Shrewsbury were incredibly poor and for most of the game we weren’t much better.
Kone did brilliantly when he came on and makes a fair claim for MOTM but I’ll give it to Leahy for breaking the deadlock in a game that until then had 0-0 written all over it.
Forino was fantastic, but I went for Kone - completely changed the game when he came on. Won the free kick for our first goal with some outrageous skill, and scored the second.
I never normally go with a sub but the game was so flat until Kone made the difference, so I’ve gone with him. A bit harsh on Chris though - he was solid throughout
I went with Kone too, winning that set piece was the game changer. Forino a good shout too and I liked what I saw from Kodua, although he ended up running into trouble a fair bit.
But I think that rawness is something we could definitely work with if West Ham would let him come back next season.
Quite an easy choice for me, McCarthy was solid defensively and showed a surprisingly good range of passing. His best performance for quite some time.
Hard to pick out anyone else, as we didn't play well at all until the sending off. Kone did help change the game and Forino, Low and Leahy were all solid.
Two things changed the game, the sending off, and Kone coming on. Up until then we never really looked like scoring, but he certainly livened things up no end. My MOTM.
A word of praise for Vokes. Not his best game yesterday, although he was unfortunate that numerous lay offs were to players caught on their heels and not running into the spaces he was expecting. Despite this and very limited service, he never stopped trying and putting the effort in.
It may be he final season with us, we'll wait and see, but he really is a consumate professional. Always 100% and always the first to applaud the fans after every game win, lose or draw. Top guy in my opinion!
That said, it seems it was just me who was impressed with McCarthy yesterday! I just felt that in a fairly dire opening 70mins, he tended to be involved in the few good moves we did put together. His quick passing to feet was a bright spot and he linked up well with Kone when he came on.
Kone was a game changer, although the sending off was key to the match for me. It was at that point that we took control.
And to be fair the responses to my post suggest that one other person, at least, agrees that I’m harsh !😗
I’ve always had great respect for Jason McCarthy and Nick Freeman’s oft repeated references (on commentary) to his boundless energy come readily to mind.
Yesterday, my abiding mental image was of him and a couple of other players exchanging short passes close to the right hand touchline and the ball either going astray or into touch before reaching the halfway line. Or maybe slightly beyond.
In my book, he reached a peak (and there’s still time for others) when operating as a right wing back towards the end of the Championship season, with Fred Onyedinma on the left.
Comments
I went with big Chris. Imperious.
Shrewsbury were incredibly poor and for most of the game we weren’t much better.
Kone did brilliantly when he came on and makes a fair claim for MOTM but I’ll give it to Leahy for breaking the deadlock in a game that until then had 0-0 written all over it.
Forino was fantastic, but I went for Kone - completely changed the game when he came on. Won the free kick for our first goal with some outrageous skill, and scored the second.
I never normally go with a sub but the game was so flat until Kone made the difference, so I’ve gone with him. A bit harsh on Chris though - he was solid throughout
Gasroom is on the beach already.
I went with Kone too, winning that set piece was the game changer. Forino a good shout too and I liked what I saw from Kodua, although he ended up running into trouble a fair bit.
But I think that rawness is something we could definitely work with if West Ham would let him come back next season.
It will be a huge loss if we can't get Forino to sign another contract. Is only going to get better if his body holds up.
Kone was super when he came on, but both Forino & Low were imperious, in the end went for Forino.
Forino was the obvious choice until that man Koné worked his magic.
Forino for me but Kone was excellent in his time on the pitch.
Quite an easy choice for me, McCarthy was solid defensively and showed a surprisingly good range of passing. His best performance for quite some time.
Hard to pick out anyone else, as we didn't play well at all until the sending off. Kone did help change the game and Forino, Low and Leahy were all solid.
Kone. Game changer.
While I went Big Chris, my prediction is that summer of 2025 will be full of nervous worry about someone coming in to buy Kone.
Two things changed the game, the sending off, and Kone coming on. Up until then we never really looked like scoring, but he certainly livened things up no end. My MOTM.
That is so much more of a nail biting situation if we are newly promoted to the Championship in the summer of 2025.
"Dum dum dum dumby doo-wah ..."
A word of praise for Vokes. Not his best game yesterday, although he was unfortunate that numerous lay offs were to players caught on their heels and not running into the spaces he was expecting. Despite this and very limited service, he never stopped trying and putting the effort in.
It may be he final season with us, we'll wait and see, but he really is a consumate professional. Always 100% and always the first to applaud the fans after every game win, lose or draw. Top guy in my opinion!
Top guy. Most certainly so.
After reading your assessment of Jason McCarthy’s performance yesterday, I find it hard to trust your judgment in footballing terms. Sorry.
Hope @Wendoverman is ok. Wanted to ask him if he thinks Richard Koné is @aloysius’s “The Player”. The 20 goal a season man.
@micra oooh you're a harsh man!
That said, it seems it was just me who was impressed with McCarthy yesterday! I just felt that in a fairly dire opening 70mins, he tended to be involved in the few good moves we did put together. His quick passing to feet was a bright spot and he linked up well with Kone when he came on.
Kone was a game changer, although the sending off was key to the match for me. It was at that point that we took control.
Well I certainly agree with you. I think that’s the best McCarthy has played since his return from injury.
And to be fair the responses to my post suggest that one other person, at least, agrees that I’m harsh !😗
I’ve always had great respect for Jason McCarthy and Nick Freeman’s oft repeated references (on commentary) to his boundless energy come readily to mind.
Yesterday, my abiding mental image was of him and a couple of other players exchanging short passes close to the right hand touchline and the ball either going astray or into touch before reaching the halfway line. Or maybe slightly beyond.
In my book, he reached a peak (and there’s still time for others) when operating as a right wing back towards the end of the Championship season, with Fred Onyedinma on the left.
Second assenter identified (perhaps). 😉
Doubling the votes.
22 for Koné. 10 Forino.
Whoever Ino is. Silly Sunday, part two.
I thought McCarthy had a good solid game too. Also, it's "Kone", not "Koné" - surely only polite to spell it the way the person themselves spells it.
Point taken. Something I started originally in à probably vain attempt to stop people saying Kone (or very similar).
it’s a bugger trying to land on the right accent on the iPhone so I welcome the chance to knock it on the head.
I sometimes write in French. Witness predictive’s insistence on putting a grave accent on ‘a’.
Why the heck won’t this perishing device let me start this comment with I’ve ?
I’ve never seen how Kone writes his name but, as a citizen of French speaking Côte d’Ivoire, I’d have thought he would quite like the acute accent.
Apologies to the young man if I’ve been inadvertently impolite.
Probably the most famous Ivorian footballer, Didier Drogba doesn't have an acute accent.