestergaard then Maya out.

 

So we need backup RB, CB, AM - maybe Boufal but I doubt it, and a striker.

 

Ralph said he wants to give the fans a proper end of season next week, do I hope the players who kept us up play

 

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[Shroppie]

I’m a big Ralph H fan but his post match comments today are embarrassing. Excuses, excuses, excuses.

Not at all. That's rubbish. It's true several regulars looked jaded and the decision to play Elyounoussi and Forster has answered some questions. This wasn't a must win game.

 

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[JRM]

Very predictable result / performance, Ralph giving players half the week off, celebrating survival last week, then throwing out a side full of players who have proven they're not up to it. Took the plss out of the fans but assume he was trying to prove a point.

 

Surely no one will bother buying a ticket for the Cat A top price Huddersfield game next week, waste of time based on todays evidence.

[saints-til-i-die]

I feel that giving the players 2 days off was an awful decision. They are about to have weeks off. They didn’t need it. Some worrying decisions from Ralph. I like him and was singing his praises before we signed him. He was my preferred choice. It doesn’t mean I’m blinkered though. He’s made some errors. I feel for the fans today.

[Shroppie]

Very predictable result / performance, Ralph giving players half the week off, celebrating survival last week, then throwing out a side full of players who have proven they're not up to it. Took the plss out of the fans but assume he was trying to prove a point.

 

Surely no one will bother buying a ticket for the Cat A top price Huddersfield game next week, waste of time based on todays evidence.

There were at most three players in the team today who I would say aren't up to it. And with Stephens there wasn't much choice. What alternative strikers would you have played?

 

If this had been a must win game, we would not have seen that team. It was giving players a chance.

 

I will certainly be there next week to thank the players and manager who kept us up.

 

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[Shroppie]

I feel that giving the players 2 days off was an awful decision. They are about to have weeks off. They didn’t need it. Some worrying decisions from Ralph. I like him and was singing his praises before we signed him. He was my preferred choice. It doesn’t mean I’m blinkered though. He’s made some errors. I feel for the fans today.

So you don't think the players who gave given everything over the last month to keep us up, and succeeded, deserved any reward? I thought it was a good and generous gesture.

 

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[Cabbage_Face]

Fraser Forster is a joke of a “goalkeeper” I don’t care if he had some love affair that went tits up, he was **** before, **** during and still a heap of steaming ****.

 

Forster, Stephens and Moi need to get out of the club and never come back.

 

 

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[Ohio Saint]

and still a heap of steaming ****.

 

 

 

 

 

To say he is steaming **** would imply that he has a degree of freshness.

[Shroppie]

Fraser Forster is a joke of a “goalkeeper” I don’t care if he had some love affair that went tits up, he was **** before, **** during and still a heap of steaming ****.

 

Forster, Stephens and Moi need to get out of the club and never come back.

 

 

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I look forward to you waving your magic wand that makes other clubs bid for them

 

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[Shroppie]

Just seen the highlights (lowlights?). Forster was so weak for the second and didn't move for the third.

 

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[Ohio Saint]

Just seen the highlights (lowlights?). Forster was so weak for the second and didn't move for the third.

 

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To say he didn't move for the third is a bit unkind. He could have had no idea where his goal was, as it was behind him, so out of sight. There was no way he could have known which way the ball was going as he was probably too busy wondering where his goal was. Long story short, he was legless so his hands were tied.

[Crab Lungs]

To say he didn't move for the third is a bit unkind. He could have had no idea where his goal was, as it was behind him, so out of sight. There was no way he could have known which way the ball was going as he was probably too busy wondering where his goal was. Long story short, he was legless so his hands were tied.

 

I’m sure if we can get Dave Watson to drop kick the ball to him a few hundred more times it’ll improve him.

[Ohio Saint]

You know what? Ralph could have played any one of us fans in goal today and the reaction would have been better after today's result. At least we would have seen one of us get an awesome pay packet for just one week!

[Saints foreva]

Just seen the highlights (lowlights?). Forster was so weak for the second and didn't move for the third.

 

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£70,000 a week.

 

And this forum used to take the **** out of West Ham's transfer dealings.

[doddisalegend]

So you don't think the players who gave given everything over the last month to keep us up, and succeeded, deserved any reward? I thought it was a good and generous gesture.

 

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Surely the reward would be continuing to earn a nice big PL wage and not take a relegation clause pay cut. Plus it was partial their fault that they needed to give everything to stay up maybe if they had performed all season the wouldn't have had to.

[doddisalegend]

So you don't think the players who gave given everything over the last month to keep us up, and succeeded, deserved any reward? I thought it was a good and generous gesture.

 

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Surely the reward would be continuing to earn a nice big PL wage and not take a relegation clause pay cut. Plus it was partial their fault that they needed to give everything to stay up maybe if they had performed all season the wouldn't have had to.

[shurlock]

Do you have a point to make? Or do you just love making any kind of sentence(with or without meaning) that contains "pal"?

 

Did you go to the game pal?

[Pilchards]

Putting Forster in the shop window has made it harder for us to flog him now.

 

Would be great if we could of made a YouTube video on his performances today.

Any good roll outs to defenders or even a good punted clearance we could use?

[Shroppie]

Surely the reward would be continuing to earn a nice big PL wage and not take a relegation clause pay cut. Plus it was partial their fault that they needed to give everything to stay up maybe if they had performed all season the wouldn't have had to.

Since you said it twice, I guess that's true. [emoji6]

 

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[whelk]

Two seasons running WH away only game I have left early.

Attitude so pathetic. Comical how sh1t we were.

Stop playing Stephens!

[Shroppie]

Two seasons running WH away only game I have left early.

Attitude so pathetic. Comical how sh1t we were.

Stop playing Stephens!

What choice was there today?

 

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[Saint Billy]

Well, I hope Ralph knows why he played that side today because f*cked if I do.

[Shroppie]

Well, I hope Ralph knows why he played that side today because f*cked if I do.

If you listened to his interviews or read anything, you'd know. [emoji848]

 

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[whelk]

What choice was there today?

 

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Bertrand and Targett

Anyone

[Saint Billy]

Yet again a substandard team makes a mediocre team look good. As soon as I saw the team sheet I thought "Oh!s.h.i.t" FF and JS plus Ellenousie. Who wants a few pieces of surplus to requirement 'pretenders' for free.Ralph knows who to dump now if he didn't before this Charade.

 

To be fair he should have before this game but decided to play them instead.

[mrfahaji]

In the grand scheme of things this is not a bad result - it hopefully demonstrates to Hasenhuttl (and the board) that some of our players are not up to it. The ideal scenario might have been that Forster, Elyounoussi play well and persuade someone to pay money for them, but doesn't sound like that happened, so at least there is less chance of anyone mistakenly thinking they are good enough now.

 

Having said that, I didn't even watch the game never mind attend, so can appreciate why people who spent their day travelling and paying money for what sounds like a shambolic performance would be frustrated. Would be nice if there was even a token gesture from the club, say £5 off a game next season, for those who made it. Sometimes teams don't play well (Saints especially!), but today sounds inevitable with the team selection and even though I don't think it's a bad thing in the long run, that's probably worse for those at the game than if the first choice XI had an off day.

[Shroppie]

Accepted. But I think Stephens was in the category of being given a last chance.

 

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[shurlock]

What choice was there today?

 

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If we were going to play Stephens today (and you’re correct we don’t have many options at CB), I would have preferred to see him in a back three, perhaps shifting Bertrand over and starting Targett at LWB/LM as we did to good effect in the second half against Bournemouth last week.

 

In other words, I would have rather seen us experiment with a formation and/or lineup that we might credibly use next season than going gung-ho with four attacking players made up of bit-part players. Either experiment with a 4-2-2-2 with your best lineup (as it’s struggled to show it can play that way) or acknowledge the limitations of a weakened team with a less adventurous setup that gives it the best chance to succeed. It’s hard to see what RH could have plausibly learned today. Then again I don’t think learning was his main priority which might explain why a number of those who went today are justifiably annoyed.

Edited 4 May, 2019 by shurlock

[mrfahaji]

I was at the game. We lacked intensity, urgency and energy. Agree with Ralph saying we're tired and it does emphasise how much has been put into staying up with a limited squad.

 

Valery did look tired and made a tired error for the first goal.

 

But Elyounoussi and Forster weren't tired. They were just poor. Don't agree that Forster did anything particularly good. Kicking was bad. Made two saves, one if which he pushed into the danger area. I'm still terrified when he plays. Elyounoussi was too slow, too indecisive and just lacked awareness.

 

I thought Armstrong was ok, but bottled chances to shoot more than once. At least he tried to be direct. Long should gave shot rather than trying for the penalty (but thought it wasn't a bad shout)

 

Lemina was also ok. Some nice touches but lacks Romeu's no nonsense approach at critical moments.

 

So, if we can get takers, and it's a big if, Forster, Elyounoussi and Stephens can go. Armstrong is good enough for backup. Austin I think will go. Long night gave a season in him as an impact sub. Really don't know about Ings, but seems we have to buy him.

 

I do not agree with the poster who suggested Bednarek isn't good enough. He is, and has had to hold the defence together with first Vestergaard then Maya out.

 

So we need backup RB, CB, AM - maybe Boufal but I doubt it, and a striker.

 

Ralph said he wants to give the fans a proper end of season next week, do I hope the players who kept us up play

 

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Broadly agree with that assessment. I'd be tempted to play Devil's Advocate and say that maybe Forster and Elyounoussi struggled because they're rusty, but even if that's true it's not like they've ever shown anything (for the past couple of years) to suggest they can ever be good. I genuinely think they played today to put them in the shop window.

 

Ings - he's been disappointing lately but for a while many people were saying we can't win unless Ings plays - and now suddenly he's sh1t (not you saying this). Obviously his injury proneness is a concern and means we definitely need another option, but we have to hope he gets a full pre-season without setbacks and then I think he will still be an asset.

 

Boufal - I am one of the more optimistic ones about his ability, but my concern is that while 'rotation' might be ok, I'm not sure he'll be happy with being a back up/impact sub. So I feel like either Hasenhuttl needs to really rate him or he'll go.

 

Bednarek - he's been decent this year (with some superb displays) but I struggle to identify what his strength is. But same with weaknesses. Whereas Yoshida brings pace but gets pushed off the ball a lot and Vestergaard is a tower (although not actually as commanding as I was hoping) but ridiculously slow, Bednarek is just "all round ok". I don't worry when I see his name on the teamsheet (like Stephens), but it also doesn't fill me confidence. It's not a bad thing, I just hope he's able to continue to improve if he's to be anything more than a capable back up.

[doc oli]

Today highlighted what Ralph has added in terms of the performances that Redmond, JWP and Romeu have put in since his arrival. They all play with an energy that those who came in today just don’t have. Lemina was far too deep and would have been more effective as one of the advanced midfielders like he was against Newcastle. And for those slagging Valery, he’s still young, and at times can be electrifying.

[ally_uk]

That Goalkeeper is like a tree on a golf course..... Get rid sharpish!

[saint michael]

The worst bit is that the fans spend hard earned money to watch that so expect a performance and just don’t get it. Ralph decides its a chance to see some squad players which we all know aren’t up to it. The inevitable is that we lose in a shambles of a performance.

 

I thought Ralph should have come out and said it as it is that it wasn’t good enough and some players clearly aren’t up to this level that for me was a big mistake.

 

Season clearly over and we just need to move on

[stevy777_x]

The worst bit is that the fans spend hard earned money to watch that so expect a performance and just don’t get it. Ralph decides its a chance to see some squad players which we all know aren’t up to it. The inevitable is that we lose in a shambles of a performance.

 

I thought Ralph should have come out and said it as it is that it wasn’t good enough and some players clearly aren’t up to this level that for me was a big mistake.

 

Season clearly over and we just need to move on

 

Think he knows that they aren’t up to it but he s an intelligent guy he is not going to say it in the media as it might scare off any potential suitors.

[Kingsland Red]

That Goalkeeper is like a tree on a golf course..... Get rid sharpish!

 

I prefer the ‘human wind sock’ analogy

[mrfahaji]

The worst bit is that the fans spend hard earned money to watch that so expect a performance and just don’t get it. Ralph decides its a chance to see some squad players which we all know aren’t up to it. The inevitable is that we lose in a shambles of a performance.

 

I thought Ralph should have come out and said it as it is that it wasn’t good enough and some players clearly aren’t up to this level that for me was a big mistake.

 

Season clearly over and we just need to move on

 

I think it is just as likely that some of these players were being put in the shop window. With any luck someone out there won't bother to watch the games and think "this Elyounoussi chap has played a few times in the Premier League, he can't be too bad". Pretty sure the club have done similar things before when Reed was around (Rodriguez, Forster new contract), though at least this time the game didn't count for anything and could at least double up as Hasenhuttl giving them one last chance to prove themselves, even if he had probably made up his mind on them already.