It’s hard to not sound like a broken record with the recent results but today was the definition of lacklustre and lame.
The performance was an embarrassment, the tactical decisions were appalling, and this is a low that many fans didn’t even anticipate us reaching. A starting defence of a back four we knew wouldn’t work, and the midfield gets worse each week.
West Ham:
Areola; Coufal, Kilman, Todibo, Emerson; Ward-Prowse, Soler, Paqueta; Bowen, Fullkrug, Kudus.
Subs: Cresswell, Fabiański, Ferguson, Irving, Guilherme, Mavropanos, Rodríguez, Scarles, Souček.
Southampton:
Ramsdale; Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Stephens; Walker-Peters, Fernandes, Ugochukwu, Downes, Manning; Sulemana, Onuachu.
Subs: Archer, Aribo, Bree, Dibling, McCarthy, Welington, Smallbone, Stewart, Wood-Gordon.
It’ll come as no shock to Hammers fans that it’s yet another window where the club has to sign a marquee striker, Uncle Ingy’s dreamland contract is coming to a close, Micky is set to sign a new deal but isn’t reliable enough and Fulkrug is unable to play for more than 45 minutes!
After the results today it means Potter’s side now sit 17th with our loss and Wolves beating Spurs.
The continuous theme of us being in the fight but not getting the result is consistent, we went to Anfield, gave a good fight but ultimately ended up short. Chances after chances but none put away, Kudus hitting the bar, Bowen not capitalising on a 1 on 1 chance and Füllkrug hitting the bar late on. It all just seemed like today wasn’t our day, but since Potters taken over, it seems like that every game!
Liverpool: Alisson, Bradley, Sonate, van Dijk (C), Tsimikas, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Salah, Jones, Luis Diaz, Jota
West Ham: Areola, Todibo, Kilman, Mavropanos, Wan-Bissaka, Scarles, Soler, Paqueta, Ward-Prowse, Bowen (C), Kudus Subs: Fabianski, Coufal, Fullkrug, Guilherme, Alvarez, Rodriguez, Soucek, Emerson, Ferguson
Despite everyone's differing opinions around the club or in the footballing world, we can all agree that he who shall not be named from above is the root of many problems in this club. Since Steidten's departure and much 'media madness' later, the dust has settled and David Sullivan has since announced that a new technical director will not be happening and our original idea of getting Dan Ashworth is no longer.
Good weather, good lineup, good second half but not a full bucket of points to go home with.
The now usual lineup time of 13:45 announced the dropping of Mavropanos and Evan Ferguson, two players who deservedly had to be dropped after the performance against Wolves but ultimately one way or another it appears we’re bound to make a mistake somewhere.
Alphonse Are’oh’la had an absolute blunder, the ball made it to the byline, played in and initially saved but the ball slipped out of his hands and was the easiest goal Evanilson will have in his career.
West Ham: Areola, Bowen(c), Kilman, Kudus, Scarles, Souček, Todibo, Paquetá, Wan-Bissaka, Ward-Prowse, Álvarez
Subs: Coufal, Fabiański, Ferguson, Füllkrug, Luis Guilherme, Mavropanos, Emerson, Rodríguez, Carlos Soler
Bournemouth: Kepa, Huijsen, Kerkez, Zabarnyi, Smith, Cook, Adams, Scott, Ouattara, Semenyo, Evanilson
Subs: Dennis, Senesi, Brooks, Julio Soler, Jebbison, Araujo, Hill, Silcott-Duberry, Winterburn
For a long time, football has received multiple sponsorship offers. This is due to the sport having a huge audience which translates to a market for eager brands. Traditionally, shirt sponsorships in football used to be consumer brands, breweries, electronics, and financial service companies.
With the advancement of the global gambling industry, online casinos and betting companies became one of the biggest sponsors of football clubs due to their advertising pouring into sports. Their deep-rooted fan culture was a goldmine waiting to be tapped.
Despite the date marking April Fools, it, unfortunately, wasn’t a joke that West Ham fans had to endure in another game of this seemingly everlasting season.
Lineups saw Mohammed Kudus missing completely, as well as Todibo and Soucek finding themselves on the bench. Potter decided to throw all his toys out the pram and try something new… which at first was hard to see but apparently it was in a 5-2-1-2.
The first half pretty much summarises the performances, an open goal miss from Evan on his first start, along with a deflection of Kilman leading to Wolves’ first.