Well Monday night was a kick in the teeth. Thankfully after all the frustration and anger we feel from Monday, we don't have long to wait until we get a chance to put that right and channel that anger into something more positive. At some point good performances need to be converted into goals and points to get us off the mark.
As his is one of the easiest away trips we have all season with only 2-3 hours travel time on the trains, and it should see another good away backing.
I understand West Ham's keeper is suspended and their likely replacement is one Darren Randolph. He's a keeper we have very fond memories of indeed. We scored 12 goals in two games past him last season (and 4 the season before). He probably has regular nightmares about us still.
My first trip to the Boleyn Ground (and last presumably).
Obviously West Ham's result over Arsenal was impressive, we'll see how they turn up against us.
We may have Green in by then, if we don't then you've already won as in just a couple of games I've seen with Randolph he's been awful.
I hope we turn up and play like we did at Arsenal, although it's tricky to predict what West Ham team will turn up.
I've obviously never sat there but I imagine the away end holds great views, all I'm hoping for is that the West Ham team that played at Arsenal turn up.
16 goals in our last 3 games against Randolph; obviously means nothing because Birmingham were cack when we played them, but a fun stat nonetheless.
Problem with tomorrow is that I can't see West Ham losing two home games in a row so early on the season; Billic will expect a reaction and will probably get it. I can see us running them close, as we have both Villa and Liverpool but ultimately not sure this is where our first points will come from unfortunately. I would be tempted to not change too much from the side that lined up against Liverpool; the performances are there we're just lacking that final incisive ball; which is rare for us but taking Yann Kermorgant out the team makes us look quite blunt going forwards unfortunately.
Should be a fantastic away day either way, glad to tick Upton Park off the list before they head to what will likely be a rather soulless Olympic Stadium
First half even putting aside the horrific Cresswell and Jenkinson errors that lead to two gift goals we were laughably bad, seemed happy to allow Bournemouth to play under little pressure. Though Bournemouth had all of the play they didn't really create too much on their own, although were it not for Randolph's save at the end of the first half it would have been 3-0. Ogbonna I assume was injured, as he came off after half an hour despite being the best defender in our line. Him/Tomkins and Reid did ok, it was Cresswell and Jenkinson who were epically awful.
I loathe Nolan but any of them could have been withdrawn - Jarvis was put on the left and Kouyate shifted to the right, and instantly we were all over Bournemouth from the restart. Penalty looked generous from where I was, but after the goal and Kouyate's equaliser we were proper rocking, Bournemouth didn't have a sniff.
...but as soon as that second went in we bafflingly went straight back to how we played in the 1st half. Not sure if they all thought they had the game won, or it was instructions from Bilic, but it was infuriating to watch. We relaxed the pressure, Bournemouth again took control and deserved the 3rd goal. We came back a tad, but after a cleared corner (iirc) Jenkinson completely ballsed up a simple control-and-lump-back-in to let the attacker have the ball which lead to the penalty and red card. 4 goals and 3 of them we directly gifted.
Maiga's goal I want to see again tonight - was seemingly like a slow motion walk around the Bournemouth defence before a neat finish but that seems to overplay it, I think a few went asleep and it sort of came out of nothing.
Best of luck to Bournemouth going forward, better team overall, but you're unlikely to face a more shambolic set of fullbacks for a long time
Ok make that 20 goals in 4 games against Randolph...The hilarity commenced in teh away end when he was anounced as man of the match but in truth he did make some decent saves.
It was a game of shambolic defending, there needs to be major inquest into the goals we conceded because they were seriously poor, but West Ham made our back four look like Milan of the 90's. Carl jenkinson turned in one of the worst performances I have seen, and I mean ever at any level; he will be having nightmares about Max Gradel for weeks to come. Wilson caused them all sorts of problems and in all honesty we should have been out of sight at half time, Gradel missing two one on ones with Randolph when he should have easily scored.
A mad 10 minutes let them back in it but you have to credit the players to still go on and win the game because it looked like we were about to collapse; Marc Pugh with the most composed finish of the day after Gradel had tormented Jenkinson once more to win the penalty.
A weird one in all, at times we were incredible, but we can't defend like that and expect to pick up too many more points; West Ham should be worried, because they looked seriously poor first half, I know they have injuries but that doesn't excuse ignoring the basics of defending.
Either way, top day out, and we got both the goal and win monkey off our backs and played some great stuff, a really memorable day to be a Bournemouth fan
It might seem strange but I'm more concerned with the narrow play in midfield and attack, than I am for the defence. Ogbonna's looked half decent this season next to Reid, Adrian will return, and on the basis of last season Cresswell and Jenkinson aren't bad players in the slightest despite a terrible last couple of games.
We were so narrow going forward, and while it makes sense away against Arsenal I don't get why we're playing 3 largely defensive central midfielders at home to Leicester and Bournemouth, none are creative. Crying out for at least a Song or Poyet (now on loan...) to direct the play. Going further forward, maybe it's because Valencia is injured but we have no width either - wasn't a coincidence when Jarvis and Kouyate were put wide we instantly, though briefly, looked like a real force.