West Ham v Aston Villa Pre-Match Thread

[PaulTheVillan]

When was he captain?

Bannan? He hasn't has he? Delph has wore the armband a couple of times pre-season.

[Monty]

When was he captain?

Bannan? He hasn't has he? Delph has wore the armband a couple of times pre-season.

No, Bannan was definitely captain on two occasions, against the Timbers and Peterborough.

[PaulTheVillan]

When was he captain?

Bannan? He hasn't has he? Delph has wore the armband a couple of times pre-season.

No, Bannan was definitely captain on two occasions, against the Timbers and Peterborough.

Delph started the game as captain v Peterbro' & Chicage Fire.

[Shrek]

3-2 to Villa, no more bore draws.!!!

[Monty]

When was he captain?

Bannan? He hasn't has he? Delph has wore the armband a couple of times pre-season.

No, Bannan was definitely captain on two occasions, against the Timbers and Peterborough.

Delph started the game as captain v Peterbro' & Chicage Fire.

Sorry yes that's right, Bannan was captain against Timbers and Forest.

[Monty]

Both great moves I might add, they're players who have all the talent but need guidance and confidence boosts. And playing passing football, which is where both of them flourish.

To hell with it, I want to see both of them start, with KEA and one of Ireland or Holman, with Weimann behind Bent. That's assuming Lambert plays the diamond like in pre-season.

[Ads]

I think this will be tough.

Quite a few West Ham think they only have to turn up to smash us but there you go.

I think back to their game against Blackpool, a side that keeps the ball and they battered West Ham. With more quality in our side, I think we'll be able to punish them.

It wouldn't suprise me if its a draw.

[Toronto Villa]

What exactly have West Ham done since squeezing into the PL through the back door that suddenly makes them as good some think they are? They are going to be excited about being in the PL and the atmosphere will be tough, but at the end of the day we're not playing Man City away first game. They are still West Ham with West Ham level players, and with the great James Collins at the back. If we play our game and get the ball to Bent in the 6yd box we'll win. We have better players and a better manager.

[Monty]

What exactly have West Ham done since squeezing into the PL through the back door that suddenly makes them as good some think they are? They are going to be excited about being in the PL and the atmosphere will be tough, but at the end of the day we're not playing Man City away first game. They are still West Ham with West Ham level players, and with the great James Collins at the back. If we play our game and get the ball to Bent in the 6yd box we'll win. We have better players and a better manager.

I think the reason is literally Clark at centre back and the way Andy Carroll destroyed us that day. I think people will be surprised at how well Clark will play at the back, and the effectiveness of keeping the ball away from a side who boof it, because more often than not (as anyone watching us for a few seasons will testify) the boof gives the ball away.

[Toronto Villa]

West Ham are likely going to play Carlton Cole and Vaz Te up front. Vaz Te did next nothing in his career until he arrived at West Ham in the Championship. Carlton Cole has done nothing in his career. It will be a long season if those two cause us problems.

[not3bad]

Apparently they are going to play Diarra against us. 

http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/sport/westham/westhamnews/9872391.Hammers_set_to_play_Diarra_against_Aston_Villa/

[Chris Smith]

What exactly have West Ham done since squeezing into the PL through the back door that suddenly makes them as good some think they are? They are going to be excited about being in the PL and the atmosphere will be tough, but at the end of the day we're not playing Man City away first game. They are still West Ham with West Ham level players, and with the great James Collins at the back. If we play our game and get the ball to Bent in the 6yd box we'll win. We have better players and a better manager.

I think the reason is literally Clark at centre back and the way Andy Carroll destroyed us that day. I think people will be surprised at how well Clark will play at the back, and the effectiveness of keeping the ball away from a side who boof it, because more often than not (as anyone watching us for a few seasons will testify) the boof gives the ball away.

We were terrible at dealing with crosses into the box on Saturday and didn't appear to be able to keep the ball away from them either, particularly when they stepped it up in the second half so that sounds like a bit of wishful thinking to me.

Hopefully that will be sorted out as they develop an understanding but that's going to take time, particularly as Vlaar has the added consideration of adapting to the unique demands of this league.

[Monty]

Apparently they are going to play Diarra against us. 

http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/sport/westham/westhamnews/9872391.Hammers_set_to_play_Diarra_against_Aston_Villa/

So they're going with size against our skill in midfield. For once, I think a lot of neutrals will be hoping we win this.

Chris, I'd say that we didn't do that particularly well against Werder, but that was something of an anomaly in pre- season (Forest hit us on the break - we dominated the ball). You could say that Werder were by far our biggest test, but then they're better and more tactically astute than West Ham are likely to be. The Werder game isn't a big enough sample from which to draw specific conclusions, I believe.

I agree that it'll take time for them to gel consistently, but I also think it's fair to say that they can defend well and keep the ball for stretches in games anyway, if not consistently. We displayed real attacking potency against Werder as well, which last season many were saying they'd prefer to defensive solidity in the short term. We can score one more than West Ham.

[VinnieChase84]

3-1 Villa
Darren Bent hatrick

[Chris Smith]

Monty, it wasn't tactical astuteness that was our undoing on Saturday but a basic inability to defend crosses and in the second half to keep the ball.  It sounds like I'm being unduly pessimistic but I'm not, I think we just have to accept that there is still a lot of work to be done and all the nice football in the world isn't going to help if you're vulnerable every time a high ball is launched into the box as it makes the players more cautious and risk averse.

I hope I'm wrong and that  they've sorted out their issues by Saturday but experience tells me it's going to take a little longer.