With the tricky match coming up at the Boleyn against West Ham, we asked some hammers from West Ham Forum – Knees Up Mother Brown their thoughts on the game. You can view the full thread here: http://www.kumb.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=149436
The thread can also be found on The Everton Forum here: https://www.theevertonforum.co.uk/everton-forum/8459-talking-opposition-west-ham.html
1. Four games in and nearly time to judge how teams have started. How well do you think you have done, performance and results wise, so far this season?
wizzo_66: Solid, if unspectacular, but happy given the injuries to key players. Cardiff was a very good performance, Stoke was dreadful…so it’s been mixed but certainly not all doom and gloom.
HammerMan2004: We’ve done as well as we can hope. We’re toothless upfront. Solid at the back. We could’ve taken a point from the Stoke game even though we were shocking. We could’ve beaten Southampton late on. Equally we could’ve been beaten late on at Newcastle.
Claretdave: We are very blunt up front, but quite hard to break down. Pretty miserable to watch, but results wise it’s not a disaster.
hammer2192: Superb defence, but we obviously lack goals and the opposition we’ve played against are going to be in and around us so we should have got at least another win.
shammy: Boring performance, predictable results.
2. What are you expecting of the season?
Hambrosia Stu: Something similar to last. Or at least I was before a ball was kicked. Our lack of options up front have tempered any thoughts of improving on last season’s 10th place, although I do think we’ll be alright and finish midtable somewhere.
denzel: It all depends on who we can keep fit. With Carroll starting and on form along with Downing and Joe Cole I believe we are easily a top 10 side. Without them, Carroll in particular, we could be in for a long season and should probably finish around 14th.
Aceface: Another midtable finish between 12th-8th would be the target. Below that and I’d consider it a minor disappointment, but given our bumpy history, staying out of relegation would be enough.
3. With that in mind, is Sam Allardyce the man to maintain PL status and then progress?
Tommy Taylor’s Jockstrap: Look, there’s generally a lot of b*llocks spouted about BFS, and I’ll be the first to admit that I wasn’t that enamoured when he got the gig. But **** it, I’m happy to hold me dukes up and admit I was wrong. Top bloke and the only man for the job – imagine having Di Canio here at the moment – shudders…
sanchoz: Yes. Sam is the first manager we have had in a very long while (note – not first team coach like Zola or whatever title
Avram had). Bolton and Blackburn always progressed as your question asks by improving on their status in the league every season. After the first few years in the top flight under Sam, Bolton were always punching above their weight.
kitthehammer: Yes he is, it’s not his fault Carroll is injured or that we didn’t bring in a nother striker or let Carlton Cole go without more effort to keep him. He has made us solid and generally difficult to beat and depite the constant hoofball claims from the media and other fans, we’ve been playing some nice football when we need to.
4. Have there been any stand out performers for you this season? Or any surprising new faces in the first team?
Hammertap: Our defence and Jussi have been outstanding. 1 goal conceded, a free kick at that, tells you everything you need to know. Jussi was on top form against Southampton. He’s getting better with age! Looks like this is going to be Morrison’s breakthrough season too which is very exciting for us all.
Doc H Ball: Reid’s a class player and Noble makes us tick. Surprised to see Maiga still there as he’s very poor. Ravel Morrison is our wild card and our one bright new spark.
the wren: Jussi on Saturday the best. Collins and Reid have done very well. You can see there is a pattern to this…
5. Who will be the biggest threat to Everton on Saturday?
bspur1: Noble (via a penalty) the only way we have looked like scoring lately is to win a penalty.
De Niro: Jarvis. After a very poor game on Sunday, I think he may be key in keeping Coleman/Baines pinned back.
Sanchoz: One of your defenders scoring an own goal.
mywhufc: Everton
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On to Everton…
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6. Have you seen any/many of our games? How do you think we have done so far?
Iron George: Decent start, I thought you were excellent on Saturday against Chelsea. Unfortunately i think that performance will kick start your season
smarthammer: Saw the Chelsea match (nicked a good win) and clearly you’re difficult to break down.
Estuary: Just one, Chelsea, they had long periods of possession and lost 1-0, had they played Ba or Torres I think it would have been a different result.
7. What do you make of our fairly new manager Roberto Martinez? Do you think he’ll have success at Everton?
HammerMan2004: I know coaches in the game who’ve worked directly with him and his academy over in Spain, and they absolutely love him and the way he works and can’t speak highly enough about him and I completely trust their judgement when it comes to football. Yet I can’t say I’m massively convinced. I don’t know why.
fmgod: Nope, he’s tactical innept, I think when he was has to start bringing players in you’ll struggle, when your back line gets a year or two old, you may stay to fall then, as he has no idea of how to setup a defence, currently he’s just inherited a very good one.
prophet:marginal: I’ve always liked Martinez, even when he was bossing Wigan (not a popular team with us, not at all). Will he succeed – in terms of silverware – where Moyes did not? I think that you may dip a touch in the short-term future, but that he will maintain your top half status over time. You won’t win the league, but a cup isn’t out of the question. I doubt you’d qualify top 4 any time soon.
8. If you could take one Everton player, who would it be and why?
richneal: Same as everyone else – Baines. And, like all your fans, you already know why. Other than that, do you have any extra strikers you could lend us?
The Lone Hammer: Honestly, just about any of your strikers.
Iron George: Lukaku and Baines. One scoring the other making
thewren: Lukaku. Anybody over 6ft who can look like scoring…Please?
smarthammer: Barkley – looks like a proper talent.
9. Who is Everton‘s worst player or weak link, in your opinion?
Estuary: Oddly, the lad who scored the gaol v Chelsea, up to that point he had given the ball back to them every time he had it, other than him the team is very solid, no obvious week links. I will be relying on Martinez to make a tactical error in trying to play to much football. So I guess my answer is Martinez.
bspur1: Jelavic looked attrocious last time we played (que a hatrick this time)
De Niro: Naismith. I know he scored the winner on Saturday but I’ve always thought hes looked poor. A hard worker but not much else.
Aceface: At the moment, probably Jelavic. Think even Maiga has scored in the PL more recently than he has.
10. Who do you expect to threaten your Hammers side most come Saturday?
denzel: Leighton Baines, consistently one of the league’s best full backs for years and we’ll need to double up on him and Coleman on the other side.
hammer2912: Osman, I think he’ll dictate the game.
Claretdave: Nobody stands out, you have a solid team and keep turning up good youngsters.
fmgod: Mirallas running at our defenders, Baines and Coleman on the overlap wil cause problems.
11. Where do you see us Toffees finishing?
wizzo_66: I originally predicted bottom half, but Martinez has started better than I thought he would. Still think 7-10 is realistic, but I can see a tail off to the end of the season, I’ll stick my neck out and stick to my guns….13th!
fmgod: 12th
HammerMan2004: 6th-9th
Claretdave: About seventh. Ideally above Spuds and Liverpool and one place below ourselves. (you would take that, wouldn’t you!)
shammy: About 8th
smarthammer: 6th – 8th
Aceface: I think there’s a solid top 6 which you’re probably just slightly weaker than, but probably comfortably finish “best of the rest”. So 7th.
Tommy Taylor’s Jockstrap: I reckon you’ll be in and around the same positions as us, but with probably a slightly stronger squad helping you to finish above us in around 8th ish
Doc H Ball: 6th or 7th. Even after a good season I don’t think you’ll be higher than Manure, L’Arse, Totts, Citeh, Chelski.
thewren: Between 8th and 14th. But hopefully above Liverpool…
Finally…
12. Predictions?
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wizzo_66: 1-0 WHU. Won’t be pretty but I think Big Sam can set up to win this one off Nolan’s arse.
fmgod: I think Big Sam may be able to outsmart Martinez, 1-0 – Noble Penalty
HammerMan2004: 1-1.
Claretdave: 2-0 your mob.
shammy: 3-1
Hambrosia Stu: A fairly dull 1-1 would be a decent result, considering our lack of firepower.
hammer2192: Really cant see us scoring again so either 0-0 or 0-1 Everton
denzel: 2-1 West Ham, I’ve got my claret and blue specs on.
smarthammer: WH 0 Everton 1
Aceface: West Ham 1-2 Everton.
De Niro: 0-0
bspur1: I am going to say 1-0 to us , but if i had to put my life savings on it it would be 0-0
Tommy Taylor’s Jockstrap: Time to sort it out against your lot. 3-1 WHU
sanchoz: 2-0 to Everton
Estuary: 1-1
thewren: If Vaz Te or Petric play then a tight one. Doubt if it will be a classic though…But do come and enjoy it.
Iron George: think our clean sheet record is about to finish and we never do well against you so 0-2 or 0-3.
The Lone Hammer: My heart says 1-0 to us. My head says 2-0 to you.
kitthehammer: 1-1
Hammertap: 0-0. Unfortunately…
Doc H Ball: 2:0 to your mob
prophet:marginal: 1 – 0 Irons (Noble, pen)
mywhufc: Anyone for 0-0
richneal: it’s fairly obvious to everyone right now that we couldn’t score in a brothel. So the score will be Everton (pick a number between 0 and 3) – West Ham 0.