To Greater Manchester we turn our attention for the latest edition of the OV - and the thoughts of the fine folk from Bolton following their 3-0 defeat in Tuesday night's Carabao Cup tie...
"Just back and that was grim. From less than five minutes we were easily beaten by stronger, faster and much better players and our players who came in for this won't be pushing for a first choice start off this showing. Desperately looking for positives, at least we didn't completely roll over and we improved quite a bit second half, but West Ham really should have been five or six up at half time."
- bolton va va
"Really insipid start! Howard let an innocuous shot through his legs and they were leaving Morais for dead at will. Awful selection immediately exposed. A silly Le Fondre foul was followed by a good cross and a ridiculously easy goal. They should have had another soon after. Indeed they could have added three or four. Second half was a stalemate. Good points: we were better defensively when Wheater came on. When Taylor played behind Robinson there was a bit of forward spark. We were outclassed and looked pleased to be our of the competition. There was next to no fight."
- andyl
"I would guess that most people have been going long enough to see us beat Atletico Madrid, draw with Bayern Munich and finish in the top half of the Premier League with Nicky Hunt at full back. What was our wage budget relative to the teams we were beating then? Now we're resigning ourselves to losing to nil every week. I like Parky, and have no desire to see him get the boot, but we've got to start showing signs of life soon. Non-league teams would've given West Ham a better game than we did in the first half. We got better after that, but there's not much to take into the Brentford game that'd give you much confidence."
- Tombwfc
"Not normally one for blind faith and/or optimism but 3-0 was proper harsh. We had a go at them throughout the second half, plenty of half chances and blocked shots and just generally competed. Certainly didn't look like a side that weren't arsed against a side who wipe their arse on more money than our lot earn. "
- Leyther_Matt
"The first half was very very poor in terms of quality. But it's nothing like as bad as we've seen over the past few seasons in terms of lack of effort. Away at Brentford, Fulham and Forest all spring to mind. Ultimately we have a squad of players who are way out of their depth. We've got a Division 1 team playing in the Championship and tonight playing against premier league opposition. I've called for the manager's head a few times in recent seasons when I thought he could be getting more from the players. Unfortunately I don't think Mourinhno, Pep or Big Sam would help with this lot. They're just not good enough."
- wiggy
"We were awful. Our attempt at goal was laughable - headed weakly towards their goalie. Then, immediately afterwards Pratley assaults their goalie - he was lucky to stay on the pitch. We are a joke - no better than a pub team. In Parky we trust (but a lot less than last season) - I'm a believer but possibly not for much longer."
- nelson66
"Total disgrace. Wrong team, same old failing players and formation. Completely missed a trick tonight to at least try something new but not Parky - let's have Howard, Pratley and Dervite back in instead of giving youth a chance and lump it up to a pensioner whilst I give Madine a rest. This guy has to go now if we're to have any chance of survival."
- whitesince63
"Had a great view from above the half way line. Pity that what I had to see was such embarrassing rubbish. To me it doesn't much matter whether we play 3 or 4 at the back the players on view last night are much too slow and by that fact alone will always leak goals. This is compounded by the worst two goalies to wear the shirt that I can remember. My Hammers mate's verdict was that it was two poor sides playing each other and he was annoyed that they eased up in the second half when they could have pushed on and got a cricket score.All we can hope for is that we can get a side together that can win a few points and finish fourth from bottom."
- thekraken
"That wasn't the West Ham I'm aware of. Trying to take the piss across a 30-yard gap, trying to pretend they're ever going to feel at home in that white elephant of a ground. That is a dead club to me now, people walking about with printed-off tickets asking where the club shop is? Totally gone."
- Marc505
"That was pathetic. Walking out to our (universal) free upgrade to the better (not not closed) part of the stadium, via a walkway that made you feel like Mercury at Wembley, to see us collapse in seven minutes. We didn't remotely compete in what must be the worst place to watch football. Everything that is bad about everything. Thought Parky would make us difficult. I felt like an extra in blade runner. Only thing worse would be going there week in week out."
- Prufrock
"Impressive stadium, but absolutely horrific place to watch football! It was my first game of the season. I wasnt expecting much, but I had no idea we were that bad; the gulf in class was colossal last night."
- General Mannerheim
"First time in our history we have lost five matches without scoring. #recordwatch"
- officer_dibble
*Comments originally posted at wanderersways.com, trottersforever.freeforums.net and the-wanderer.co.uk.
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