WHUFC vs Burnley -- July 8th, 2020

Hmmm... we coulda done with Norwich either managing an equalizer or even winning against Watford... but they couldn't.

So... we enter this game level on points with Watford but with a superior goal difference, so as much as we were probably all happy with a point... but the thrown away 2 points is making things way closer and nervy than they need be.

But ya can't change the past, so here we are....

Beating Burnley isn't going to be easy... beating anyone isn't easy for us... and my worry is that we don't have the correct mentality as a club for these situations... which is partly why we can beat a Chelsea but then fail to beat the teams we would think we'd walk all over...

and so, with our four point cushion... my worry is that the club thinks the 'job is done' and so there's no incentive to beat Burnley... when there really is.

But as with everything... we... shall... see...

I know Im stating the obvious here but we need to score first to stand any chance of winning as Burnley are good at sitting on 1-0 leads and hardly ever let a lead slip such is how well organised they are under Dyce.

Personally I think we will nick it 2-1 but again I`d be happy with another point and to be honest a point a game would probabley keep us up still such is how poor Bournemout and Villa are at the moment.....Obvisouly I`d want 3 points in most of the remaining fixtures bar maybe the United game.

Hopefully Moyes sticks with Soucek and Rice in front of the back four as they seem to have a good understanding at the moment.

agree with Arran that we need to score first because we've not done too well against Burnley recently... although our home form against them is better than our overall form... and if we do score first then we need to fupping hold onto the lead and take home the points.

So - how has that gone for us in the past?

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

Burnley have recorded victories in three of their last four league games against the Hammers, keeping a clean sheet in each victory.

West Ham have won 11 and lost just two of their past 14 home encounters with the Clarets in league and cup.

Victory for Burnley would see them complete a top flight league double over the Hammers for the first time.

The last four fixtures between the sides have produced 14 goals.


West Ham United

West Ham are unbeaten in two matches (W1, D1) - their best run of league form since they went six matches without defeat last September

They have won two of their last three games at the London Stadium, having previously been victorious only once in 10 home fixtures (D3, L6).

The Hammers have scored 14 goals in seven home league matches since David Moyes returned as boss, netting three goals or more in four of those fixtures.

West Ham are on a run of 13 league matches without a clean sheet.

Of the last seven home goals conceded by the Hammers, five have been scored in the final 20 minutes of matches.

Michail Antonio has been directly involved in five goals in his last six league appearances, scoring three goals and assisting two.

January signing Tomas Soucek has scored in back-to-back league games.

West Ham boss David Moyes is winless in all five games he's managed against Sean Dyche (D2, L3).


Burnley

Burnley have been beaten only once in 11 league fixtures (W6, D4).

The Clarets have won three of their last five away league games (D1, L1), as many victories as in their previous 16 on the road (D4, L9).

Chris Wood has scored in all five of his six league games against West Ham, netting six goals in total.


So, there you 'ave it.[/b]

up early thanks to the pooch... but that doesn't help as we have a healthy 10:00am kick-off.

Can't find any team news just yet - although this nugget from the offish did make me laugh "Mark Noble ready to make an impact from the substitutes' bench"

Apparently Snoddy is out for the season (although no one actually seems to know what a 'season' is these days).

Haller has been training and out with the lads pre-match... so he might make an appearance.

Somehow Anderson has picked up an injury - must've fallen out of bed or stepped on a Lego - cos he's done fupp all to get injured while playing...

burnley is gonna be a tough one...

so, according to the offish we're "20 minutes away from the team news" -- that was posted 29 minutes ago...

Fortunately, the good old BBC doesn't let me down...

West Ham

1 Fabianski
24 Fredericks
23 Diop
21 Ogbonna
3 Cresswell
28 Soucek
41 Rice
17 Bowen
18 Fornals
7 Yarmolenko
30 Antonio

Substitutes

4 Balbuena
10 Lanzini
16 Noble
19 Wilshere
22 Haller
26 Masuaku
27 Ajeti
35 Randolph
53 Johnson

So... surprises? thoughts?

Good to see Yarmo finally get an opportunity to start - hopefully we'll decide to play two up front and that will bring the rewards that a lone striker never does.

Glad to see Noble doesn't make the starting XI - that always makes me feel we have a chance.

formals still keeps his place - doesn't deserve it but we honestly have no alternatives... I mean, who would you pick form those subs?
some online wags had been calling for Wilshire to start - but he's pants... honestly... total pants... so Fornals it is.

I mean... it's as good a team as we're gonna get. The only thing we've no idea about is the actual performance.

only had to 'activate' the app twice so far... which is a big of a turn ip. This is the first game of the restarted season that has been on the app rather than the Tv channel... but we are up and running - broadcast-wise...

the teams are about to take a knee..

looked like some players and staff in the stands didn't...

but the game is underway

lot of defending in the first minute as burnley attack... we head tennis it out of the back and give possession away...

worst possession stats of any team since MN*yes returned?

no surprises there then...

Soucek has a wild shot after Antonio feeds him having won possession off the Clarets...

again our possession lets us down as we win it as Burnley attack and then give it straight back to them...

Cresswell free kick goes straight to the Burnley keeper...

we're currently at 69-31% possession (we're the 31 btw)

Burnley shoot wide from very close range as our defense gives them an unmarked player in the box...

all the games are 0-0 thus far... the only one that counts apart form this one is the Brighton game and hopefully they will fall heavily to Liverpool and with a win for us here we'd end the day only 2 points behind them going into Saturday's game against Norwich.

another Cresswell free kick...

again goes straight to the keeper but he's bundled into dropping the ball and we end up giving it to Ogbonna who curls a 'shot" well wide...

now Burnley have a free kick... theirs is much more dangerous but Fabianski gathers it

almost a well worked attack... ends in a wide shot... a header actually from Soucek... it's hard to type and watch you know...

uncontested, Rice plays a pass that goes straight out of play...

15 minutes gone.

we 'attack' get a throw... give away possession without Burnley even trying...

seems about the way the game is going...

most importantly if we win, we'd be 3 points ahead of Watford... which is potentially more important than catching Brighton...

from the looks of things... we're playing for... barely even a draw... a lack of urgency on both sides...

Thi pretty much sums things up:

"20 mins: West Ham make a hash of passing the ball out of defence - Diop the main offender - but then Burnley make a hash of capitalising on it."

aww... drinks break...

an idea that needs to be ditched as quickly as VAR come the new season..

the Guardian has this game well sussed:

"23 mins: The first drinks break arrives, interrupting a game that was starting to think about maybe pondering the possibility of considering the benefits of clicking into gear."

West Ham attacking...

Soucek links up with Fredericks... Soucek loses it... wins it back... links up with Fredericks... loses it, wins it back then loses it...

our (very) slow build up play has one advantage... we're up over 50% in possession.

Soucek and Fredericks link up again... Soudek's golly from 6 yards is straight at the keeper who stops it well.

Corner to us.

Fornals volleys high into the sky... what a plonker

Soucek is taking over from Antonio as the most 'getting about and getting stuck in' player that we have...

as a loanee he pays with more commitment and passion that almost all the actual WHU players combined...