Geoff Hopkins

A Captain’s Tale Of Woe: Five Takeaways From West Ham’s Dropped Points At Leicester

With the game overshadowed by the dreadful post-match helicopter crash, what lessons were learned from events on the pitch?

Fatal Helicopter Crash

Ultimately, what happened on the football pitch was understandably overshadowed by the shocking helicopter crash that occurred an hour after the end of the game. A sad and terrible tragedy for those involved, their families and friends. An element of fortune, perhaps, that there were no further casualties among those on the ground.

A Captain’s Tale

The pivotal moment in the game was the needless Mark Noble red card at a time when West Ham seemed to be in full control of proceedings. Difficult to argue against the referee’s interpretation of the laws except from the perspective that inconsistency by officials does sometimes leads to leniency. I am certain that there was no malice involved in the tackle but then that is invariably the case in such situations; it makes it no less dangerous and that is the criteria like it or not. It was a reckless lunge and an out of control tackle, and the captain should have known better. To attempt it at that stage of the game in that area of the pitch was foolish – particularly as his tackles get a little bit later with each passing week. Noble’s best days are some way behind him but his contribution is till required given the length of the injury list and the absence of fit alternatives. It is impossible to know whether it would have been three valuable points gained had he stayed on his feet (and on the pitch) but the odds of it would have been greatly increased.

Yes, Ndidi

How to play when reduced to ten men is always a challenge. In the end the tactic was to hang on for dear life by getting as many people behind the ball as possible and defending deep. It was still quite surprising how much room Leicester were allowed, particularly down the flanks. However, the defence was remarkably resolute and well organised managing to lure opposition forwards into offside positions on multiple occasions. Aside from some early dodgy moments dealing with crosses Fabianski, once again, pulled off some smart saves. I had little confidence that the Hammers could repel the Leicester siege for the entire second half but, as I was starting to think it might just happen, the cruellest of luck intervened. The latest in a long line of desperate long range shots, this time from Ndidi, was destined for obscurity until it pinged off the backside of a Hammers defender and deflected into the empty net. Defeat (two points anyway) was snatched form the arse of victory.

Little Pea Fritters Away His Chance

In the absence of sick Marko Arnautovic there was a chance for Javier Hernandez to show what he was made of leading the attack. Sadly, he just reinforced the view that his style of play is a relic of distant age – before football required every player to contribute both on and off the ball. It might well be the case that he is the most gifted natural finisher in the squad but he remains a luxury that the team cannot afford – and we might already have one of those in Felipe Anderson. This reliance on Arnautovic and the lack of any real striking alternatives conjures wistful thoughts about the return of Big Andy – an event that is rumoured to be any day now, it offers a glimmer of hope even though experience suggests it will once more end in disappointment. Maybe Angelo Ogbonna was making his case for an attacking start, demonstrating that he can spurn chances as proficiently as any of our strikers. He could easily have had two goals in his brief ten minute cameo. Any commentator writing off Ogbonna’s last minute effort as a defender’s finish surely hasn’t ever watched West Ham strikers over the years.

The Three Amigos

As in so many of our games this season, the shining lights were the defensive minded trio of Declan Rice, Issa Diop and Fabian Balbuena (in no particular order). Great to see ‘The General’ get his name on the score-sheet – what an honest, wholehearted player he is and what a snip in the transfer market. Rice and Diop show immense maturity, and no shortage of technique, skill and application, for such young players. It would be nice to think that we could be watching them in claret and blue for years to come but it is probably wishful thinking, and we should make the most of them while we can. With a quarter of the season now gone it is a three horse race for Hammer Of The Year!

Can Shape Shifting Be The Key To Hammers Success At Leicester

West Ham are hoping that the clocks can go back to last May to record a second successive victory at the King Power Stadium. With a depleted squad is tinkering with formation the key to success for Pellegrini?

It was this corresponding fixture last season that effectively guaranteed West Ham’s Premier League survival for at least another season. The Hammers had triumphed 2-0 (Mario and Noble) against a Leicester side who had already packed up for the season and had failed to register an attempt on target until the final five minutes.

The end of that game saw a jubilant David Moyes celebrating with his players and it was his opposite number, Claude Puel, whose position was under intense pressure from disgruntled home supporters following a run of just four wins in nineteen games. Yet it was Moyes who got the chop while Puel was given a stay of execution to prepare for a new Premier League term. A few months ago I predicted that Puel would be in line as the first managerial casualty of the season but he has managed to keep his head above water in an uninspired mid-table no-mans-land. Puel does remain one of the front-runners in the sack race but some way behind the leading pack of Mourinho, Jokanovic and Benitez.

With Mahrez having departed for pastures new in the search of further silverware, Leicester will rely even more heavily on Vardy’s goals for salvation. There is some doubt as to whether he will be available for today’s game but, if he is, I hope the Hammer’s defenders have been well-drilled in understanding the Foxes primary tactic of the ball over the top. Teams wanting to play a high defensive line can still be caught out as witnessed in the early stages of Leicester’s game at Arsenal last week.

The home side have a number of players in and around the England set-up in Maddsion, Maguire and Chillwell. Maddison is an excellent player and just the sort of signing I would like to have seen at West Ham. I’m not quite sure what to make of Maguire who has the look of the old fashioned big lump who occasionally scores from a corner. If the rumours of a 75 million Manchester United bid in the summer were true I would have taken it without a second thought. It is a shame that Morgan is suspended as whoever they bring in as replacement is sure to be less erratic.

West Ham go into the game trying to avoid a third defeat on the bounce and, with mounting injury concerns, Manuel Pellegrini has few options to shake things up. Andriy Yarmolenko joins the long term injured and Pedro Obiang is reported to be also missing.

If Pellegrini sticks with his preferred system then the only debate is whether it is Michail Antonio or Grady Diangana who replace Yarmolenko, and which of Aaron Cresswell or Arthur Masuaku claim the bothersome left back berth. The only argument I can see for starting with Diangana on the bench is that it may be too much too soon for the youngster – and that he needs to be introduced gradually into the hurly burly of Premier League football. Maybe Pellegrini will prefer to play safe with the experience of Antonio, even though the latter has offered little variety beyond his attempted foot races with assorted defenders along the touchline.

Keeping that formation will require Felipe Anderson to once again be charged with tracking back duties on the left hand side. After his poor showing last weekend he badly needs rehabilitation. Putting him in a more advanced role might well lessen his load but would also require Declan Rice to be moved slightly further forward reducing the protection he offers to the central defenders. In effect 4-1-4-1 would become 4-4-1-1. Either way, it is likely to be the same eleven players and in Obiang’s absence it will mean another start for Robert Snodgrass; all it needs is for the Scot to add some much needed quality to his new found energy. He would, though, be a better option to support the full-back and it would take some of the pressure away from Anderson and allow him to focus on the attacking side of his game. Rice had looked lost as part of a midfield four at Anfield but today’s opponents do not offer the same threat; he now has many more yards under his belt and I’m sure he would have learned from it.

Today’s referee is Michael Oliver from Northumberland who previously refereed the home win over Manchester United. In 11 games this season he has flourished 36 yellow and two red cards.

On the pundit front, Lawro is predicting a 2-0 home win for The Foxes while Merson sees a 1-1 draw – which would be Leicester’s first stalemate of the season. I suspect a low scoring game which West Ham will nick by the only goal.

Half Time Hoodoo: Five Takeaways From West Ham’s Latest Disappointing Home Defeat

The curse of the half time oranges as the Hammers first lose Yarmolenko and then the lead during five minutes of madness just before the break. The second half sees a more dominant performance but not enough to rescue the points.

Funny Old Game

Never has the phrase “it’s a funny old game” been more appropriate than for yesterday’s defeat at the London Stadium by Tottenham. West Ham didn’t play well nor did they play badly – and the same can be said for the opposition. Neither team had the upper hand and any of the three possible outcomes would have been difficult to argue against. Once again the Hammers were slow out of the traps – lacking any real intensity against what was a makeshift Tottenham lineup as the visitors had one eye firmly on the challenge of salvaging their upcoming European campaign. The Hammers appeared to show Tottenham far too much respect with an approach that lacked bite or an appetite to knock the visitors out of their stride. The game was raised in the second period but not enough to prevent the North Londoners from running down the clock with some ease.

Dreaming Of The Half Time Orange

Not much happened in the opening forty minutes. Even though West Ham demonstrated little threat they remained well organised, working hard to keep their defensive shape. There was little action of note at either end. That all changed in the final frantic minutes of the half. It started with what looks likely to be a very serious injury to Andriy Yarmolenko and was quickly followed by the only goal of the game, courtesy of Lamela’s head. Once again it was vulnerability down the flanks that led to the goal – and it was not too dissimilar to that conceded at Brighton. This time it was Aaron Cresswell who had gone AWOL; Felipe Anderson’s defending wasn’t even close to half-hearted; the two centre backs raced out looking for offside; leaving Pablo Zabaleta floundering in Lamela’s wake. It was Tottenham’s first attempt on target in the game but there was still time for the Hammers to attempt a repeat performance; on this occasion, however, they were rescued by a fine Lukasz Fabianski double save. Although West Ham were far brighter after the break (and with a noisy crowd urging them on) there were only a few real chances created – unfortunately Lloris was equal to challenge and made smart saves to deny Marko Arnautovic on two occasions.

Green Kryptonite

I don’t know what the Brazilian equivalent of green kryptonite is but someone had clearly been lacing Anderson’s coffee with it during the international break- so weak was his performance. In his previous two outings at the London Stadium, West Ham’s record signing had started to show glimpses of what he might bring to the table – even if he had yet to deliver the full forty million quid’s worth. Yesterday, though, he was atrocious. It was not just his feeble defending but also the inability to reach the goal from the corner flag and his general all-round sluggishness. Touch wood this was just a bad day at the office but he has yet to have any outstanding ones to give him a free pass. In modern football it is impossible to carry a player who blows hot and cold. He needs to do much more or be played in a position that suits him better.

Highlights and Lowlights

The injury to Yarmolenko could potentially be a big blow. Although we don’t yet know the full extent of the damage it looked very bad. For any player it would mean a long lay-off but with West Ham’s track record that is probably his lot for this season. Wishing him a speedy recovery. It was encouraging that Manuel Pellegrini opted for Grady Diangana as his replacement rather than Michail Antonio. The youngster looked lively – and not in a Zavon Hines sort of way that involved running very fast but without any control of the ball. Diangana has the look of a real prospect and, although it may be too soon to throw him in as a regular starter, surely we are going to see a lot more of him. I am not the greatest fan of Robert Snodgrass but the energy, effort and appetite in his latest incarnation cannot be faulted – Chicharito and Antonio, please take note! Any game where Kane does not score against West Ham has to be a positive. Both Issa Diop and Fabian Balbuena had excellent games once again, as did Declan Rice, and you could easily have forgotten that Kane was on the pitch.

Structural Weakness

Having enjoyed initial success with his 4-3-3 (or is it 4-1-4-1) formation, it is starting to show some structural weaknesses. In particular the vulnerability to attacks down the flanks and the lack of flair and variety from the midfield. Of the four senior full-backs only Zabaleta is primarily a defender. The others (Fredericks, Cresswell and Masuaku) are more suited to a role where they provide attacking width and give defending a go when needed (not unlike Trippier, Rose et al). I am not yet sure what Pellegrini is expecting from his full backs (they rarely get forward in the way that their Tottenham counterparts do) and who is meant to be providing backup support to them? It is a lot to ask attacking players to do this consistently over the entire course of a match. For example, Chelsea would not expect Hazard and Willian to track back except in an emergency – but then they have a very energetic midfield three to do the hard yards for them. That balance is still missing from the West Ham lineup. With a run of ‘easier’ games on the horizon how capable will that midfield be in unlocking more defensively minded teams? As a final thought, it would be dangerous to rely solely on Arnautovic to score goals. He is a real handful for opposing defenders but there needs to be other options and with Yarmolenko likely to be needing a lengthy lay-off it is difficult to see who can provide them. Perhaps the hot-shot striker currently leading the line for La Liga table toppers, Alaves (at least they were top until Barcelona won yesterday), is worth having a look at – goes by the name of Jonathan Calleri!

Hammers Prepare To Liquidate Harry Kane & The All Stars

West Ham face Tottenham in an unexpected Saturday afternoon kick-off. Can the Hammers shake off defeat at Brighton and enjoy another post-international bounce?

Having endured yet another enforced break for the international equivalent of the EFL cup it is back to real football action this weekend as West Ham face Harry Kane & his All Stars in a surprise 3 o’clock Saturday afternoon kick off at the London Stadium.

After performing with some distinction in the previous intra-break spell of Premier League football, until falling at the final hurdle at Brighton, this will be a stern test for Manuel Pellegrini in what many see as the biggest game of the season – or at least the one with the greatest ‘mustn’t lose’ factor.

As usual the visitors sit on the periphery of the title race. Solidly in the chasing pack but lacking that little extra something that would get them close to the winner’s enclosure. I have been an admirer of the managerial talents of Mauricio Pochettino as a tactician and organiser but with his team starved of transfer funds and previous recruitment having been uninspired, he will need to find fresher pastures if he wants to add trophies to the plaudits. If Tottenham had a chance of winning the Premier League title it would have been several years ago when they still had the element of surprise. Now the squad looks tired and in need of a significant makeover. On those occasions where they did invest they may have succeeded in improving squad depth but have not found those missing pieces required for success.

For Saturday’s game, West Ham will still be missing long term absentees Manuel Lanzini, Winston Reid, Andy Carroll, Jack Wilshere, Javier Hernandez and Carlos Sanchez while there are fresh doubts over the fitness of Robert Snodgrass and Arthur Masuaku – both having picked up knocks while away on international duty. It was a surprise to see Marko Arnautovic turning out for Austria during the break given his apparent long running injury problems, but the signs are that he will be fit to start.

There have now been a couple of weeks to forget the disappointment of the south coast escapade and it will be interesting to see if Pellegrini is inclined towards any personnel changes from that night. The Brighton goal was a true team effort from West Ham with Pablo Zabaleta, Mark Noble, Andriy Yarmolenko, Fabio Balbuena, Issa Diop and Masuaku all implicated in its concession. Many social media observers pinned all of the blame on Masuaku and, while he should have at least made a token attempt to follow the run of Murray, I fear that it was too late by then to do anything about it other than giving away a penalty. Still with Arthur on the possibly injured list it may be an opportunity to give Aaron Cresswell another run out. Either way West Ham will continue to look exposed down that flank while it lacks adequate midfield reinforcement.

The goal aside, the Hammer’s greater failings at the Amex Stadium were a slow start and a lack of creativity in turning possession into sufficient goal-scoring opportunities. It is always puzzling how often the team manages to lack collective intensity before the half-time pep talk. Although the midfield threesome of Noble, Declan Rice and Pedro Obiang has worked well since its introduction at Everton, it is more suited to games where the opposition are looking to attack. To that extent it can do a job this weekend. Where it falls short is in providing the wit and variation to break down packed defences.

The visitors will be without Alli, Rose and Vertonghen but could welcome back Eriksen, Dembele and Wanyama – although with a midweek Champion’s League game on the horizon they may not all be risked. Tottenham always looked more solid to me with Dembele and Wanyama as the midfield anchors but, for some reason, the manager seems to prefer Dier and Sissoko – which is like trying to win an F1 race in a Ford Transit. South Korean draft dodger Son has often been a thorn in the Hammer’s side (as has any player prepared to run at us speed) but will probably have to make do with a place on the bench.

The referee for the afternoon is Martin Atkinson from West Yorkshire. Atkinson was in charge earlier this season for West Ham’s win at Goodison Park and also Tottenham’s opening day victory at Newcastle.

There is punditry alignment this week with both Paul Merson and Mark Lawrenson firmly on the fence for a 1-1 draw. The good thing about playing Tottenham is that motivation is unlikely to be an issue meaning that the requisite level of commitment and intensity should be apparent all around the ground. The worry as always will be to keep Kane quiet and cut off his supply from the full-backs. Assuming we can manage those defensive backs I am backing West Ham to run out as 2-0 winners.

Can West Ham’s Seaside Shuffle Launch Them Into The Premier League Top Ten?

It’s a warm day. The sun is shining. Someone says “Let’s go to Brighton”. The West Ham roller-coaster shuffles down to the seaside for the big Friday night match. Can Pellegrini’s men set sail into the Premier League top ten?

Having picked up seven of nine points from a run of games where the majority had given the Hammers little chance, they now travel to face a Brighton side in a match where the law of big money should point to West Ham success more often than not. That ignores, however, the Hammer’s historic propensity to stumble badly (perhaps in a misplaced sense of complacency) in the wake of the optimism that follows a string of good results. Just as the equivalent fixture last season put an end to a six game unbeaten run in the league by David Moyes’ side.

In fact, although the overall record against Brighton looks good on the surface this most reflects bygone non-league and war-time cup encounters. In the senior leagues it is the Seagulls that have the upper hand and, in the very top flight, West Ham have won only once in the six meetings to date – a 2-1 win (Cottee, Dickens) at Upton Park in March 1983.

Last season, West Ham charitably donated six of Brighton’s forty league points as well as six of their thirty four league goals. When the two sides met at the Amex Stadium in February this year, the home side ran out 3-1 winners but only three Hammers (Mark Noble, Pablo Zabaleta and Declan Rice) from that game are likely to be on show again tonight.

With no fresh injury worries there can be no debate about Manuel Pellegrini’s starting lineup tonight. Any changes to the formation that has worked so well since being introduced at the Everton game would be a big surprise. Whether by accident or design the manager has hit upon a system that suits the players available, giving them the freedom to demonstrate their particular talents and to play a style of football that is finally worth the admission money. Provided that key players stay fit and over-confidence is kept at bay then I see no reason why it cannot continue to pay dividends. The squad still has a flimsy look in certain positions but everything is looking a whole lot rosier than it was before the last international break.

No matter what system a team plays there will always be comparative weakness somewhere in its make-up that opposition team will seek to exploit. For West Ham, it is the amount of space that we allow attacking players down the flanks. It is a delicate balance as to how much support wide attacking players should give to the full-backs without restricting attacking ambitions. Keeping the shape seems to work better on the right hand side where Andriy Yarmolenko tracks back effectively despite a few chaotic attempts to clear the danger. On the left, however, the shape has been a lot less compact and it will be a key battle tonight to see how how well Arthur Masuaku, Pedro Obiang and Felipe Anderson collectively nullify the threat from the pacey Knockaert. The Obiang role is rather confusing involving as it does a lot of running and closing down but relatively few touches. It is interesting that in the last two games his average position has been further forward than that of Anderson.

Brighton may well have been many people’s tip for relegation at the start of the season but have shown enough spirit and organisation to suggest that they can survive for a second season. There are certainly more than three worse teams in the Premier League at the moment. Home form will again be important to them and they will surely be targeting a return from tonight’s fixture.

The absence of Gross is a big blow for Chris Hughton (and a bonus for West Ham) but the Seagulls may be able to welcome back Colombian Izquierdo, a player who did little last season other than embarrass the Hammers on two occasions. One would assume that the Fabian Balbuena/ Issa Diop partnership would be too strong to be bothered by veteran striker Murray, but having written him off several times in the past I will reserve any critical judgement of his threat and abilities for the time being. It is a surprise that Murray never featured in the long list of failed West Ham striker signings but you just know, if he had, he would have been turning out, a broken man, in the National League by now. Instead he has had a new lease of life mixing it with the best on the south coast.

The matchday referee is Kevin Friend from Leicestershire who takes charge of his second Brighton game of the season, the previous one being the home side’s victory at home to Manchester United. Friend is one of the lower key Premier League referees and one of the least likely to go around waving red cards.

Neither of our favourite pundits have foreseen a West Ham win tonight and, while Merson predicts a 2-2 draw, Lawro has the Hammers stumbling to a 2-1 defeat. A win by more than two goals will see West Ham clamber into the league’s top ten, at least temporarily, at the expense of Manchester United. It will by no means be an easy game but using the power of positive thinking to will us above Mourinho’s miscreants I will be predicting a 4-1 win.

Astonishing, Brilliant, Magnificent, Spectacular, Superb: Five Takeaways From West Ham’s Red Devil Romp

Plucky Manchester United fare little better than Macclesfield Town as West Ham extend their rip-roaring, free-scoring unbeaten run to four games at the London Stadium.

Just Like Watching West Ham

Ask the majority of West Ham supporters how they would like their team to play and you might find yesterday’s performance coming closer to that ideal than anything seen for a good many years. The ugly duckling performances of the first four games have metamorphosed into a very fine swan indeed. Suddenly players who had previously laboured and plodded their way around the pitch for ninety minutes are playing on their toes with confidence high and a spring in their step. It brought to mind Arsene Wenger’s original transformation of George Graham’s Arsenal with one-time donkey Tony Adams playing passes with the outside of his boot. It is a wonder what can be achieved when organisation, teamwork and movement are introduced along with a belief that the ball isn’t something that needs to be got rid of as quickly as possible. This was West Ham’s finest show of the season in what has turned into a nice little unbeaten run. We can now look forward with interest to see how the team manages to maintain impetus, flair and hard-work in the next set of fixtures. From the spectre of a long relegation battle I am now looking curiously at sixth spot in the table.

ZABsolutely FABulous

Ten goals conceded in the first four games has been followed up with just two in the next three (comprising tough games against Everton, Chelsea and Manchester United) all with largely with the same back-line. If ever there was an example of defence not being only about the back four or five then this is it. Finally, we have the look of a team that attacks and defends as a unit rather than being made up of three discrete components working to a rule book. However, despite the team ethic there were also fantastic individual performances all-round yesterday! Pablo Zabaleta (as with Mark Noble in front of him) seems to have discovered a fresh pair of legs. Fabian Balbuena and Issa Diop have exceeded all expectations as a central defensive partnership (already there are envious eyes focusing on the talent and athleticism of Diop). Declan Rice has shown a far greater deftness of touch and eye for a pass than I gave him credit for, and I even spotted a Bobby Moore tackle at one point – neatly complementing the Gordon Banks save made by the flawless Lukasz Fabianski from Fellaini’s header. And how about the effort put in by Robert Snodgrass during his time on the pitch – playing like a man possessed. It was a shame that the goal conceded blotted the afternoon’s copybook resulting, as it did, from a drop in concentration during the visitor’s double substitution.

It’s All About The Pass

Of all the football statistics now thrown at us, it is the ‘Assist’ that I find to be the flakiest of them all. Two weeks ago at Everton, Noble got an assist for Andriy Yarmolenko’s second goal although his actual contribution to it was negligible. Yesterday, without his precise defence splitting pass to Zabaleta to set up the West Ham opener there would have been no goal. Yet as a goal can only have one assist there is no recognition. The biggest positive out of the last three games (apart from the points) has been the quality of the passing. For a good pass you certainly need somebody to execute it but you also need options and for others to take up positions that will provide an advantage. The number of options available to the player with the ball has been pleasing as has the movement and anticipation that allows quick switching between flanks and for balls to played into space for runners. There was some great interplay on show yesterday particularly, although not exclusively, between the front three of Marko Arnautovic, Felipe Anderson and Yarmolenko. The first and third goals were a delight to watch.

That Free Kick Routine…..

I am still a little puzzled by the free kick routine where Player A takes the kick, rolls it a few yards to Player B who stops it and then retreats allowing Player A to cross into the box. It is clearly a routine from the training ground as we have seen it a few times already this season. I suppose it could slightly alter the angle of delivery into the box but does it really make so much difference? Answers on a postcard please …..

Do You Know The Way To Can Jose?

No surprise, given the high profile of those involved, that much of the media attention was on the crisis unfolding at Old Trafford. As well as the Hammers played they were allowed plenty of space and opportunity to do so by an opponent who looked dispirited, disinterested and disorganised – especially in the first half and again after the third goal went in. Mourinho looks to be re-enacting his last days at Stamford Bridge blaming everyone for the collective deficiencies apart from himself. Manchester United look to be a team in turmoil and with very public spats between manager and leading players it is difficult to see how this can be fixed with Mourinho still in place. I had thought they may stumble on for a while longer but now having seen how bad the situation is it could well be a matter of days before Zidane rocks up in Manchester.

Perky Pellegrini To Mount More Misery On Morose Mourinho: West Ham v Manchester United Preview

A suddenly buoyant West Ham take-on the under pressure and misfiring Manchester also-rans at the London Stadium in what could well be Mourinho’s farewell visit.

It is no doubt a reflection of the “hope for the best, fear the worst” mentality that goes with supporting West Ham that I can’t quite make up my mind whether today is a good or a bad time to be playing Manchester United. A lacklustre start to their Premier League campaign had already created rumblings of discontent at Old Trafford and these became amplified by the midweek League Cup defeat by Championship side Derby County. So the question is, will the ever moaning Mourinho get a storming response out of his players at the London Stadium or will they continue to struggle in shaking off the shackles of their manager’s nineteenth century safety first tactics?

It would be no surprise if Manchester United were among the first to change managers in the Premier League this season as his style, or lack of it, falls far too short of the expectations at famous (and one-time successful) club. However, my money for first managerial casualty would be either on Claude Puel at Leicester or Colin Wanker at Cardiff. The transition from the Alex Ferguson era at Manchester United is looking just as painful as that which followed the retirement of Matt Busby; and if history repeats itself then the Red Devils can expect to win their next title by 2039.

It would be foolish to read too much into League Cup results these days as no-one really starts taking it seriously until reaching the quarter finals stage. Still you can only beat what is in front of you and a stroll against League 2 basement club, Macclesfield Town, can’t have harmed the confidence in the Hammer’s camp, following on from the win at Everton and draw with Chelsea. A fourth round tie against Blackpool or Burton Albion would do very nicely.

Today will see Manchester United’s third visit to the London Stadium where they have yet to concede a goal – last year’s drab scoreless draw being preceded a 2-0 Manchester victory thanks largely to Mike Dean’s dreadful decision in sending off Sofiane Feghouli. The Hammers recent record against the visitors is not so good and, apart from the famous last game at the Boleyn victory, there have been no other successes in the last nineteen league meetings. As usual the biggest obstacke in the way of improving that record will be Lukaku, who has netted eleven times in his last eleven matches against West Ham – he has also scored in each of the visitors three away league games so far this season.

We are promised the return of Marko Arnautovic from injury today and his inclusion at the expense of Michail Antonio could well be the only change from the team which started last weekend against Chelsea. It is possible that Manuel Pellegrini will make tactical changes in the full-back positions but it would surprise me. With Carlos Sanchez now absent through injury there are limited options left to replace Mark Noble when his legs run out around the 75 minute mark.

It was good to see several youngsters get a game in midweek and it is about time the Academy started to deliver after a lengthy barren spell stretching back almost a decade. Clearly performances must be viewed in the light of the opposition faced and it is a huge leap in class from Macclesfield to Manchester. However, I think there should always be room for at least one young player with potential to be on the bench as a way of introducing them to the atmosphere and expectations of league football. It was Grady Diangana who received all the plaudits following his two goal debut in the League Cup but he will surely be behind Antonio and Robert Snodgrass in the attacking bench pecking order. So, arguably it could be Conor Coventry who is more likely to get a look in as the fresh legs cover for the Hammer’s skipper.

The referee for today’s game is Michael Oliver from Northumberland who took care of two West Ham defeats (home to Spurs and away at Everton) last season plus the home draw with Stoke. In five Premier League matches this season he already has two red cards to his name.

BBC pundit Lawro predicts a 2-0 away win confident that Mourinho will get a reaction from his chaotic charges while Merson at Sky is sticking with a 1-1 draw. It will be interesting to see how the game pans tactically and whether Pellegrini expects his team to sit back, as they did against Chelsea, or show more attacking intent. A more enterprising West Ham may be just what the visitors are looking for and there is the potential for the game turning into a cagey cat and mouse affair. Notwithstanding the curse of Lukaku I am going to stick my neck out and predict a 2-0 home victory that heaps even more misery on the morose Manchester manager.

I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues: Five Takeaways From West Ham’s Well Earned Point Against Chelsea

What we learned as West Ham happily concede possession, are rarely troubled by a predictable one dimensional Chelsea and end up spurning the best chances of the afternoon.

Possession

If Premier League football was a level playing field then you wouldn’t want to see your team playing at home on the wrong side of 28%-72% possession statistics. Although we are now well past the point of believing that possession is everything in football, that is a very one-sided scenario. But football is not a level playing field and, the occasional upset apart, success follows the money including the flip side that is the financial imperative of Premier League survival. Had the Hammers made a more convincing start to the season then maybe Pellegrini could have been more adventurous against Chelsea; but with his team firmly in the recovery position the ends of a hard won, well-earned point jsutified the means of a mostly backs-to-the-wall performance. Even so, the two clearest cut goal-scoring opportunities of the game fell to West Ham and, at the end, we were left imagining what might have been.

Position

A look at the average position of the West Ham players during the game is quite telling. Although Pellegrini has always favoured a back four, the Hammers effectively played with a back five with Declan Rice rarely venturing into the opposition half except at set pieces. Rice had another very good game, as he had at Goodison the previous week, and showed a deft touch as well as intelligent distribution. The data also showed that, on average, Pedro Obiang took up a more advanced position than Felipe Anderson although both played relatively deep on the left hand side – not surprising as Chelsea did most of their attacking down the right wing. Cover for Pablo Zabaleta on the Hammer’s right was provided mainly by Andriy Yarmolenko. The result was that West Ham found it difficult to retain possession with too few players getting forward to mount constructive or sustained attacks. For those interested in statistics, the Hammer’s most accurate passers of the afternoon were surprisingly Issa Diop, Michail Antonio and Arthur Masuaku.

Aggression

For what is normally a fiercely contested London derby the match was remarkably tame as far as boot flying intensity was concerned; the matter of no added first half minutes was testament to lack of physicality. There were a smattering of fouls but mainly of the niggly variety rather than the vicious or dangerous. Referee, Mike Dean, must have been most disappointed that he was not called upon to make any game changing decisions. In fairness, Dean performed very well with the anonymity preferred in a referee – particularly when ignoring Hazard’s blatant dive on the edge of the area in the first half. There was a period around the two Antonio first half chances that West Ham (and the crowd) got the bit between their collective teeth but otherwise it was more chess match than gladiatorial battle.

Defensive

Another fine set of performances from Lukasz Fabianski, Fabian Balbuena and Diop with sterling support from Zabaleta in the back line. Their day was made somewhat easier by an apparent lack of ideas and enthusiasm from the opposition. Chelsea had put all their eggs into the Hazard and Willian baskets yet looked uncertain what to do with the ball once they got into dangerous positions and the West Ham defenders were able to clear their lines at will. It was a good lesson yesterday that defence is not just about the back four or five – but is something performed as a team. Everyone did their job in limiting Chelsea to speculative strikes and in the rare event they did break through, Fabianski was more than equal to the threat.

Offensive

If yesterday was a good example of defending as a team it was a less impressive one of attacking as a team. We can maybe excuse the all-hands-to-the-pumps defending in the context of the match and the season but the team must be able to collectively do more when up against lesser sides. The more creative midfield players cannot have their effectiveness blunted by too great a burden of defensive responsibility; otherwise the front man ends up isolated chasing punts from the keeper. Yarmolenko did well to track back in support of Zabaleta and also find time to miss his sitter (a shame his head is not as sweet as his left foot). Anderson, on the other, needs to step up his contribution from cameo guest appearance to the leading man that his transfer fee demands. From an attacking viewpoint it was crystal clear how much the team rely on the absent Marko Arnautovic. If the Antonio and Yarmolenko opportunities had fallen to Arnie then we may have been celebrating a famous smash and grab victory. No matter it was a point well won, another encouraging performance and several steps in the right direction of mid-table security.

West Ham’s Autumn Flurry To Herald The Fall Of Chelsea

Hot on the heels of an impressive victory at Everton, West Ham will seek to open up Chelsea and place the blue flag where it rightfully belongs.

It is surprising the extent to which a good result at the weekend can play in creating a positive impact on your life – or at least that portion of it that is devoted to football. Post-match euphoria has a long half-life and can easily be topped-up as with repeated highlight watching and mutual social media backslapping. The warm glow of victory can be comfortably felt for the remainder of the week albeit with the potentially dangerous side effect of unrealistically raised expectations.

The visit of Chelsea to the east-end is always one of the most eagerly anticipated games of the season and, with the added incentive of derailing the visitors 100% perfect start to the season, there is plenty at stake. Despite the west Londoners having bossed encounters in recent history, following the injection of Roman’s dodgy roubles, a West Ham victory today would even-up the all-time record at 57 wins apiece.

It is a surprise to see Chelsea (once again under new management) start the season so positively although, with the exception of a visit by Arsenal, they have been favoured by a relatively benign set of opening fixtures. Still their confidence will be on a high having also successfully come through a midweek European gimme in Salonika. If only they had a half decent striker they might well be offering serious competition to Manchester City and Liverpool in this season’s title race.

Chelsea’s undoubted strength is in the midfield areas where they look particularly formidable. The introduction of Jorginho alongside Kante provides more energy than a whole box of Duracel batteries combined and allows Hazard and Willian the freedom to menace opposition defences at will. Hazard can divide opinion among fans of other clubs but, for me, he is one of the best and most creative players currently turning out in the Premier League. Clipping his wings will be key to any West Ham’s success today.

I can’t see Manuel Pellegrini making any discretionary changes to his starting lineup after last week’s win at Everton – the fitness of Marko Arnautovic being the greatest concern and still uncertain. I have read others suggesting changes to either full-back (Ryan Fredericks in for Pablo Zabaleta or Aaron Cresswell in for Arthur Masuaku) and even, bizarrely, those recommending a place for Carlos Sanchez at the expense of Mark Noble. I am no great supporter of the 2018 model skipper but did they they not witness Sanchez disastrous short suicidal cameo last weekend?

There may be a case for changing the full-back slots where Zabaleta and Cresswell edge it defensively but fall shorter on attacking threat. Both Fredericks and Masuaku can be electric going forward, but it depends to what extent formation and set-up allows that to happen. This aside, and at the risk of projecting previous West Ham manager behaviours onto Pellegrini, I am confident he will not change a winning team and will stick with his latest preferred formation until its weaknesses become exposed. The main apparent weakness being too much space left on the flanks for opponents to exploit when attacking.

Much will depend today on how effectively the midfield three of Declan Rice, Pedro Obiang and Noble acquit themselves; and the way in which they are deployed. Last week Rice did a great job of tracking the runs of Sigurdsson and he may well be given a similar responsibility with Hazard today. That will require Noble and Obiang to keep busy in covering the flanks and getting forward to support the front players wherever possible.

Fitness permitting, I look forward to seeing the front three of Felipe Anderson, Andriy Yarmolenko and Arnautovic pick up where they left off last week; putting plenty of pressure on the visitor’s defence. I have never really seen the value of David Luiz and believe he can be bullied and forced into mistakes when pressed – critically this depends on the availability of Arnie. If the Austrian is not passed fit I suppose the replacement would need to be Lucas Perez – assuming he is warmed up in time!

There can be no real debate concerning the keeper and centre backs with the current incumbents each having performed admirably in recent games, even if the goals against tally suggests otherwise. West Ham should have particularly high hopes for Issa Diop who looks like he will be a great signing even though his performances will ultimately attract the attention of more successful sides. To think it could have been Alfie Mawson in the back four!

Today’s referee is Mike Dean from The Wirral known for his exuberant celebration of Tottenham goals. Dean is always a little card happy and it would be no surprise if there were fewer than twenty-two players on the pitch come the final whistle.

This afternoon sees the return to West Ham of former manager Gianfranco Zola. The affable and grinning Italian has an undistinguished managerial career, following his time at Upton Park, but now finds himself in an assistant coaching role in West London.

There is a difference of opinion between the much loved pundits this week with Merson opting for a Hazard inspired 3-1 Chelsea win but Lawro going out on an uncharacteristic limb with a 2-1 West Ham success. One might conclude that it is a case of wishful Lawro thinking and that his motivation for the result is that it would benefit his beloved Scousers. Personally, I think that there is a very high chance that the Hammers will not get beaten this afternoon and pick up their first home league point of the season. Whether it is all three and another week of glorious football well-being or whether we will have to settle for just a share is hard to call. Naturally, a win would satisfy my raised expectations but feel a draw is the most likely outcome. As long as it accompanied by more signs of improved performances and greater understanding then I would reluctantly take that.

A Winning Formula? Five Takeaways From West Ham’s Stunning Victory At Everton

It’s Werther’s Originals all round as Manuel Pellegrini celebrates his 65th birthday with a rare West Ham win at Goodison Park. What did we learn from the latest Hammers shape and improved performance?

A Win, Entertainment & Goals

Great relief at an unexpected victory that finally put some points on the board for West Ham and allowed them to climb to 16^th place in the Premier League table. That’s one place higher than Avram Grant’s team managed during the entire 2010/11 season – the last time the Hammers lost the opening four games of a campaign. It was not just the win that was pleasing, however, but the manner in which it was achieved with some great all-round performances plus a spirit and tenacity that had been missing from previous games. What I had envisaged as being a scrappy Sunday afternoon affair turned out to be highly entertaining with plenty of incident at both ends and some excellent well-taken goals (and all from open play for a change).

We Were Good Or They Were Bad?

When any game is analysed these days there is invariably a binary debate as to whether the outcome was down to the superiority of the victors or the shortcomings of the defeated. Most (non-partisan) reports that I read look to have taken the position that the deciding factor yesterday was Everton’s deficiencies rather than West Ham’s performance. As a contrast, when Manchester City beat Fulham on Saturday, the consensus was this was due to City’s impeccability and flawlessness while Fulham’s suicidal tactics were largely ignored. In truth, most games are a mix of the two and we shouldn’t underestimate how, on the day, West Ham’s confident and energetic approach to the game served to rattle their opponents.

The Shape Of Things To Come

The number of changes announced in the West Ham starting eleven took most people by surprise and was seen by some as a sign of panic. It was a puzzle to see how they would eventually line up. Formations should, of course, be flexible but what we saw was something that looked like a 4-1-2-3 where Declan Rice was as close to being a third centre back as possible without becoming a back three. In the event it worked well and both Rice and Pedro Obiang had outstanding games in the centre of midfield and the front three were given an opportunity to flourish. Where the set-up didn’t work so well was in supporting the full-backs, an area where most of the Everton threat came from. Despite the Fabian Balbuena – Issa Diop partnership again being sound, Everton were still presented with three or four good chances from crosses into the box. With Obiang and Mark Noble playing narrow in midfield it looked as though the responsibility for tracking back rested with Andriy Armolenko and Felipe Anderson – a big ask if you also expect them to be the springboard for attacks. Most successful teams do not expect their most advanced players to defend deep (relying on them to press higher up the pitch). It is a problem that needs to be addressed as the next opponents may not be quite as profligate on crosses as Everton were.

Unplayable

It was a first chance this season to see Marko Arnautovic start a game supported by the two expensive summer recruits – Anderson and Yarmolenko. It was a pleasure to watch and to see passes being played into spaces that others were running into; rather than the static triangles that we have become used to. The first and third goals in particular were beautifully worked and featured the swift passing style that I love to see nestling in the back of the net – thirty yard thunderbolts are fine but team goals are football at its best. It was a dream full debut for Yarmolenko who can look somewhat ungainly but what a sweet left foot he has! It was a little worrying seeing Anderson stranded out wide on the left at the start but his influence grew as the game developed. Although not directly involved in any of the goals he showed excellent close control and an ability to retain possession that has eluded generations of West Ham players since Alan Devonshire (or maybe Yossi Benayoun). I am hoping we get to see some true Anderson end product soon rather than later but the prospect of these three having an extended run together is very exciting.

Game Management

Having conceded late in the first half the initial reaction was that “West Ham’s gonna throw it away, gonna blow it away” – but in fact they managed the second half very well and the expected Everton onslaught never materialised. The timing of the Arnautovic goal was perfect and went some way to settle the nerves; but long time Hammers supporters will never be fully confident of victory until the game is finally over. My biggest worry was that at the rate Martin Atkinson was handing out yellow cards to our players (four of them for their only foul of the match) we would end up a man down. At least he didn’t show a straight red for Arthur Masuaku’s boot ending up on Walcott’s ducked head as the idiot Clattenburg has been suggesting in the media. Even substitutes Michail Antonio and Robert Snodgrass acquitted themselves well, although there were flashbacks to Selhurst Park whenever Antonio took the ball to the corner flag. Carlos Sanchez on the other hand ………..what was he doing?