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Post by empresstouch on Apr 6, 2022 17:47:20 GMT
You all know THAT song. The extreme voice team, Midge Ure & co. at their awesome best.
Well, listening to the Rage In Eden album on remastered CD last Saturday night put me back into much more a positive frame of mind than how I felt putting the CD into my discman, having read those awful journals about the F.A. Cup sliding a door open for teams who fail to finish 4th or higher.
We don't have time to dwell on U.. (cough, cough).
Instead, brief, but juicy details in delving into the West Ham fixture last Sunday afternoon.
A very mature and patient opponent we faced, surprisingly generous in how much possession we were allowed to have.
At the same time, WE allowed only 3 set-pieces for that entire 1st-half.
Eleven crosses from open play, plus two set-piece deliveries.
Net result: One shot on goal from crosses. Whatever Lampard & co. had spent the international break working on, seemed to have had SOME effect, given how Moyes - having got the better of Benitez at Goodison through Ogbonna's late corner-kick header - would have surely told his players to target our dodgy and floundering aerial defence.
Of course, the other set-piece would be the defining moment of the half. Holgate's foul - ruthlessly punished.
We had to do something we've struggled to do away from home this season - get up off the canvass.
This time WE DID.
A scrappy, fortunate goal, maybe.
The fact that NEITHER side was dominating in ANY facet of the game, at 11 vs 11, a reflection of West Ham's newly-discovered class and Everton's positive team thinking.
The sight of Iwobi's pace in midfield AND Godfrey & Holgate prepared to dribble/play one-twos into penetrating runs a sign that - 11 vs 11 - belief we COULD win, a realistic take from this game.
So frustrating the red card, but Antonio was a split-second quicker in thought than Keane. European experience to the fore, something we badly need back, and fast.
To conclude, many positive responses; our manager wasn't BS-ing when speaking after the match.
Frustrating mistakes: yes, but West Ham are the best of 'Best Of the Rest' in League position for this season and last - for a reason.
I expect Burnley to test our central defensive capabilities far more forcefully; but partly down to their greater limitations (in comparison to the Hammers).
So it's still another 0-0 forecast from me tonight.
A crucial match. But enjoy the tension, knowing how disappointed many history-haters will be - IF WE ESCAPE THE DROP...
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Post by rugbytoffee on Apr 6, 2022 20:30:31 GMT
Another individual mistake cost us again , but we missed plenty of chances once again
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