Geoff Hopkins

West Ham Survive The Brewer’s Droop But Face Stiff Bees Test To Remain Up For The Cup

Despite a dire performance in the substandard FA Cup tie at Burton, the Hammers are through to the 5th Round to face Brentford. Before that it is back to league football and the desperate battle for survival.

In the world of modern football, the entry of Premier League and Championship clubs into the FA Cup has developed into a series of phoney rounds in this glorious old competition. For the fans, it promises dreams, excitement, and anticipation. An outside chance of snatching silverware just five matches away on the road to Wembley. For the media, there are potential banana skins and giant killing heroics that make for thrilling content as an antidote to the tactical morass of league football.

But in the dugouts and technical areas things are far more cynical. Where the romance of the cup is increasingly viewed as an unwelcome inconvenience – a contractual obligation distracting from the real business of titles, European qualification, promotions and relegations. The manager’s conundrum: how much can I get away with while still making it look like we’re taking it seriously?

And so, this was how it was as the Hammers headed up the M1 to Burton for their 4^th round tie against lowly League 1 opposition. Ten changes from the side who had faced Manchester United four days earlier including first starts for Adama Traore, Keiber Lamadrid and Mohammadou Kante. To test our patience even further, Nuno also reverted to his favoured cup formation of three centre-backs to cope with the anticipated threat from the mighty Brewers front line.

I’ve never been a fan of three at the back given it is generally adopted as a negative formation. To make it work requires high energy wing backs continually pushing up to provide attacking width; and wide forwards who are deployed narrower to create space on the wings and provide threat through the middle. None of that happened. And with two central midfielders seemingly instructed to sit deep it was a dire and disjointed effort. Perhaps no surprise from a team of relative strangers playing in a formation that didn’t suit them.

The entertainment was as far from a pulsating cup tie as could be imagined. Little of note happened for the entire 90 minutes of regulation time and it was only the introduction of Crysencio Summerville that lifted the game from its fitful slumber. The quality of his sixth goal in seven games totally out of character from the substandard game.

In line with current trends, the game’s major talking point revolved around the weak refereeing of Lewis Smith. The tackle by Freddie Potts was a clear foul and deserving of the yellow card originally selected by Smith. For the referee to change his mind, not due to advice from some guy in a bunker at Stockley Park, but due to the reaction of the Burton players was diabolical. Yet another irony of officiating whereby waving an imaginary card gets you a booking, but mobbing the referee gets the decision changed.

By the end, the Hammers were hanging on. But Nuno’s gamble or resting key players for the relegation battle had paid off. As with the previous round extra time had been required but we were into the hat for the 5^th round draw. We shouldn’t scoff at this. It is an above average achievement for the club who since their last FA Cup win in 1980 have been dumped out of the competition by this stage in 60% of seasons.

It was difficult to judge the performances of the young players in the circumstances. I have a general concerning our academy graduates in that they tend to be developed as tidy rather than exciting. Competent at receiving the ball, controlling it and making a simple pass, but lacking enough va va voom to make them special. Of those I’ve seen, Ezra Mayers looks to be the leading prospect.

Last night’s 5^th round draw turned up a home tie against bogey side Brentford. Games will be played on the weekend of March 7/8 after three more league games have taken place. Teams will be starting to take the cup more seriously by this stage, giving the managers plenty more to think about in what is shaping up to be an open tournament. West Ham will still be in survival chasing mode by then, while Brentford might well be eyeing Champion’s League qualification. It’s not the worst of draws but still a very difficult obstacle to overcome.

During the FA Cup hiatus, the Under The Hammers supercomputer, Deep Block, has been analysing the thousands of possible permutations and scenarios for the remaining league games. It concluded that the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe and points needed to guarantee Premier League survival is 42. A target that would require West Ham to pick up 18 points from the upcoming 12 games. That’s a minimum of 5 wins and a handful of draws. Not impossible but still a huge change of fortune for a team that has won just 30 of their last 100 league games, while averaging 1.15 points per game. Repeating such form would take us only to 38 points which may well not be enough. Below is my own winnability ranking of the 12 games to go.

The uphill challenge begins on Saturday with the visit of Bournemouth to the London Stadium. It is one of the games I feel that must be won if safety is to be achieved. But Bournemouth are an enigma. Losing player after player but then finding they have another one hidden up their sleeve. This time a teenage Brazilian (Rayan) who has slotted seamlessly into English football with two goals and an assist in 198 minutes played.

The Hammer’s preparations have been hampered by a mysterious injury to new signing Pablo. The striker becoming the latest occupant of the Andy Carroll suite at West Ham’s Rush Green Infirmary. Pablo’s absence will require a change to the more adventurous formation that had kickstarted our recent revival. My instinct is that Nuno will use Jean-Clair Todibo’s return from suspension as the excuse for a reprise of the three at the back experiment as follows: Hermansen – Todibo, Disasi, Mavropanos – Wan-Bissaka, Fernandes, Soucek, Diouf – Bowen, Taty, Summerville.

COYI!

West Ham At Burnley: Fernandes Outstanding, Summerville On Fire And The Return Of The Mads

There may yet be life left in the floundering Hammers. A third win in four games and fine individual performances raises the prospect of another great escape and puts pressure on a handful of teams immediately above us.

The welcome victory and clean sheet at Turf Moor was not quite the game of two halves that we have come to expect from West Ham. But it was a close call. The fearless ambition of the first half certainly didn’t make it back out of the dressing room after the break.

It is rare for a Nuno lineup not to prompt at least a moment or two’s head scratching when it is first announced. On this occasion it was a recall for Mads Hermansen, the keeper most responsible for the Hammer’s unhappy title as set piece concession kings. Nuno’s rationale was that Hermansen had been outstanding in training and merited a second chance. More likely was that Alphonse Areola was designated scapegoat for the manager’s poor game management at Chelsea.

In fairness, Mads did all that was asked of him and did nothing wrong. He can proudly boast to have kept goal for all (both) of the team’s league clean sheets this season. He is also far more comfortable with the ball at his feet than Areola. But I couldn’t escape the heebie jeebies whenever a high ball was drilled into the box. It’s not that Areola is the most commanding of keepers, but Mads lack of stature is an added worry. Fortunately, Burnley didn’t put him to the test apart from a brief spell of pressure after the break. More knowing opponents will surely look to target this short(!)coming.

On a positive selection note, Nuno opted to throw new loan signing Axel Disasi straight into the mix than relying on the hapless Max Kilman. It was a solid debut for Disasi who showed no sign of ring rustiness as a result of his lack of game time. Again, the caveat is that none of the defence were not unduly troubled by a poor Burnley team for whom Premier League survival is now a lost cause. It is unlikely that Scott Parker will follow in the footsteps of previous failed Burnley manager, Vincent Kompany, by landing a job at a European heavyweight.

Both West Ham goals came during a dominant first half display. The first, Mateus Fernandes’ powerful run from his own half before releasing Crysencio Summerville to dink a smart finish over the keeper. The second, a pleasing retro West Ham passing movement. Fernandes from deep to Summerville; a delightful layoff to Malick Diouf; and an excellent cross expertly headed home by Taty Castellanos. They are what I call genuine assists.

It was a fifth goal in five games for Summerville. Quite a turnaround for someone who looked like he couldn’t hit a barn door earlier in the season. And, of course, it should have been six in six had it not been for incompetent officiating in the Nottingham Forest fixture.

The second half was an anti-climax as far as West Ham attacking intent was concerned. They might have snatched a third had Jarrod Bowen’s final pass been better at the end of an impressive run, but the master plan was to protect what they had at half time without adding to the points lost from winning positions.

With Burnley making a bright start after the break, the Hammers were temporarily in panic mode and experienced several narrow escapes at the back. Nuno’s reaction was to replace a striker, Callum Wilson, with Freddie Potts in midfield. The game settled down after this with goalmouth action at a premium. While I would have liked to have seen a more adventurous change in an attempt to boost the woeful goal difference, it can be argued that the end justified the means. It was a precious three points in the bank.

As in the majority of recent games, Fernandes was the standout West Ham perfromer. A presence in midfield not seen since the departure of Declan Rice. Just a shame there is not a more influential partner to share central midfield duties with than Tomas Soucek. Aside from providing extra height in either box, the game mostly passes Soucek by. Every pass made is safe and predictable. It’s really not good enough in the modern midfield frenzy and will surely be exposed by pacier and more energetic adversaries.

The scourge of inconsistent refereeing was my other takeaway from the game. The slightest coming together in a tackle is often needlessly penalised, fouls outside and inside the box are treated differently, extravagant dives and play acting are rewarded, defenders are routinely allowed to manhandle forwards while forwards are pulled up for merely jostling defenders. Time and again Kyle Walker was allowed to get away with pushing and shoving Summerville because he knew he was lost for pace. If Adama Traore had been brought with the sole intention of clattering Walker into the advertising hoardings, I would have looked more favourably on his signing.

Victory made it three wins in the last four games for West Ham. We’re still deep in the smelly stuff but the outside prospect of escape has been renewed. No accident that the uptick in performances have coincided with the arrival of El Paco as Nuno’s right-hand man. Was it really blatant penny pinching that prevented him bringing in his own staff?

West Ham sit an encouraging seventh place in the Premier League form table (last six games) and to survive we must hope results can continue to improve. Ominously, leading that table are Tuesday night’s opponents, Manchester United. My impression of the Red Devils is a team that is lively in attack yet vulnerable at the back. That must drive our approach to the game.

It is tempting to get caught up in assessing all the odds and permutations that could arise between now and the end of the season for each team at the bottom of the table. But as Shakespeare wrote (in ‘When Saturday Doth Approach’) “That way madness lies.” Best just to focus on our own results and performances. Win as many games as we can and hopefully someone else will end up below us.

History tells us that as the season progresses, results start to become even more unpredictable. There are teams with nothing to play for, teams focusing on cup competitions and outcomes that are already settled. The Hammers face Manchester City and Aston Villa immediately after midweek Round of 16 European games. Arsenal may already have won the league by May 9 and have an eye on the chance of a double/ treble/ quadruple. Less likely but still possible, Newcastle may be preparing for a Champions League final when we play them on May 17. Does any of that help? Who knows? But at least it’s a few straws to clutch at. COYI!

Nuno’s Game Management Weakness Costs West Ham Dear In Stamford Bridge Battle

The Hammer’s specialty of throwing away hard-earned points was to the fore on Saturday when Nuno needlessly pressed the defensive panic button in response to Chelsea pressure

Saturday’s game at Stamford Bridge managed to encapsulated the entire emotional range of supporting West Ham in recent seasons. A spectrum of hope, expectation, false dawns, frustrations, disbelief and anger.

A run of three straight wins had allowed the merest hint of optimism to seep into an otherwise hopeless situation. Things were still desperate but at least there was a sense that the players were prepared to give it a go. That if we went down, we would go down fighting.

In the build up to Saturday’s game, only the recklessly optimistic were predicting victory at Chelsea. Their glass half-full prophecies possibly the result of glasses being topped up too quickly and too frequently with intoxicating liquor. For the rest of us, a spirited performance capable of boosting morale and confidence for the winnable fixtures to come was the essential requirement. A point would be great, but a narrow defeat wouldn’t be a disaster if it was backed by a performance to be proud of.

It’s funny how perspectives on games can be changed by events. If you had only seen the final score, you might imagine an action-packed end-to-end thriller that was only settled in added time. But that was not the reality. It was another two-goal lead tamely thrown away after the break. Another West Ham game of two halves. No wonder Hammer’s fans were fuming. Not for the first time this season, a comfortable two goal half-time lead surrendered thanks to poor game management. The media focus would be on Chelsea’s sensational comeback. But one man’s comeback is another man’s capitulation.

West Ham have now dropped 18 points from winning positions this season (15 since the appointment of Nuno). They have taken the lead in 12 games and ended up losing four and drawing three of those matches. Had they preserved only a third of the points, then the gap to safety would be far more presentable. A half and they would be mid-table.

Exactly what goes on in the dressing room at half-time? What signals does Nuno give out to the players. Does he convey nervousness and caution? Does a half-time lead come as so much of a shock that he doesn’t know what to do or how to react? Does he permanently carry a panic button around with him ready to revert to type at the first sign of pressure? Convinced that the worst defence in the league – the one without a clean sheet since they last played against a Nuno side – are capable of holding out for an entire half as you invite the opposition to attack. And that the worst defender in the league is just the man to shore things up. There is no chance West Ham can defend their way to survival. And why try it when the relative strength is with the attacking players?

From what we have seen so far, Nuno’s game management expertise is shocking. Tactical and personnel changes when they come have been late and misguided. The common themes have been replacing forwards with defenders, defending deeper, creating massive gaps between defence and attack, isolating forwards and abandoning all pretence of ambition. Failing to occupy the opposition defenders is an open invitation to push forward and create the overloads that are invariably our undoing.

The reaction to Chelsea’s second half resurgence shouldn’t have been a change to three central defenders; but to inject fresher legs and more pace into midfield. Or fresh ideas in attack. I can just about accept the case for Tomas Soucek when his role is predominantly as an auxiliary central defender. But once Max Kilman was introduced, he should have been replaced by Freddie Potts or Soungoutou Magassa. His alarming lack of pace simply no longer works as a more advanced midfielder.

Once the twin striker formation was jettisoned, the very foundation of first half success – creating space for Jarrod Bowen and Crysencio Summerville to exploit – disappeared. The approach was doomed to failure. If a change upfront was needed, then a straight swap of Callum Wilson for Pablo would have been my preference. Continue to ask questions of the Chelsea defence, not give them the rest of the evening off.

By the end of the game, Nuno had removed all three of Pablo, Taty and Bowen to provide fans with a first glimpse of muscle-bound serial underachiever Adama Traore. We can’t say he didn’t make an impact as it was his petty confrontation with Cucurella which sparked the melee leading to Jean-Clair Todibo’s red card. I’m not saying that the eternally irritating Cucurella doesn’t deserve all the grief that comes his way, but this did not work out well for West Ham. Todibo’s absence through suspension will be critical considering who his likely replacement is likley to be.

It is difficult to know where to start with West Ham’s defending. There has been improvement at set pieces but goals against remains the highest in the league. The latest Achilles heel is the cross to the far post where central strikers are isolating aerially challenged full backs. The first two Chelsea goals both coming via this route – as had the goals conceded to QPR, Tottenham and Sunderland.

***

All eyes today will be on the slamming shut of the transfer window. The vague messages intentionally leaked from the club are that they are working hard on new signings – with the caveat that it is always a difficult environment in January. Of course, leaving your most important business to the very last moment will always be difficult – if not downright negligent.

The centre back situation is farcical given how critical it has been all season. It is now perfectly setup for the typical West Ham showdown featuring a Sullivan special foisted onto the latest reluctant manager. A no-nonsense centre back and attack minded midfielder would be an acceptable final day’s work for me, but I am fully prepared for disappointment.

Once the dust has settled and the transfer curtains finally drawn until the summer, we have only the uphill struggle to survival to concerns us. Throwing away leads and shipping an average two goals per game is not a habit that can lead to safety. The challenge starts with a massive must-win if we are to have any hope game at Burnley next Saturday. The best hope for winning the game may rely on Paco being able to lock Nuno in the Turf Moor broom cupboard while he delivers the half time pep talk. COYI!

Experts Are Baffled As Half Decent Football Team Are Spotted At The London Stadium

A third win on the bounce and a more attacking philosophy has raised spirits around West Ham. It shouldn’t have taken this long to get here, but hope has been given a new lease of life.

It had been a spluttering start in Saturday’s early kick-off but once the Hammers got into their stride it transformed into their most adventurous and accomplished performance of the season. A third consecutive win in all competitions has served to lift the mood at the club and, although the situation remains desperate, there is hope that an outside chance of safety remains possible. Despite the known gaps, there is now more quality in the squad than results have led us to believe.

For a pleasant and welcome change, Nuno resisted meddling with either personnel or formation for the visit of Sunderland. Returning AFCON winner, Malick Diouf, had to settle for a berth on the bench where there was also a surprise return for the estranged James Ward-Prowse. JWP taking over the seat recently vacated by the departing Guido Rodriguez.

Witnessing West Ham attack in numbers might take some getting used to. While the introduction of Taty Castellanos and Pablo Felipe may not have glut of goals written all over it – they are no McAvennie and Cottee – their presence does occupy defenders and make space for others to exploit. Both are prepared to work hard with or without the ball and will hopefully to contribute more in front of goal as they become acclimatised to English football.

It was amusing to hear Nuno talking post-match about the importance of getting more bodies into box – as if it was a genius tactical revelation known only to him. I would ask why it has taken so long to realise this, when fans (including myself) have railed against the lack of penalty box action for the last three or four managers. Perhaps it is Paco Jemez who must be given the credit for the uncharacteristic change of direction.

The opening goal was a perfect example of its benefits. When Jarrod Bowen crossed the ball, he was one of five West Ham shirts in the area. While Sunderland defenders are distracted by the presence of Pablo, Castellanos and Tomas Soucek, space is created for the salmon-like leap of Jimmy ‘The Fish’ Summerville to thunder home his header.

In real time, the penalty looked a little soft to me, although Ollie Scarles was definitely caught as he jinked his way into the box. Bowen neatly dispatched the resultant penalty but the icing on the cake of an excellent, high energy first half ame when Mateus Fernandes long range cracker fizzed into the net. His first ever goal from outside the box.

Fernandes was excellent throughout. He runs all day, tackles hard and has an added creative spark that is lacking elsewhere in the squad. With Lucas Paqueta out of the way, it gives him extra opportunity to sparkle. I suspect he is one of those players who is only passing through at West Ham and we must enjoy him while we can.

If anything, his second long range effort in the dying seconds was even better than the first – but was unfortunately thwarted by the woodwork. The shot initiated a comedy phase of play which saw a handbags, face-off between Dinos Mavropanos and Alderete of Sunderland, and the ball crossing the line after bouncing in off Soucek’s shoulder blade. No-one seemed to know for sure what was going on or why it was eventually disallowed. If Soucek fouled the keeper, it was only because he was shoved by a defender. I did wonder whether Soucek was offside but don’t have any evidence whether this was checked.

The second half was not the usual Nuno retreat into low defensive shape, but they did take their foot off the pedal as an attacking force. The high hopes for a first London Stadium clean sheet of the season disappeared midway through the half when, for the third game in a row, a cross from the right was headed firmly past Alphonse Areola.

It was a goal out of nowhere really. Jean-Clair Todibo had been drawn out of position, Scarles went to ground too easily when he might easily have put the ball into touch, Fernandes didn’t track the runner, Mavropanos was drawn towards the ball and Soucek was slow getting back to cover. It was a team goal but not of the type we love to see.

Overall, Sunderland were disappointing. Without the injured Xhaka (who was busy starting an argument in the stands) they lacked authority and organisation; and were exposed as the strong, athletic but technically limited outfit they are. Good luck to them. It is a strategy that will see them comfortably survive their first season and is indicative of the direction that Premier League football is taking. Where athleticism has become the most important player attribute.

The buoyancy of the West Ham mood was somewhat dampened by Nottingham Forest’s victory at Brentford last night. Their five point advantage over the Hammers disappointingly restored. Closing the gap a little over the weekend would have been a welcome and timeley boost to morale. Tonight, we should all be rooting for Moyesie as his team take on Leeds United at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

With a perfect sense of timing, the Ironcast podcast this week featured an interview with Alan Curbishley where among other things he talked through the Great Escape of 2006/07. It’s worth a watch/ listen. As a crumb of comfort, here is the league table at the equivalent stage of that season.

And here we are, six games later, just the one point better off and ten points adrift from safety.

So, remember, it is not yet a lost cause. Impossible is Nunothing. We must remain positive while we can. Embrace optimism, overcome those worrying limitations that we see, and believe that rediscovered potential will turn our dreams into reality. We can survive. COYI!

West Ham Midweek Briefing: Late Joy in N17, All Kicking Off at Corners and the Customary Transfer Mayhem

Winning at Tottenham with last minute scrambles, Laughing out loud cos the Spuds are a shambles, Buying defenders but not Tyrone Mings, These are a few of my favourite things!

Last Gasp Jubilation at the Tottenham Stadium

Any win against Tottenham carries with it an extra layer of smug satisfaction. Winning away makes it doubly so. Four-goal David Cross in 1981, the 1984 Easter massacre, Dani’s header in 1996, Ravel Morrison’s 2013 solo effort, and that first defeat at their new stadium in 2019. They are all part of West Ham folklore.

Whether Saturday’s game will live as long in the memory will depend more on what happens from here on in than events in the match itself. Will it kickstart another great escape or be just a momentary highlight in an otherwise miserable season. Like Kenny Brown scoring the winner against Manchester United in 1992.

With none of the bottom six teams losing at the weekend, it was a crucial time to get a result. Critical, in fact, to return home with three points rather than just the one. At least some ground was made up even if the size of the challenge remains daunting for a team whose resting state defaults to caution.

Whether it was inspired or not by the arrival of new coach and fellow countrymen, Paco Jemez, Nuno announced a surprisingly attacking line-up to face Spurs. A retro 4-4-2 formation that featured both Taty Castellanos and Pablo Felipe up front supported by Jarrod Bowen and Crysencio Summerville on the flanks. There was no place for either Freddie Potts or Soungoutou Magassa with Tomas Soucek preferred to partner Mateus Fernandes in central midfield. The adventurous selection adding a sense of ‘Make or Break’ to the afternoon.

As we have come to expect though, it was a game of two halves from the Hammers. Or more accurately, given the amount of added time we get these days, a game of two nine-sixteenths. It’s either, an adventurous first 45 followed by ultra caution should we take the lead. Or a lethargic opener, followed by a burst of second half energy as the result of multiple half-time substitutions.

West Ham were easily the better side before the break with goalscorer Summerville and the impressive Fernandes as standout players. With only one goal to show for their efforts, however, it was always going to be a fragile lead if the intention was to defend it in the second half. Which is exactly the tactic that Nuno employed.

As for Spurs, they were dreadful in the first period but came out with more purpose in the second. Even then, despite bossing possession, their threat came mainly from hopeful long shots. But with the West Ham game plan a senseless combination of low blocking and panicked clearances, the hosts only needed one clearcut chance to draw level. Any pretence by the Hammers of rapid counterattacks or holding the ball up to ease the pressure on the defence had been left on the dressing room whiteboard. Win possession then immediately give the ball back to Spurs was the accepted modus operandi.

The goal when it came was almost a carbon copy of the one conceded to QPR in the previous weekend’s cup game. A cross from the right bypassed the centre backs who had been drawn to the near post, and the scorer stole in front of Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s token challenge to head home.

At that point, if felt that the home side were sure to go on to win the game. So, the sucker punch, when it came was completely out of the blue. Let’s not kid ourselves that introducing Callum Wilson was an inspired tactical masterstroke. The purpose was solely to waste a few more precious seconds of added time. The change should have been made 20 minutes earlier, especially with Taty on a yellow card.

The goal itself was a scrappy affair just after Wilson might have scored anyway with a decent opportunity. The resultant corner kick from Ollie Scarles was a typically benign floaty affair but Vicario flapped, the ball bounced loose and Wilson demonstrated his predatory striking skills. Amazing what a striker with an eye for goal can come up with.

I was convinced that after the wild celebrations had died down, VAR would find a way to disallow it. But this time they couldn’t, and we could all sleep soundly in our beds for a change.

All Kicking Off At The Corners

Set piece goals – and goals from corners in particular – are becoming increasingly significant in Premier League games as the antidote to the tactical stalemate of open play. More attention is paid towards their execution by (most) coaches, and teams take far longer to set up for corner kicks and throw-ins than ever before.

West Ham were once a feared set piece outfit but now, without anyone to fearlessly attack the ball in the opposition box, they have slipped down the rankings. Equally, they have no long throw exponent and have yet to score direct from a free lick this season. A set piece winner was therefore most welcome.

A by-product of the set piece shenanigans are the frequent melees in every penalty area. A confusion of pushing, pulling, holding and shoving that referees mostly ignore but, where every so often, the music stops and a penalty is awarded. Malick Diouf experienced this to his (temporary) cost in the AFCON final. In isolation, it was a stupid piece of holding. But if all similar incidents were given, we’d have six or seven penalties per game. I am sure PGMOL are frantically working on the most implausible response to stamp it out for next season.

Semi Annual Transfer Mayhem

The West Ham transfer window is its usual muddle of too many cooks spoiling the soup in a basket. There’s Max Hahn trawling through his spreadsheets, Nuno rifling through old Panini sticker albums with super-agent Jorge Mendes and the Chairmen undermining all and sundry in cahoots with his traditional transfer connections and unveiling the latest David Sillyloan special.

Sullivan may well have had a valid point about not releasing Callum Wilson but why not keep the difference of opinion in-house rather than broadcasting it to the world. Quite what we’ll end up with by the time the window closes is anyone’s guess.

From reading various West Ham discussion boards, there are plenty of opinions as to where the transfer priorities should be. A reflection of how threadbare and unbalanced the squad has been allowed to come. It is impossible to fix or fill each and every gap in the next two weeks and so any further recruitment needs to be carefully targeted to the cause of survival. To me that means players able to make an immediate impact, not extra bodies brought in as cover. The reality is that we will have to muddle through and hope for the best in some positions.

I still feel the addition of a creative ball carrying attacking midfielder is the most significant gap. Someone to replace the ineffective Paqueta in making things happen – a Morgan Gibbs-White equivalent. Others make a strong case for an additional winger or two on the basis that we mostly attack down the flanks. But my answer to that is we attack down the wings because no-one is capable enough to go through the middle. Our attacking play needs mixing up and must become much less predictable.

It looks like the 22-year-old Venezuelan, Keiber Lamadrid will be joining on loan in the next day or two. An inexperienced South American winger to replace the one we have just let go. Will we just leave him hanging around the training ground like Luis Guilherme. It was odd that Guilherme wasn’t sent out on loan or get at least some game time with the U21s. Good luck to Keiber. If he ever gets a game, he would be the third Venezuelan after Fernando Amorebieta and Salomon Rondon to play in the Premier League. It should be noted that both experienced relegation during their stays. COYI!

West Ham Midweek: Claret Ribbons, Going For A Burton, Lucas-Aid and the Saturday El-Sackio

The FA Cup interlude provided a brief and welcome respite from the depressing gloom of Premier League reality. Drawn away to Burton Albion in the 4th Round may keep the Wembley dream alive a little longer. But the stormy waters of relegation remain as threatening as ever

She Wore A Claret Ribbon Round The Ole Oak Tree

Things that just won’t go away usually elicit negative connotations. Think bad pennies, cockroaches, unpleasant smells, nasty rashes and David Sullivan. The FA Cup is the polar opposite to this. Despite the best efforts of the money men to diminish its importance, the magic of the cup continues to resonate and conjure up memories for all true football fans. Banana skins, underdogs, the Leatherhead Lip, the sloping pitch at Yeovil, Ronnie Radford and Bob Stokoe all come to mind. Even better (at least in the early rounds) it is free from the spontaneity destroying abomination of VAR.

This season, the FA Cup is our safe space. An oasis of unburdened calm and hope that frees us from the anxieties of impending relegation. Season 2 of Avram Grant’s Unlikely Cup Runs. While the fat lady might still be preparing to sing, this time it’s an upbeat number about wearing claret ribbons in the merry month of May.

Needing extra time to see off QPR in rather unconvincing manner on Sunday, the ping pong balls bounced kindly for West Ham with a 4th Round away tie at League 1 strugglers, Burton Albion. A first ever meeting with the Staffordshire club. A terrific draw, on the face of it, provided you take the stance that past West Ham cup upsets are not indicative of future results. Sub-editors up and down the country will already have the Gone For A Burton headlines ready and waiting.

We Beat a Mush from Shepherds Bush

I watched a video on Youtube last week explaining the tactical changes deployed by Daniel Farke to turn around Leeds United’s season. It involved switching to a back five, playing two strikers and freeing up one of his midfielders to be always available as the out-ball. I couldn’t help but wonder if Nuno had seen the same video once the Santo Wheel of Fortune dropped it’s latest team selection prior to kick-off. The returning Aaron Wan-Bissaka came in at right wing-back with Ezra Mayers preferred to Oliver Scarles on the left. The out-ball roll was assigned to Soungoutou Magassa who was either ill-equipped or ill-prepared to deal with the more advanced role, the assist for the opening goal apart. Up-front, it all got quite confusing. Rather than a Farke 3-5-2, it played out as a Nuno 3-4-3 with Jarrod Bowen and Crysencio Summerville preferring to stay wide instead of getting closer to Taty Castellanos up front. Having both wingers and wing-backs on the pitch was a very unusual tactical interpretation.

Unfortunately, fate intervened to prevent Nuno’s master plan from unfolding completely after Dinos Mavropanos was forced off with a neck injury late in the opening half. This saw the introduction of Pablo Felipe and a tactical reshuffle to a traditional back four. It was pioneer territory to see two West Ham strikers on the field at the same time, but their frequently overlapping orbits caused more confusion than it did threat. Hopefully, this is an issue that time spent working together can overcome.

A Gun Without Bullets is Just a Hammer

With an attack minded quartet of Taty, Pablo, Bowen and Summerville on the pitch, the Hammers should have been peppering the QPR goal from all angles. That it didn’t happen was down to glacial pace of build-up play and the absence of any creative spark behind them – someone to provide the ammunition. Passes back and forth between centre-backs might look good on the possession stats but all it does is allow the opposition to recover their defensive shape.

When Declan Rice left, three things went with him – and have yet to be replaced. Leadership, athletic defensive cover in the centre of midfield, and someone capable of powering past opponents with the ball at his feet. The last point is key to my mind. As much as attacking and defensive reinforcements were sorely needed, a massive creative gap remains in the West Ham midfield. Short passing triangles are ineffective against well organised defences and can easily be countered. More often than not, passes eventually go astray, possession is conceded and an opposition counterattack launched.

Following a positive start to his West Ham career, Freddie Potts is in danger of becoming the latest to follow in the footsteps of late career Mark Noble and JWP in the society of pointless sideways passers. Stay strong and resist, Freddie.

There were, however, a couple of bright spots in the game; notably the committed performance of Summerville and Taty’s powerfully headed goal. Yet, these are caveated by the quality of the opposition – a solid but largely unspectacular mid-table Championship outfit. A glimpse of seasons yet to come perhaps.

Lucas-aid. Not Aiding Recovery

Brazilian footballers continue to have a special aura about them. Animpression that historic success and the roll call of legendary players somehow guarantees success, flair and sublime ball control to all who follow. The reality can be disappointingly different. And nowhere more so than in the West Ham career of Lucas Paqueta whose reputation largely hinges on one through ball in Prague. Sadly, as the occasional flashes of inspiration have diminished, the play-acting, inconsistency, moods, rash challenges and wayward passes have escalated. Even at his best, his contribution has been fleeting rather than as the all-round playmaker we needed and had been hoping for.

There is no sound reason not to let him leave in the January window if another club is willing to stump up the cash. Fighting to retain a Paqueta who does not want to be here and who apparently asked to be left out on Sunday is a desperate and misguided hill to die on.

Let’s just raise some funds and re-invest it on a half-proficient attacking midfielder. Someone able to provide the bullets for the strikers to fire.

Back to Earth, Back to Reality

It’s a return to league action on Saturday with this season’s version of the El Sackio at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Both managers living under the now routine threat of n games to save their job.

Transfer window gossip moves on apace and there’s always an outside chance that new arrivals will in place for the weekend. But is it all too late? The optimistic view is that there are still 51 points to play for. The pessimistic view is the league table – 21 games played and 14 points.

A character in Ernest Hemingway’s novel The Sun Also Rises is asked how he went bankrupt. “Two ways. Gradually, then suddenly” was the reply. This is the West Ham story, and I doubt there is any way back this time. As supporters, we have seen and predicted the steady decline for many months. But the owners chose not to see it. No strategy, no way forward and nothing being built for the future. The sole objective of survival ruined by the promoted clubs refusing to be useless. The luck has run out. COYI!

Lost In The Wilderness: West Ham’s Hopes of Survival Hang By The Thinnest of Threads

Following Saturday’s pathetic effort in Wolverhampton, West Ham face a last chance saloon moment with the visit of fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest to the London Stadium. Is there any way back?

Imagine the scene, a climber slips while scaling a lonely mountainside. The safety of a ledge above is tantalisingly beyond reach. He looks down. A mocking wind howls while the drop into the abyss below is dizzying. The fibres of his rope have started to unravel. One strand, then another. He scrambles for a foothold causing pebbles to break free, rattling into the cavernous void beneath. He grabs desperately at the solitary plant that clings to the cliff face. Momentary relief. A trickle of dirt rains down onto his face and into his eyes. Slowly the earth around it creaks, cracks, and finally crumbles. Weak, fibrous roots are exposed. Small rocks begin to tumble as a prelude to the plant breaking loose entirely. Spinning away in pursuit of the falling stones.

The rope snaps taut with a vicious jolt. His body swinging helplessly against the cliff face. The only sound now is the strain of his exhausted lifeline. The more he struggles, the weaker it becomes. The situation is wretched. “Hang on a minute” he thinks, “I’ve got a great idea!”

Tune in again after Tuesday evening to see if our hero can survive.

***

West Ham’s supposed run of four winnable games over the festive period is not quite going to plan, is it? Where some of us imagined a season turning haul of seven to nine points, there is only one with the final match left to play – the ultimate six-pointer against Nottingham Forest. In fact, from a West Ham perspective, the game could be seen as a forty pointer. Failure to win pretty much guaranteeing that mythical survival threshold will not be reached.

Last week I wrote an obituary for West Ham even though I’d hoped it was recklessly premature. But Saturday at Wolverhampton served to underline that a miraculous rising from the dead was unlikely. All vital signs appeared to be extinguished. Relegation looks close to certain and who knows how many years in the wilderness that will lead to under our current stewardship.

The Hammer’s demise is no overnight incident. A situation I had previously described as a slow-motion car crash. But which was described far more succinctly by a comment on a previous post as a club built on shaky foundations on a cliff that was being slowly eroded from beneath. No-one had bothered to plan for the long term and now it was about to fall into the sea. It is a story with multiple villains.

From Moyes’ negligent insistence on maintaining a small, slow and ageing squad. Through Loppy’s whack-a-mole summer transfer window and unfathomable tactics. To Potter’s purging of any characters from the squad and his belief that strikers were surplus to requirements in his soporific style of play. Each constrained and controlled in the background by the invisible hand of puppet master, Dr Evil from Theydon Bois.

To some degree, Nuno is an innocent victim of this calamity. His was an inherited squad and was brought on board without being allowed his own coaching staff. Yet after 15 games in charge, he has failed to satisfy the basic mandate of a head coach: to make the best of what he’s got and mould a team which approaches every game with energy, spirit and determination. To add insult to injury, bizarre team selections and overly cautious substitutions have frittered away precious points that were ready and waiting to be banked.

The game at Molineux should have been approached as if it were a cup final. With Forest already beaten in the early kick-off, a win would have reduced the deficit to one point ahead of Tuesday’s showdown. Up against a side without a win all season, what greater motivation could there have been to register a statement performance?

But it didn’t happen. From the first of several early misplaced passes from Bowen, a sense of effortless lethargy engulfed the team. No spark, no effort, no conviction. The resilience that had been seen in coming from behind in earlier games went completely missing. At no time did there appear to be a way back into the game once the first goal went in.

Leadership is clearly an issue at the club. Both in the dugout where Nuno looked a stunned and bewildered figure for much of the game; and on the pitch where team spirit was next to non-existent. Most of us know that Bowen only wears the armband through seniority, but leadership doesn’t have to start and end with the skipper. Everyone must have licence to stand up to inspire and motivate others either by words or deeds. It takes more than occasional high-fives whenever someone makes a last-minute tackle or interception. Unfortunately, the squad has been shorn of outspoken characters. There was a brief moment where we imagined leadership was a part of the big fee thrown at the Kilman transfer. Until it turned out these qualities were as flaky as his defending.

There have been too many ‘worst performances of the season’ to know whether Saturday truly represented a new all-time ‘low’. It was certainly a podium finish and a return to the team of strangers of early season where few came out with any credit – with the exception of Areola, who prevented the score from being even more embarrassing.

Summerville and Magassa had at least looked interested in the first half, but Summerville was again all sizzle and no sausage while Magassa was implicated in all three goals conceded. Fernandes looked confused and uninterested by his first half role and although he improved after the break, Wolves had already settled for their three-goal lead by then.

Scarles and Mayers both did OK. Both are in the early stages of their careers and hopefully there will be better times ahead for them. My main questionmark over our academy graduates is whether there is enough variety to their game. They are competent enough to receive the ball, control it and play a short onward pass the way they are facing. But does that cut it at the top level?

In truth, it is a deficiency that extends throughout the squad. Since the departure of Declan Rice, no-one has been capable of marauding forward with the ball at their feet. It adds unpredictability to attacks, creates space for others and commits defenders to rash challenges. A team which relies solely on passing is more easily countered by denying the space in front of them.

This brings me to a brief list of observed West Ham limitations when compared to more successful Premier League teams. Our main striker is always isolated with no-one close enough to feed from knockdowns or lay-offs. The front three themselves are too far apart and too few midfielders get into the penalty areas in support. The spaces between our banks of players are too great and too rigid – as if they are a table football team connected by metal rods. The backline drops too deep too quickly due to the absence of recovery pace – especially if Todibo is absent – allowing opponents to exploit the gaps that are left. Delivery from free-kicks, corners and throw-ins is poor. There is minimal threat from central defenders at set pieces who do attack the ball decisively enough in either box. Apart from that, everything is rosy.

I was one of the few who wasn’t too concerned by Nuno’s decision not to turn to Jesus (or Pablo Felipe) as the game progressed. Would it have made sense for a player who hadn’t trained and had just returned from injury to run around on his own for 15 minutes watching Tomas Soucek point at things?

I’m also not convinced that changing the manager again now will have any material effect on the season’s outcome. Having said that I am similarly unconvinced that Nuno would be the right man to bring us back up again. The right appointment in the summer – maybe Thomas Frank when he is sacked by Spurs – would be a more sensible way forward.

I wish I had enough belief left in the bank to expect the mother of all turnarounds tomorrow night. I know I shouldn’t venture into cynicism, but my big concern is the nature of Nuno’s deranged response to Saturday’s performance. I’m already imagining the groan that will be heard from space when Kilman and Soucek are announced in the starting eleven. COYI!

West Ham United 1895 – 2025: An Obituary

With relegation this season now looking a virtual certainty, our obituary correspondent considers the cultural passing of this beloved east London old club.

With the quiet inevitability of a retreating Thames tide, West Ham United football club passed peacefully away this weekend following a long and debilitating 15-year battle with greed, negligence and incompetence.

The symbolic death of a club whose myth regularly exceeded its league position has been widely mourned across east London. This is no mere sporting matter. It represents a cultural moment: the disappearance of a footballing identity which, for over 130 years, had been rooted in place, community, and memory. Memories that were occasionally beautiful, more often shambolic, but which invariably expressed personality.

Few clubs were so thoroughly shaped by their geography and working-class roots as the Hammers. From the shipyards of their origin to the terraced streets spreading across east London and Essex. West Ham was never just about football. It reflected community bonds, the collective memory of labourers, dockers, craftsmen, families, and post-war optimism. It stood for ideals that transcended sport: perseverance without arrogance, creativity without conceit, and humour in disappointment’s familiar face. For generations, West Ham offered a reminder that loyalty could be an end in itself.

The great paradox of West Ham was their ability to demand a cultural authority far exceeding their minimal collection of silverware. Where other clubs had trophy counts, West Ham’s legacy was one of intangible spirit. Where the value of a match lay not solely in its outcome but in its experience. The purest explanation of the West Ham way was football as craft and entertainment, not as a commodity.

Such values became increasingly fragile in the face of modern football’s relentless monetisation. In an era shaped by digital analytics – expected goals, passes per defensive action, heatmaps, algorithmic scouting – West Ham remained defiantly analogue for far too long under their current owners. An ownership concerned exclusively with power and outside appearances. Who ignored the club’s underlying health, failed to plan strategically, and payed lip service to its heritage. Always opting for the cheapest and easiest option when appointing coaches, planning player recruitment and upgrading training facilities. A deliberate policy of short-term thinking and managed decline.

While it would be simplistic to blame the 2016 stadium move for all the club’s deep structural ailments, the move represented a watershed moment in accelerating the dilution of local allegiances in favour of commercial interests. The departure from Upton Park was not merely a relocation; it was a dislocation. The Boleyn Ground, compact and emotionally resonant, was a theatre built for intimacy. The London Stadium, by contrast, is a monument to hubris and penny pinching.

The opportunity of a new stadium may have tempted any owner but negotiating a deal which prioritised cost savings and surrendered operational control proved to be disastrous. The stadium was a shelter, and never a home.

To declare West Ham United “dead” is, of course, a rhetorical gesture. The team will play again next Saturday, the Saturday after that, and most probably in the Championship next season. The obituary tone points to something subtler. A recognition that a much loved version of the club, and the culture that produced it, has slipped beyond reach and beyond redemption. The grief expressed by supporters is notable becasue of its volatility but because of its depth of feeling. It is not the outrage of fans denied success; it is the mourning of the club’s cultural passing.

So, farewell West Ham United. The memories will linger on; romantic, nostalgic, impulsive and profoundly human. A tapestry of glorious highs and disappointing character-building lows, faded images of every father and child making their first pilgrimage along Green Street filled with anticipation. The electric atmosphere of the Boleyn under lights, of Moore’s poised authority, of Brooking gliding across the mud, of Bonds’ swashbuckling determination and Di Canio’s impossible volley. The pride, emotion and goosebumps that a rousing rendition of Bubbles never failed to trigger.

In remembering West Ham, we honour the possibility that, one day, football may again be more than a business. That it can be a story, a heritage, and a home. COYI!

A Fairytale of West Ham: What Does Secret Santo Have In Store For The Festive Season?

We could have been someone, but GSB took our dreams from us when they first found us. Happy Christmas your @#$% it may well be our last – in the Premier League.

At this most wonderful time of the year as old chestnuts roast on an open fire, our thoughts inevitably turn to the traditional meaning and symbols of Christmastide. Scumbags, maggots, and old sluts on junk. But enough of the West Ham Board’s annual Xmas party where Chairman, David Sullivan will have ignored the advice of wise men and gift wrapped another Sully special striker for this year’s Secret Santo.

Whether it’s the festive season or the football season, looking up at it from the bottom of the table is not to be recommended. And there’s no escaping the fact that West Ham’s position is desperately grim. Just three wins from 17 attempts and five points and an inferior goal difference from safety is about as precarious as things can get.

Escape may not yet be impossible, but so much needs to change to make it happen. Performance levels require massive improvement all over the park. Fast and effective action is needed in the transfer window, reversing the historic trend of dither, haggle and delay. And it requires one of the sides immediately above us to lose their way spectacularly in the second half of the season. In some years, a points tally in the low 30s has been enough to survive. But it doesn’t look like being one of those years.

The decline at West Ham has not been a sudden collapse. We have been watching a slow-motion car crash of a club for over two years now. Failure to address a slow and ageing squad, appointing a succession of dreadful out-of-work passive managers, and running the club without imagination, ambition or strategic direction have all taken their toll. If there was anything close to a game plan, it was the assumption that we could escape by running faster than the three promoted clubs.

Time has stood still at the London Stadium. And while others recognised that progressive coaching, work ethic and athleticism could level the playing field, West Ham fiddled. The club without a plan is now suffering the inevitable consequences.

Having little faith from West Ham’s visit to Manchester City, I opted to get my fix of football entertainment by watching Newcastle versus Chelsea on TV. For once, it was a genuinely entertaining game which refused to get bogged by down by the usual Premier League scripted choreography. But there was one moment which stood out for me as to how unfit for purpose West Ham have become. Around the 70^th minute, Eddie Howe replaced his entire front line. Off went Woltermade, Gordon and Murphy. On came Wissa, Barnes and Elanga. Compare that to the options available on a typical West Ham bench. It’s like Christmas dinner without any of the trimmings!

It wasn’t long ago that the Geordies were in a similar boat to West Ham. And were trailing the Hammers in terms of total revenues earned. A few seasons later they are streets ahead. It is true they now have rich Saudi owners, but they have also been operating within the same financial constraints (i.e. PSR) as we have. Instead, by appointing a modern, progressive manager they have earned success on the pitch and used this to add strength and depth to their squad.

With revenues now the holy grail for player recruitment and football club growth, West Ham’s supposed London Stadium deal of the century is looking more and more like a millstone around the neck. While neither Newcastle or Manchester City own their own grounds, both have negotiated an overall control of operations which provides access to additional income streams from naming rights through to the proceeds from non-football events.

The London Stadium deal might look great to an accountant whose only interest is saving money. But to a business desperate to increase earnings it is a disaster. What other club is prevented from hosting important women’s or youth games at their own ground?

For last Sunday’s game at the Etihad Stadium, Nuno embarked on his now customary selection whack-a-mole. Splitting up the improving Todibo – Mavropanos central defensive partnership in favour of a Kilman recall, playing once again without a recognised target man in attack, and stuffing the bench full of defenders.

Poor old Kilman has never given the impression of being the strongest or most confident defender and putting him up against Haaland must have been a traumatic – as well as hopeless – exercise. Possibly a little harsh to call him “the worst footballer I’ve ever seen” – as one commentator did – but what a shocking waste of money his signing has been.

Managers returning to previous clubs to sign players they have worked with has always been a red flag for me. The equivalent of buying someone a store voucher as a gift rather than giving them money. One can only be used in a single store, the other can be spent anywhere. All indications are that Nuno is planning to repeat Loppy’s mistake by pursuing Adama Traore in the winter window. Can a bit part player who has underachieved at every club he’s been at really be our saviour, even if he comes cheap?

It was a dreadful first from West Ham against Manchester City. The two full backs deputising for the AFCON absentees were understandably rusty, having not kicked a ball in anger for some weeks. And the only attacking intent were long, high balls for Bowen and Summerville to make token challenges for.

Once the hosts had strolled into a comfortable two-goal lead it was pretty much game over. There was a slight improvement from the Hammers after the break but nothing to bother the scorers about.

The next four games will go a long way to defining the remainder of the Hammer’s season. Anything less than six points would be disastrous. Ideally, I would hope for nine. But without squad reinforcements that is a hopeful stretch.

It’s obvious that a striker must be top of the West Ham wish list in January. After that, I think the priority should be someone to do the job that Paqueta is meant to be doing as an attacking midfielder. Even when he is on his game, Paqueta offers only sporadic, individual moments of inspiration. Far more is needed as the conduit between massed defence and attack. Someone to probe, pass, and carry the ball forward as necessary. A player capable of pulling the strings and posing a threat through an entire ninety minutes. I shudder to think what we will end up with.

West Ham are now odds on for relegation. On the balance of probabilities, it’s going to happen and what a disaster that will be. The chances of Sullivan selling up and clearing off will be even lower once the club’s market value is sheared in half.

While he is still around, I can’t see a better time, when all our dreams come true. Merry Christmas. COYI!

Dear West Ham, True Love: On the Eighth Day of Christmas, Please Send One Striker Striking

The halfway stage of the season is approaching, the transfer window will soon be open, and West Ham are slipping further behind in the relegation stakes. A spirited performance against Aston Villa did little to cheer things up.

Under different circumstances, the gift of eight maids-a-milking might make a reasonable enough gift for the eighth day of Christmas. But when it coincides with the opening of the transfer window – and your team is in danger of becoming stranded in the relegation places – far more pressing offering spring to mind than the oversupply of dairy produce.

In fact, I’d go even further to say I’m equally ambivalent about pipers piping and drummers drummingas well. Although lords-a-leaping could coe in very useful for defending set pieces.

With the transfer window a matter of weeks away, the imperative is not just to act but to act as fast as possible. Ideally, just as Big Ben has completed its chimes and before the strains of Auld Lang Syne have faded away our first new signings would be first footing into the London Stadium armed with whisky, shortbread and the gurantee of a dozen goals.

For me, striker and attacking midfielder are the priorities although further central defensive reinforcements wouldn’t be out of the question. But that wish list doesn’t include the recently linked Josh Sargeant and Adama Traore, neither of who offer an upgrade on what we currently have. The clock is ticking and if ever there was a time to pull a rabbit out of the hat, it is now.

Of course, decisiveness in the transfer market is hardly hard-wired into the club’s DNA. Should past performance be anything to go by, then David Sullivan will spend the entire window haggling, stalling, hindering, penny-pinching and frustrating right until the very last minute. By which time it could all be too late.

It has to be said that West Ham’s performance against Aston Villa was one of the better efforts of their season. It was an entertaining and even game and there could have been few arguments if the Hammers had earned at least a point, if not all three. But that is three games in the last five now where winning positions have been lost or surrendered. Where a potentially table climbing nine precious points was withered away to two.

It’s not hard to detect clear signs of improvement since Nuno’s arrival at the club, but then that is a particularly low bar. Graham Potter’s idea of being competitive was to only lose matches by a single goal while offering next to nothing by way of offensive threat. Nuno’s Hammers play with greater purpose and spirit and have been able compete on the pitch for lengthy periods. The weakness is not having a strong enough bench to press home advantages or see games out as necessary – although I regards part of this shortcoming as self-inflicted by Nuno himself.

This week’s selection wheel of fortune sprang just the one surprise. The decision to relegate Callum Wilson to the bench and start without a recognised striker. As ever, the bench was top heavy with defensive reinforcements and lacked realistic game changing resources.

It couldn’t have been a brighter, more profitable start for West Ham. An uncharacteristic high press, a defensive lapse by Villa and Mateus Fernandes broke free to curl home his first Hammer’s goal with less than 30 seconds on the clock. So, just 89½ minutes plus stoppage time to hold on then.

But rather than a full-scale retreat, the game remained a remarkably open, end-to-end affair. Villa equalised through an unfortunate Dinos Mavropanos own goal after Watkins had failed to get his head to the ball, only for West Ham to regain the lead before half time thanks to Jarrod Bowen’s quick reactions.

However, it was not to be a famous victory over the Premier League’s form team, and two goals from the always impressive Rogers sealed the deal for the visitors. The first stemming from a typical cheap giveaway by Lucas Paqueta and the second when Rogers was allowed far too much space in the centre of the pitch to strike at goal.

While it’s always tempting to pin each goal conceded on an individual player, I believe there are systemic issues with the way that West Ham are set up that leaves them exposed.

The first is the constant switch between a back four and back three/ five which appears to confuse role of the full/ wing backs. In a four, they continue to get forward but, in doing so, tend to neglect the defensive duties that the formation demands. AWB, especially, is slow (almost unwilling) to get back into position when a forward run is thwarted. I’m all for tactical flexibility but is it too much too soon given the early days of the coach/ player relationships. Likewise, the weekly rotation of playing with or without a main striker. In the circumstances, would not finding a plan and sticking to it be more productive? Leave the more subtle and intricate changes for a pre-season.

The second is a structural issue that is common to all low-block fundamentalists when they attempt to dip their toes into more adventurous waters. If you allow or encourage your midfield players to get further forward, then it is madness to stick with such a deep defensive line. It creates way too much space between the lines for opponents to exploit. As Rogers did with ease for the winner.

I do like the look of the Fernandes, Freddie Potts, Soungoutou Magassa midfield partnership and hope Nuno doesn’t think it needs tinkering with. I can only see it getting better with the passage of time. The disappointments for me from yesterday, however, were Paqueta and Crysencio Summerville.

Although Paqueta produced a couple of delightful passes his overall contribution was again very poor. And fewer and fewer referees are now falling for his naïve attempts to buy a foul whenever he finds himself boxed in by the touchline.

Summerville, on the other hand, gives the outward impression of being an exciting crowd-pleasing player. Bbut his final delivery is about as reliable as a hands-free soap dispenser. I’ve never known a player choosing to run so frequently with the ball without ever having it under control. Being such a lightweight player, it does raise concerns as to his effectiveness at the top level.

Nuno was very slow to make any substitutions as legs started to tire. Why leave the introduction of Callum Wilson so long when there was an obvious opportunity to win the game with 20 to 25 minutes remaining? The triple substitution with two minutes to go was simply nonsensical. While throwing Tomas Soucek into the mix could be seen as a belated gamble to grab a late leveller, it was never likley to work without a functioning midfield to move the ball forward.

West Ham’s next outing is the traditional mauling at the hands of Manchester City next Saturday. Following that come four winnable games. At home to Fulham and Brighton (the season’s halfway point), then away at Wolves and home to Forest. We might know by then whether this is going to be an Avram Grant season or an Alan Curbishley great escape one.

Can Sunday’s spirited performance be the springboard for greater things. Just as the 4-3 home defeat by Tottenham did in 2006/7. Is Carlos Tevez still available? COYI!