So. After the uninspiring victory over AFC Bournemouth last night. What did we learn. Or more importantly. What did J Lo learn?
I think Coufal is now a spent force. All he seemed to want to do was look for a backwards pass. Wan-Bissaka looks mustard. Todibo looks like he needs a few games but he has pace. His withdrawl at HT highlighted how vulnerable we are defensively to attacking pace with Mavrapanos & Coufal defending down the right. Alvarez was Alvarez. Dogged and determined. JWP & Soucek contribute absolutely nothing to the team in open play. Summerville looks like he will be a threat when he finds his fight. Though his preference to drive at defenders rather than cross the ball is not going to do any favours to our German striker Fullkrug. Rodriguez was a worthy replacement for Alvarez. Dropping JWP and Soucek for Paqueta & Kudus is a must. But keep Summerville out wide on the left. He could be a great foil for Emerson. Eould a 4-1-4-1 suit? Still work to be done but when this team click. Things could happen.

The rollercoaster is getting ready to go COYI

https://youtu.be/SK_Av8juaQY?si=Wk0fc-d3HhYt-rY2

Lot of new players at the club and whilst a number i doubt will feature from the kick off here is my idea of our line up this weekend.

Areola...AWB/Killman/Todibo/Emerson....Rodriguez/Pacman/Bowen/Kudus/Summerville.....Antonio.

Subs....Fab/Coufal/Cresswell/Aguerd/Mav/JWP/Soucek/Guilherme/Cornet/Ings/Fullkrug.

AWB and Todibo have to start because of our defence Rodders(Dave as me and mates now call him) As Alvarez injured and come on you cant start Soucek or JWP...Summerville because we need that balance and now we have it lets use it.....and the Beast starts with Fullkrug deff coming on during the game.

Any tweaks you lot want to make? and yes i realise more of the newbies starting in that line up than i thought.

Well, it is for me.
I'm actually looking forward to this season, Now don't get excited, I'm not expecting a top four finish or a European chasing place in fact, I still think we could be in for a somewhat rough ride. A large chunk of my feelgood feelings is admittedly, Moyes has gone. God, that bloke depressed the life out of me before a ball had even been kicked (even Allardyce, Zola and Grant never got me down that much). But there is also a feeling emanating from the club of harmony. Lopetegui is no mug, his CV shows that, he seems to be working well with Sully and Tim and we have a plethora of signings that for the first time in years I actually couldn't predict a starting line up. When was the last time we had that problem? Never mind them, but also we have retained players who could also still be starters, if not, are genuinely players to look forward to seeing on the bench. Go on.... try and pick your team and see what you've got left over for the bench :D
True, I know virtually nothing about our new signings apart from what I read/hear from Wiki, You Tube and general headlines, but taking all I have written into account, for once in a long time this is a season I'm looking forward to. Yes it may go belly up, but Im quietly optimistic.
Shame the club have to spoil it with ticketing price issues.

Following defeats to Wolves and Palace in the USA i have read a number of reactions across many sites and also on you tube and maybe it is an age thing but talk about going over the top with people calling the new manager Flopetigu how we are going to be lucky to stay up the football is the same as under Moyes the players are all crap.

Blimey talk about going overboard......if they took time and looked at the line ups do they think that this is the starting eleven? of course it will not be...do these people not understand that a lot of the main players had been away on international duties this summer and need a break albeit a short one.....the manager if anything has had a real chance to see in the flesh and not on paper or video players that there are question marks over....some he is not sure he wants but a chance to be proved wrong maybe or just have his thoughts proved right.

Many and sorry if it offends some by being age related but many younger fans so quick to wanting it to happen today right now not in six months a years time.....integrating new players and a new style will take time and like it or not you have to have patience and noticing the how the team dropped to a low block out of muscle memory if you will then this shows much work is going to be needed but with players who have not been under the influence of Moyes coming in and our main players Bowen Kudus Pacman Alvarez they have the ability to take on board the challenge a new style and way of playing that is being put into play by the new manager and coaches.

So a little patience is warranted though i do not expect it in all honesty...if we lose to Villa the media will have a field day and some fans will be moaning that we should never of got Jlo in "he's not up to the job" they will shout for all to hear but seriously as the old saying goes Rome was not built in a day so give the man a chance.

Better football is really what we all want to see not bus parked handbrake on every week home or away so be patient for a while and give the manager and the team a chance to breathe and we will be rewarded......in saying that though if he starts JWP and Soucek as our midfield i will join many in shouting from the rooftops lol....but seriously come on guys give the man a chance.

Reading several sites and news outlets. A lot of potential targets are not interested in coming to West Ham. I know we no longer have the lure of European football but these linked players want to play in Serie A?
For me. Italian football is crap. Maybe these players are being honest and think the standard of the Premier League is too much for them. Or they know that West Ham is run by a clown.

Anyone else watching? Scrappy game so far

Can anyone explain how do I, living abroad, buy tickets? I have just been on the website whufc.com but all I can see are pre season friendlies. I’m planning a trip home and will probably be in London the weekend of the Man City game. I am very unimpressed with the official website. It’s not user friendly at all.
Cheers.

Tim has what he wished for a manger who will happily work alongside him and and let him do his job but with the Euros dragging on and the new man wanting our business done early you start to wonder if Tim is struggling a bit?

Of course the silly number of players we are linked with is just gossip and site driven talk but you do have to wonder where and when will our next signing be.

Full backs centre backs wingers strikers all said to be required but Tim is struggling to move certain players out and i am sure he is under pressure from Sullivan to make sure we are not weighed down with big wage players until the likes of Ings/Zouma/Aguered can be moved out which is proving very challenging right now.

So Tim like pundits and fans of other clubs constantly hurled at West Ham fans last season "be careful what you wish for" as all eyes are squarely and firmly set on you.

The proof will be in the pudding of course but with the old manager gone Jlo wheeled in many fans were feeling a bit low after suffering with that style of football(if you can call it that)for far to long....but suddenly a couple of signings to date-freebie not included!-a press conference with smiles and a laugh and a manager and Director if football who seemingly get along has clearly lightened the mood for fans.

Of course it is a big charm offensive to try to get the fans back onside whilst Sullivan and Brady try to penalise the young and the old by parking them in the gods if they wish to renew at concession price.

But for me like many fans it will be about style of play and seeing the side on the front foot at home and not sitting deep as was the case......it is a big season a season of rebuilding and settling in but lets sit and enjoy watching the new man and players that have arrived and those that have been kept putting a smile back on our faces and making watching us a more enjoyable event and not like a rainy monday morning!