One of the things that head coach Steve McClaren has had to do this week in training is to lift our Dutch players, since the Netherlands lost both their qualifying games under new coach Danny Blind over the two week International break.
They lost 1-0 in Amsterdam to Iceland and then 3-0 in Turkey.
The Netherlands are now 4th in their group with just two games left to play and 2 points behind Turkey, and the odds are that they will not qualify for the Euro 2016 finals in France next summer.
Gini Wijnaldum in the Netherland colors
So our Dutch players would have not been too happy after those two defeats, and it would really be a shock if they failed to reach the Euro 2016 finals next year, after doing so well in the World Cup last year in Brazil when they finished 3rd and looked a very good side under Louis van Gaal.
Steve talked about what the International players have to go through when they go away to represent their countries, and then have to come back and knuckle down quickly for their club’s next game:
“It is a weird experience, going from one to the other, but they adapt so quickly, footballers.” “Yes, they are internationals, they are a team and then they come back to the club and it’s great to see everybody else.”
“Win, lose or draw in the internationals, good result or bad, they kind of just get on with it.” “If they lose and are disappointed, it’s great to come back to the buzz of the club, and if they win, it’s good that they bring back the infectious confidence.”
“All I say to them is just enjoy the experience and come back fit making sure you are ready to play.”
“Bilic made two or three signings in the window, and loans. I don’t know what his team is going to be, so we are just preparing what we can do.”
West Ham signed Michail Antonio, Victor Moses and Nikica Jelavic on deadline day – September 1st – and the new West Ham head coach Slaven Bilic has also said he is tempted to start Andy Carroll against his home town club tomorrow night.
Slaven has criticized former manager Sam Allardyce for bringing Andy back too soon from his injuries, which is why the Croatian thinks Andy has had a very bad time of it with injuries at the London club..
So it would be tempting fate to start Andy tomorrow night, but we will almost certainly see him in the second half.
With Newcastle very poor on crosses into the box, and with not much height at the back – Andy could do some damage to us.
That’s one reason we are hoping he will not start the game.
Comments welcome.
34 comments so far
Ibizatoon
Sep 13, 2015 at 2:41 PM
Comment #1Nice to hear plans are based on what we can do, rather than what the other team can do.
It’ll also be interesting to see what it is we can do.
As for AC…Anyone else wonder where that £35m went….
RUN!!!
WWSBRD
Sep 13, 2015 at 2:42 PM
Comment #2Toys out of the pram if we lose and play defensive against West Ham from me
Tsunki
Sep 13, 2015 at 2:43 PM
Comment #3Andy Carroll! Of course! That’s what we used to do before Charlie Austi…..oops sorry!
Tsunki
Sep 13, 2015 at 2:45 PM
Comment #4Steady Yo – early doors mate. I think west ham may be a bit too lively to go raging against with the team we have not settled yet. I wouldn’t blame SM for being cagey. But if he goes all guns and we get humped then we’re not going to be happy either.
Ibizatoon
Sep 13, 2015 at 2:45 PM
Comment #5Yo…We beat them 2-0 last season when we were terrible. By blog reckoning, we’ve improved as we haven’t lost so heavily in games we would have last season. This one is our gals fest!
Once again…only joking. I might need to change my name to only joking.
Tsunki…Life before Austin…dark days if you ask me. I never want to go back there.
WWSBRD
Sep 13, 2015 at 2:49 PM
Comment #6Ibiza
That’s how some will see it to be fair mate
Am not lying though I will be furious if we set up the same to play West Ham as we did against our previous opponents
Tsunki
Sep 13, 2015 at 2:50 PM
Comment #7So what Andy Carroll article do you think should come before tomorrow’s game? ‘ former nufc hit man says…’? ‘ Carroll eyes return to home town club’? ‘
sing in the corner
Sep 13, 2015 at 2:51 PM
Comment #8Think I need a metal detector for my birthda wor lass.
Nee good at spotting irony.
WWSBRD
Sep 13, 2015 at 2:52 PM
Comment #9Tsunki
Not all out attack but certainly not 6 in our third West Ham are mid table at best if we don’t try and attack them who will we?
toon kk
Sep 13, 2015 at 2:52 PM
Comment #10Andy Carroll will be a threat to us, he was v good at the time we had him with Nolan and Barton. Not so sure how he would fit in with our current squad? He’d be injured most of the time anyway. He’s far too slow for me.
SUTTY1978
Sep 13, 2015 at 2:54 PM
Comment #11My prediction for team news for tomorrow night
One change as Cisse replaces the suspended Mitrovic….
Anita and Colback “protecting” the back four
Since when did a central midfielders primary job become babysitting the centre backs?
Ibizatoon
Sep 13, 2015 at 2:55 PM
Comment #12Yo…This one might be tought for Steve. He may well have a Bilic complex. The again, he will likely want to get one over on him too.
I want to see a positive approach. There’s only so much the manager can do once the whislte goes…just show us some intent.
Oh, and 3 points 😉
Tsunki…I’m going with “Former NUFC man injured at the thought of starting a game”
Ibizatoon
Sep 13, 2015 at 2:56 PM
Comment #13Sutty….I think around the time the defence couldn’t do their job properly.
Ibizatoon
Sep 13, 2015 at 2:59 PM
Comment #14Well, It’s nice to be back on. In case I forget my password again, can you guys remember it for me?
hjdbsshijkmdwqiu9okejiqwnss’#’1p23
Cheers. Greatly appreciated. Enjoy the rest of your Sunday. Catch you tomorrow no doubt (You never know, it may well be later. We’ll just have to wait and see).
toon kk
Sep 13, 2015 at 3:06 PM
Comment #15Sutty
agree with you, Cisse will be on his own living on scraps and the rest of our squad will be defending for 90% of the game, Its our game plan for the season and hope catch teams on the break.
sing in the corner
Sep 13, 2015 at 3:10 PM
Comment #16Spurs have a lead they scarcely deserve… although it is funny! 🙂
toon kk
Sep 13, 2015 at 3:10 PM
Comment #17Sunderland’s defence cracks
SUTTY1978
Sep 13, 2015 at 3:18 PM
Comment #18KK Perhaps McClaren misread the banner last season “we don’t demand a team that wins…. We demand 10 men behind the ball”
Tsunki
Sep 13, 2015 at 3:20 PM
Comment #19Sutty I think Steves Dyslexia may have led him to believe ” we demand a team that tires”
SUTTY1978
Sep 13, 2015 at 3:22 PM
Comment #20Tsunki, lol!
Ron Knee
Sep 13, 2015 at 3:24 PM
Comment #21We LEAP into 18th place!
Tsunki
Sep 13, 2015 at 3:25 PM
Comment #22Ibiza. Too difficult. My password is
“j3ff i5 m4g1c”
Tsunki
Sep 13, 2015 at 3:26 PM
Comment #23Good to know we’re not as poor as those also runs, like Chelsea.
SPRINGY
Sep 13, 2015 at 3:27 PM
Comment #24wierd seeing chelsea 4th bottom… at least the spuds won!
SPRINGY
Sep 13, 2015 at 3:28 PM
Comment #25hopefully after 2 morra chelsea will b in the bottom 3!
toon kk
Sep 13, 2015 at 3:29 PM
Comment #26Sutty
maybe people are getting what they asked for? They didn’t want a team that won (which we haven’t) they wanted a club trys and Mash has put his hand in his pocket, he may have forgot how weak our defence was so S mc has taken it in his own hands.
Tsunki
Sep 13, 2015 at 3:31 PM
Comment #27Everyone knows my password now. Think I’ll change it to “411 th3 1an5”
SPRINGY
Sep 13, 2015 at 3:33 PM
Comment #28toon kk
maybe….see what happens in the next few transfer windows and what macca can do with the players now…imo we look more like a team defending instead of individual players defending…just need to look like a team attacking instead of a player on the break
toon kk
Sep 13, 2015 at 3:42 PM
Comment #29Sutty
there’s definitely a more togetherness among the team. Tbf we have had a tough start especially playing two games with 10 men. But it is a concern just how we struggle to keep the ball and find it very difficult to get up the pitch.
Tsunki
Sep 13, 2015 at 3:43 PM
Comment #30Wonder if the Chelsea forums are full of fans complaining about their players being ” Mourinhoed” and being in a relegation scrap yet?
Bobbybee
Sep 13, 2015 at 3:45 PM
Comment #31That was garbage. Scum v spurs. Aka a million different ways to give the ball away. One bit of real football resulted in the only goal for Spurs. After 80 mins there’d been a total of 4 shots on target – both sides managing 2 each. A cure for insomnia. Seriously, obvious bias apart, that was a shocker.
Bobbybee
Sep 13, 2015 at 3:53 PM
Comment #32Toon kk @15. Macca’s already said that he still doesn’t know what his best 11 is. Considering we’ve only played twice with any eleven that’s no surprise, so there’s no fixed tactic yet. Tactics need to be flexible above everything. All he’s asking is for time to get the best out of his team. Can’t ya find it in your heart to give him that time? 🙂
SUTTY1978
Sep 13, 2015 at 3:54 PM
Comment #33One thing from the scum spurs match, i think i’ve spotted an attacking player that wont outpace Colo, the majestic footballer Toivenen. He’s about as quick as me after Sunday Lunch
Bobbybee
Sep 13, 2015 at 3:58 PM
Comment #34Tsunki. Former Newcastle etc says: ‘I’ve never scored against the Toon and hope to continue with that run. Ha! Howay the lads!!!’ 😉