WHUFC vs Southampton -- December 14th, 2019

Saturday the 14th... the day after in so many ways...

will the inertia continue and Pellegrini be allowed to limp on in his current position... strange reports that our only win of recent times was orchestrated by his assistant... truth or fiction? conspiracy or confirmed?

at least we're on at a 'reasonable' time... a 9:30am on a saturday morning... so no are dragging out of bed early kick-off... a nice sedate laze around the house to watch what will be... yeah, that's the question... what will it be?

Pellegrini's swansong?
Another false dawn?
More of the same?

All three are probably equally as likely...

folks want a new manager in to take advantage of the january window rather than let Pellegrini fupp that up as well... but who's out there that we'd want and more importantly, would want to come to us?

The players we have need to start playing to their potential of else fall on their swords and slink off into the sunset.

Reid is apparently training or in contention or something... little sign of Fabianski, Lanzini and to be honest... does it matter whether Wilshere is fit or injured?

I'll be here... see any of you that are too.

To be honest,It`ll be the only time I will ever say this but I hope we get beat tomorrow just so we can finally sack Pellegrini and bring in a new manager who`ll then have 12 days to work with the squad before we play again.

Arran wrote:To be honest,It`ll be the only time I will ever say this but I hope we get beat tomorrow just so we can finally sack Pellegrini and bring in a new manager who`ll then have 12 days to work with the squad before we play again.

it's a sad state of affairs to even entertain such a line of thinking... but I'll be honest... I kinda feel the same way and I doubt we're the only ones either...

I don't think it matters either way, Pellegrini will be gone come Monday.

ugh, dragging the arse out of bed at a later time is even harder.... the players are out of the tunnel and doing the line-up and shake hands thing...

got woken up way early by the kitten to play fetch for an hour, so completely knackered...yes, I have a kitten who plays fetch. It's cute even at 7:00am on a saturday.

Saw Noble, Ogbonna, Martin, Cresswell in the tunnel... let's surf the net and find the rest of the team...

to add another layer of excitement to today's game... being the 'late' kick-off, we're on actual NBC... one of the main free to air (nothing's free here but you get the picture... so anyone in the States can basically watch us...

Soton kick off playing right to left...

Martin
Cresswell
Ogbonna
Balbuena
Fredierick

Noble
Rice
Snoddy
Fornals
Antonio

this week Haller gets the awful solo striker gig.

1:51 fre kick to us... ball in, header... goal...

Rice flagged for offside... not even a VAR check...

so no goal.

So, anderson isn't even on the bench and Haller gets the nod to lead the line...

hopefully it'll morph into a two up top of Antonio and Haller.

you can hear 'bubbles' from the away fans... possibly not being at home will eases a bit of pressure from the team... and Soton are pretty useless (not that that stops us being even worse) so things are in our favor for a West Ham victory... we've won more than Soton in head to heads...

Snoddy corner...



nothing happens.

another corner...

Haller flicks on Snoddy plays to Antonio who squares across the box but formals touch is deflected just wide...

a long ball comes in but Soton head out for another corner...

we're looking pretty good thus far...

good corner... lots of fighting for the ball by us - which we don't usually do... so we're showing more energy and determination - I know... it's only 9 minutes gone.

Soton corner...


we clear easily...

antonio muscles past a Soton player but gets called for a foul.

quarter of an hour gone... settled down a little... BBC stats has Soton with the most possession... seems weird... but it's a lot more evenly balanced that the opening few minutes.

Noble loses the ball outside the penalty area... trie a ridiculous two footed sliding tackle to regain possession but fortunately goes nowhere near the player...

fortunately the tackle and Soton's chasing of the ball go nowhere.

half way through the half...

we try a 'clever' corner... Snoddy plays a slow ball out to Noble outside the area... unfortunately too slow and by the time Noble gets his foot to it he's surrounded by Soton players... who win possession and then go upfield for an attack...

Fredericks gets in a good tackle and then the Soton shot is high and wide into the West Ham supporters.

great cross balls form Snoddy to Cresswell... into the box, Antonio and another West Ham player go down as the ball comes in...

THIS is where VAR might help as we get a second chance to look at a potential penalty....

VAR decision No Penalty.




Pellegrini remains sitting n his chair...

the game is about as even as you can get...

possession... 50/50

shots 2/2

we're had 3 corners to 1

checking the morning's results... Watford and villa both did us a favor and lost.

Norwich pulled off a surprise away draw at Leicester... so even a loss today and we'll still be out of the relegation zone... but only by a point.
a win could put us above Everton but then we could go back below them if they win or draw tomorrow...

we gotta start getting some points.

and Haller gets the goal he's been waiting for...

Antonio does great work on the touchline to keep the ball in... as he runs onto a Snoddy ball form a free kick...

a chip to the far post... Fornals heads down at the far post towards Haller who strikes his ball into the ground but it hits the inside of the post and goes in...

of course... we all saw what happened after we took the lead last week... so no jumping up and down from me at this point...

but we're in the lead.

first half coming to an end... we're not dominating as much as we should... but then Soon aren't doing a whole lot either...

2 minutes to go.

Fredericks gives the ball away and Snoddy has to take one for the team and get a yellow to stop a clear Soton attack.

2nd half about to kick off...

West Ham are playing towards the West Ham fans... so hopefully there'll be good celebrations if we score again...

oooh.... acrobatic flick by Haller to formals... the ball was moving away from him but his shot brings out a great save...

corner is easily saved by the keeper.

nice start.

it's a horrible double edged sword...

we all desperately need/want a win...

but if all that win does is keep Pellegrini in his job and prolong the agony and not presage a turnaround in fortunes... then what's the point?


soon have a good chance at the other end...

Sensational goal form Antonio... shouts for handball... which looked pretty clear...
so is it going to be called back?

flick on from Haller... Antonio powers through the defense and slams a shot past the keeper.

so VAR steps in... computer says no...

53 minutes gone... still 1-0

awww... clicking onto the guardian sports page it still says 0-2...

"54 min It would have been a memorable goal from Antonio. He rumbled straight through two defenders and whistled a half-volley into the bottom corner. He has been immense today, the perfect personification of the phrase “on one”."

but they corrected themselves...