Author: Geoff Hopkins

West Ham Prepare To Poop The Wenger Boys Farewell Party?

West Ham look to add to their collection of survival points as Arsenal balance Europa League glory against the ignominy falling out of the top six.

Earlier in the week I had planned to begin my review on the assertion that surely this would be West Ham’s last encounter with an Arsene Wenger Arsenal side.  That speculation has been subsequently overtaken by events as the Frenchman announced that he would jump rather than wait to be pushed from his long running position as Gunner’s manager.  It has been a reign that has had many highs but one which, in recent years, has seen his team fall away from pace setters to also rans in the top six stakes.

The timing of the announcement was unusual and I will admit, to borrow from Arsene’s repertoire, that “I didn’t see it” coming!  What effect it will have on the afternoon’s proceedings and Arsenal’s priorities is now a puzzle.  My hope was that Wenger was prepared to put all the Arsenal ‘ouefs’ into the Europa League basket as he went all out in search of the rear entry into next season’s Champion’s League qualification.  Now the conundrum is whether to go out with one last trophy or failure to finish in the top six as Burnley remain hot on their heels.  At the same time those Arsenal fans who have been vociferously calling for his head are now able to get back behind him and create an emotional afternoon at the Emirates Stadium.  My original theory that the Hammers could take sneaky advantage of a half-hearted Arsenal is now up in the air.

West Ham’s failure to beat Stoke last Monday leaves them with a bit a work to do before any lingering thoughts of relegation can be entirely dismissed – at least we cannot now finish bottom of table.  The chances of either Stoke or Southampton collecting enough points to overhaul the Hammers are slim but it is still possible and  it will be as well for the health of all concerned to gather those additional two or three points sooner rather than later.  Then we can get down to the messy business of a World Cup year transfer window where our hopes can once again be dashed by a raft of over-aged, underwhelming panic signings that do little to resolve the underlying weaknesses in the squad.

Head to Head

Today will be the 42nd West Ham fixture in all competitions against an Arsene Wenger managed Arsenal. Of those past encounters the Hammers have won just five, drawn ten and lost twenty six.  Three of those wins came in a period of just over a year between February 2006 and April 2007 while the most recent was the famous season opener in August 2015 (the only win in the last 21).  The remaining victory (and most memorable for me) was in October 1999 courtesy of a Paolo Di Canio brace in an incident packed 2-1 win at Upton Park.

Team News

By all accounts, apart from the long term injured, the only other player not available for selection is James Collins.  It is probable that David Moyes will remain in safety first mode to reach the survival target one point at a time.  His dilemma being that although Arsenal are now very suspect at the back they still have more than enough flair and movement in forward positions to dazzle West Ham if they do not have sufficient bodies as well as organisation and concentration in their defensive ranks. Thus I believe Moyes will stick with the 3-4-2-1 formation with Marko Arnautovic once again given the free lone striker role.  The only uncertainty for me is who the two immediately behind him will be – quite possibly the returning Manuel Lanzini alongside Joao Mario.

Many supporters will be hoping to see a start for Javier Hernandez but I expect to see him once again a little pea’d off on the bench.  Likewise Andy Carroll will be used as an impact substitute as needed.

It will be interesting to see whether Joe Hart keeps his place following his gaffe on Monday and the newspaper talk of the Hammers wanting to keep him (for some reason) beyond the expiry of his loan.  I can’t help thinking that if it had been Adrian that fumbled the ball leading to the Stoke goal he would be straight back to the bench.

Difficult to judge the Arsenal approach to the game.  In recent Premier League games in the lead up to European action they put out weakened sides and looked below par despite (fortunately) seeing off both Southampton and Stoke.  The players that always worry me in exposing West Ham weaknesses are Ozil and Bellerin while Welbeck is in a rare run of goal-scoring form.

The Man In The Middle

Lee Mason from Lancashire is today’s referee.  The Hammers have had little luck with Mason this term recording defeats away at Southampton and at home to Newcastle and Burnley.  In his 23 outings this season he has shown 61 red and 4 yellow cards.

Predictions

A rare alignment between Larwo and Merson who both believe that Arsenal will stroll to a leisurely 2-0 win.  I think we have a chance as no matter what is said in the dressing room the Gunners will either have a weakened team out or else the players will have at least one eye on Thursday’s semi-final.  I can see us sneaking that odd goal win but would be happy to settle for a draw.

West Ham Play Stoke In The Monday Night Cinderella Match

Tell Me Why I Don’t Like Monday Evening Games. Can West Ham All But Secure Their Premier Status At The Expense Of Stoke?

The Premier League season has entered its final lap with today’s visitors, Stoke City, in pole position to claim one of the three unpopular relegation places.  Should the Potters come away from the match without at least a point then their chances of survival will look extremely grim indeed.  The Hammers themselves are not yet completely clear of the relegation scrap even though a long awaited second wind has lifted them to fourteenth place and six points above the drop zone.  A win today and that could well be survival guaranteed; at least for one more season.

On the evidence of their last two matches (against Arsenal and Tottenham) Stoke will offer plenty of effort but with very little in the way of quality to match it.  Against a weakened and very disinterested Arsenal they huffed and puffed but still managed to run out as 3-0 losers.  An equal measure of commitment was on show the following week against Tottenham until the hairs on Harry Kane’s shoulder struck the killer blow and left them pointless once more.

West Ham should go into the game with their confidence high looking for rare back to back wins at the London Stadium.  An atmosphere similar to that seen at that other Olympic Stadium (the one in Rome) on Tuesday night or in the home victory against Southampton should inspire the Hammers to a comfortable victory.  As always with our boys, though, the enemy  is complacency or tactics that react to Stoke’s desperation for points by sitting back and letting them attack – fine if it is backed up with clinical counter-attacking play but suicidal when paired with the, more often seen, giving the ball away cheaply ploy.

Monday night games were always great fun when it was one of the days on which midweek fixtures were played; but now that it is reserved for the weekend’s afterthought contest it has just become an irritating wait.  Whether good things come to those who wait remains to be seen.

Head to Head

The all-time record against Stoke is neck and neck with the Hammers having recorded just two more wins than the Potters in the 108 games played.  In more recent times the Midlanders have held the upper hand with a four to two win advantage (six draws) in the last twelve encounters.  In home matches West Ham have won five of the last twelve although have not been victorious at home since March 2011 when a 3-0 victory was the last of a season that led to relegation.

Team News

The West Ham starting eleven is unlikely to show too many changes from that which took the field at Stamford Bridge just over a week ago other than the potential forced replacement of the injured Aaron Cresswell by Patrice Evra.  The only other change I would expect is for Edmilson Fernandes to step down following his ineffective display against Chelsea, but whether that will mean a return for fit again Manuel Lanzini or a start for last week’s goal hero Javier Hernandez is the million dollar question.  The dilemma that Moyes faces is whether the inclusion of Hernandez diminishes the threat created from Marko Arnautovic’s free role or whether Lanzini and Joao Mario can be realistically accommodated in the same team.

There have been mumblings of a Andy Carroll return to the bench and fans of nostalgia might be excited at the prospect of both Carroll and Peter Crouch on the field at the same time.  I am not fan of the one dimensional target man but you cannot help but admire Crouch’s longevity and attitude.

Stoke have few injury worries with the major threat likely to come from Xherdan Shaqiri  (who always has me imagining he is from a Harry Enfield sketch) and in midfield from Joe Allen (who I hope is well and truly crossed off of our summer shopping list).  At the back Ryan Shawcross will continue to audition for a role as Bond villain henchman.

Also in the Stoke ranks is Glen Johnson, the most junior of the Hammer’s youth golden generation who between them amassed a raft of Premier League, Champion’s League, FA Cup and League Cup winner’s medals – sadly none with their academy club.  The shame with Johnson is that he played so few games in claret and blue before a relegation fire sale prompted his departure.  Fingers crossed that we won’t be repeating the same words about Declan Rice in a year or two’s time.

Man In The Middle

Sorting out the ‘went down too easily’ from the ‘was entitled to go down’ decisions will be Northumberland referee Michael Oliver, fresh from his midweek Bernabeu controversy.  Oliver has previously ref’d two West Ham games this term, defeats at home to Tottenham and away to Everton.  His 2017/18 record from 37 games is a whopping 134 yellow and 7 red cards.

Predictions

Both Lawro and Merson see the Hammers running out victorious at 2-0 and 2-1 respectively.  Anticipating that the coaching staff will not let complacency creep in and that we play the match at a good tempo I fully expect a West Ham by two or three goals.

Five Takeaways; West Ham’s Bonus Point at Stamford Bridge

West Ham snaffle what looked like being an unlikely draw at Stamford Bridge. As well as earning another valuable point in the quest for Premier League survival what else did we learn?

A Fortunate Bonus Point

I am not going to lie, this was a very fortunate but hugely valuable bonus point in West Ham’s survival struggle.  For most of the first half, and large parts of the second, the Hammers were second best in all areas.  There is no doubt that Chelsea have some fine players but allowing those players full and free rein to express those talents was a reckless strategy and served again to highlight the fragility of the West Ham squad.  If you are wanting to stop Chelsea play then you don’t allow the likes of Hazard and Willian as much of the ball as they like, and give them all the room in the world to use it.  West Ham have the second poorest defensive record in the Premier League but defending is a team responsibility.  Until there is effective protection from midfield and an ability to retain possession for more than a couple of passes then the defence will always be under pressure.  At the end it was a very welcome point but it owed more to the host’s shortcomings than our own efforts.  On another day Chelsea could easily have been out of sight well before the hour mark.

A Return to Average Performances

Following on from the encouraging win against Southampton the previous week, only a handful of players could be satisfied with their afternoon’s work.  Edmilson Fernandes, Cheikhou Kouyate and Mark Noble were all poor in the roles asked of them in midfield while Joao Mario and Arthur Masuaku did not live up to the promise shown a week before.  On the plus side both Angelo Ogbonna and Declan Rice performed admirably in defence showing a level of concentration and commitment that is not always obvious in our rearguard.  Joe Hart had an excellent afternoon demonstrating an agility that has been largely lacking during his time in London.  My issue with Hart remains that having a loan player (that you have no intention (I assume) of buying) as your Number 1 is a flawed strategy.  Star man once again was Marko Arnautovic who has become more skilful and more of a handful as each week goes by – even if he should have done more to prevent the Chelsea goal.  I hate to think where we would be this season without him.  There really is no need to hold a Hammer of the Year poll.

Llamar A Un Amigo

West Ham were totally on the ropes from the start of the second half and it looked to be only a matter of time before Chelsea extended their lead.  A lifeline was badly need but it took David Moyes a long time to ‘phone his friend’, Javier Hernandez.  It was no surprise that it was Fernandes that was sacrificed, a player with good technique but no position; wherever he was meant to be playing yesterday was not it.  Pundits scratch their heads as to why Hernandez does not get more game time at West Ham but he remains an enigma.  Undoubtedly he is the best goal scorer at the club but how to accommodate him (other than as substitute) remains problematic.  Conceding goals has been more of an issue this season than scoring them and playing two forward players could make matters worse.  Arnautovic has blossomed once freed from tracking back duties and this could be compromised if he is played in a more withdrawn role.  Having said that it was superb combination play between the two to score a finely struck equaliser.

Great Tackle or Penalty?

The game certainly livened up once the scores were level.  The closest West Ham went to nicking a winner was when Arnautovic breezed past the Chelsea defence only to be thwarted by Kante as he bore down on goal.  While Kante was lightning fast in getting back (probably no other player could have even got close) it still looked to me as if the he played Arnie’s boot rather than the ball.  Personally I was pointing to the spot straight away but the referee thought otherwise.  This is not the type of decision that you get playing away at a top six side but would have had a high probability of being given if it had happened at the other end.

Fighting For Survival

The weekend turned out to be a good one for West Ham in the battle for survival.  The point earned took our total to 34 from 32 games played.  My best guess is that neither Southampton nor Stoke will get more than 35 points meaning that one more win or a couple of draws should be enough.  Games at this time of the season have the added complication of teams starting to switch off or with their focus elsewhere.  Several of the relegation threatened clubs still have to face Everton who are clearly going through the motions under Fat Sam; Leicester also have nothing to play for.  Southampton made a better fist of things against Arsenal but still came away with nothing from a half empty Emirates, where the hosts are pinning all of their hopes on the Europa League.  West Ham may already have done enough to limp over the line but it is evident that major surgery is required on the squad if this season’s woes are not to be repeated; preferably by someone who knows how to build a team rather than simply buying players offered up by agents without any understanding of how they will complement one another on the pitch.  You can’t complete a jigsaw with odd shaped pieces taken from many different puzzles.

Hungry West Ham To Take Advantage of Chelsea Blues?

West Ham look to sneak a first win at Stamford Bridge since 2002 against a fast fading and disinterested Chelsea side that now has no hope of Champion’s League qualification.

At this stage of the season there are already four Premier League clubs who know their final finishing position.  Manchester City and West Bromwich Albion will be first and last respectively, Arsenal will be sixth and Chelsea fifth.  Everyone associated with Chelsea also knows that come the start of next season they will have yet another different manager.  Even though Roman Abramovich seems to have increasingly lost interest in the project since Chelsea’s Champion’s League success (or perhaps there is no money left to laundered?) he still loves to sack a managers whenever he can.  Chelsea, like Arsenal, no longer compete with the Manchester clubs in fanning the wild flames of transfer fee inflation leaving them as big six also-rans with the feel of a famous 1970’s rock band who continue to tour under the same name but with none of the original line-up.

In a quirk of fixture computer fate, Chelsea take on West Ham on the same day that Arsenal face the fellow strugglers, soundly beaten by the Hammers last weekend, Southampton.  On paper both would be seen as tough games in the run-in of relegation threatened sides but, in reality, the two once mighty London clubs are left with little to play for as far as the Premier League is concerned.   The papers may be full of stirring claims that Chelsea will be desperate to bounce back from last week’s defeat at the hands of Tottenham but transferring that spirit of enthusiasm to the most typical band of fickle West-End mercenaries may be more of a challenge. In short, taking a point or more from this game is more than possible for the Hammers.

If West Ham are no longer everyone’s second club, playing a brand of football the way it is meant to be played, there is one tradition that has been maintained throughout Hammer’s history – inconsistency.  On the evidence of last week the Cockney Boys should be going into the game with their tails up and full of confidence.  I’m sure that many supporters have a sense, even if they don’t want to say it out loud, that today could be one of those days where the return journey on the eastbound District Line is a happy one where the blue flag has been well and truly inserted where it belongs.  The secret fear, however, is that rather than starting where they left off last week it will be one of those timid and lethargic displays that all too often follow an encouraging win.

Head to Head

West Ham’s recent overall record against Chelsea is probably as good as it gets against top six sides showing four wins from the last twelve encounters.  It is not such a good picture, however, when you look at away games only.  The Hammers have won none of the last twelve and the last manager to win at Stamford Bridge was Glenn Roeder in September 2002.

Team News

Every West Ham player put in a good performance and received wisdom in such situations is not to change a winning team.  Even a half-hearted Chelsea will offer more of a challenge than Southampton did and their greatest threat has traditionally been the dribbling and diving of Eden Hazard; if he can be bothered this afternoon.  If Hazard does turn up then strength (without reckless challenges) in the centre of the Hammer’s midfield will be crucial.  If James Collins is fit there could be a case for deploying Declan Rice in midfield but the question is who would make way?

Manuel Lanzini returns to the squad this afternoon but would expect him to start on the bench with Moyes sticking to the Marko Arnautovic/ Joao Mario partnership that rattled the Saints last time out.

Chelsea are likely to have Courtois and Pedro available and I am hoping that Conte decides to play Pedro rather than the want-away Willian, a player that I admire greatly.

Man in The Middle

Kevin Friend from Leicestershire is today’s match-day referee.  Friend has two previous West Ham games under his belt this season – the home league win over Huddersfield and the EFL Cup exit at Arsenal.  His season record is fifty-one yellows and one red from twenty-eight games.

Predictions

Both Merson and Lawro have predicted 2-0 home wins for the game.  It is about time the Hammers had some joy at Stamford Bridge although we were clearly cheated out of three points by some typically terrible Robert ‘Bobby’ Madely refereeing in March 2016.  In a fit of optimism I am banking on West Ham sneaking it over a listless Chelsea with a Di Canio emulating brace from Arnautovic.

Five Takeaways: Swaggering Hammers Slaughter Sorry Saints

An unexpected demonstration of flair, commitment, pace and invention allows West Ham to steamroller a poor Southampton side at the weekend. What did we learn from the experience?

The Good, The Bad And The Game Of Two Halves

Whenever a match ends in an emphatic win for one side or the other, the reporting tends towards the extremes of whether the victors being excellent or the defeated very poor.   What we witnessed at the weekend was a combination of both in what could be described as a typical ‘game of two halves’.  Arguably the Hammers played some of their best and most fluent football of the season in the first period, almost reaching rampant on the domination scale.  It is a shame that it was decided to declare at half time, in what has been described as a show of game management, because I was really hoping for a hat-full of goals.  I have enough West Ham games under my belt to know that sitting back can be, and has been, a dangerous tactic.  A team rarely comes back from three goals down but if it is going to happen then it is going to happen against the Hammers.  In the circumstances Southampton had nothing to offer and gave the impression of not being too bothered about making a game of it.  The second half lacked any real incident and it seems that Mark Hughes is well on his way to relegating two teams in a single season.

Command Performances

For once, the starts were aligned and there were excellent performances throughout the team.  At the back, Declan Rice didn’t put a foot wrong and Angelo Ogbonna had a fine game showing what a good defender he can be when he stays alert for the entire ninety minutes.  It was interesting to read that David Moyes had intended to play Rice in midfield if James Collins had been fit as the much criticised (particularly by me) partnership of Mark Noble and Cheikhou Kouyate exceeded all expectations in securing central midfield.  Noble threw off his recent sluggishness adding intensity to his usual  graft while Kouyate was surging forward to great effect.  Arthur Masuaku made a welcome return on the left and immediately provided balance providing an outlet for his colleagues (Alan Devonshire style) as someone able to maintain possession for more than one or two touches.  When Michail Antonio limped off early in the game I feared the worst as without his physical presence goal scoring options looked to have narrowed even further.  Little did I know that Joao Mario would step up to the plate for his best game yet in claret and blue or that the returning Edmilson Fernandes would be so energetic and effective after a long lay-off?  The icing on the cake was another superb Marko Arnautovic performance which embraced pace, power, flair and enterprise.  His spat with Hughes was priceless!

The Bare Bones Formation

On the face of it Southampton went into the game with the more attacking line-up.  But there is no point having two strikers (neither of whom are particularly mobile) if you don’t give them any service and, at the same time, you blunt your most dangerous weapon by playing the wing backs in a flat back four.  There were no doubt some eyebrows raised at the Hammers starting eleven but a look at the bench shows how few options there are available at the moment – the bare bones can be partly put down to bad luck with injuries but it is mostly the result of haphazard and arbitrary player recruitment practices.  Arnautovic has been a revelation since being moved to a more central role and has a style (pace, invention and mobility) that none of the more recognised strikers possess.  Even if the others were fit they really are no more than impact players in my mind.  There won’t be many easier opponents than Southampton and my jury is still out over the central midfield pairing until they prove it can work without reasonable doubt. There are also questions as to whether Manuel Lanzini and Mario can play effectively in the same team or what the best role is for Fernandes.

Beautiful Team Goals

The beauty of Saturday’s win were three excellent team goals which, to me, are more satisfying than the spectacular pile-drivers that routinely make the goal of the season running.  Each of the goals featured a speed and aggression that is all too often missing from West Ham’s play.  For the first, there was pressure by Mario and Noble to win possession following a Saint’s corner and when Kouyate embarked on a typical powerful run it was, for once, topped off with an insightful pass rather than a hopeful punt. Mario’s three touches (including a cheeky one with his knee) ended with a satisfying ripple of the net.  The second was also the result of sustained pressing before Mario’s measured cross was met by a powerful Arnautovic header that the keeper couldn’t hold allowing Marko to react first to slot home.  The third currently stands as my favourite West Ham goal for some time.  Like the first it was excellent, rapid counter attacking football culminating with Masuaku’s raking cross expertly stroked home by Arnautovic.  It reminded me of a goal of the season scored by Martin Peters past Peter Shilton at Upton Park in 1968.  Had Aaron Cresswell’s late effort snuck in under the bar then perhaps there would have been even more competition for favourite goal.

The Relegation Stakes

It was a good day all-round for West Ham in the relegation stakes.  Three points gained while most of the relegation rivals lost has put some daylight between the Hammers and the bottom three.  The survival threshold now looks as if it will be around 36 or 37 points and if Saturday’s level of performance and commitment can be repeated then this should be comfortably achieved.  However, if there is a return to the performances witnessed in the previous three games then all bets are still on.  It is difficult to understand why our players need to specially psyche themselves up to put in this level of effort.  Surely it should be the norm.  The fragility of the squad depth is still a concern and we are possibly just another injury or two away from yet more anxiety.  Had we not been so generous to Brighton and Newcastle or seen out the game properly at Selhurst Park then the players could already be preparing to splash on the Ambre Solaire on a beach of their choice.

It’s Time To Do Or Die. West Ham and Southampton in Deathly Embrace

The winner takes it all, the loser standing small, beside the victory, that’s their destiny. Who will come out smiling from today’s decisive basement battle at the London Stadium?

If there is one club that has appeared to shadow the Hammers over recent seasons it is Southampton.  They are the side that West Ham frequently jostle with in the quest for Premier League place money and, unfortunately, more often than not it has been the south coast club that come out on top.  Even in the 2015-16 Payet inspired season, viewed by many supporters as the pinnacle of West Ham’s Premier League achievement, the Saints still snuck in at the last minute to pip the Hammers for the last of the top six berths.  With a distinct possibility that at least one of these two teams will not be playing Premier League football next term this could well be seen as a worrying trend.

Southampton have been much admired in contemporary top flight football for their ability to consistently adjust to losing a string of fine home produced talent (and managers) looking for bigger pay packets and better things.  The merits of their scouting and succession planning have long been applauded but following a series of questionable managerial decisions they now find themselves sitting unceremoniously in the bottom three; two points below the Hammers but with a much superior goal difference.  In a panicked response to this slide and threat to Premier League status the appointment of the serially morose non-performer Mark Hughes surely bring the credibility of the much vaunted succession plan into serious question. The prospect of Moyes versus Hughes in a late season relegation dogfight is unlikely to be the beautiful game’s finest hour (and a half plus stoppages.)

West Ham made the most of the three week break with a holiday to Miami.  The lethargic response to previous warm weather breaks (and my own recollection of the first day back in the office after a week at the beach) does not instil the greatest confidence that today will see an up and at ‘em, all guns a-blazing display from the first whistle.  Just as important for West Ham’s fortunes is whatever goes on around the pitch as well as on it.  After the disgraceful scenes towards the end of the Burnley game the last thing needed is increased heavy handed security meets angry, alcohol fuelled toxic supporters.  What is really needed today, for the good of the club, is for fans to put their personal grievances to one side for the time being and play the part of the crucial twelfth man.  There are no benefits to be had from relegation; no matter what twisted logic is employed.

Head to Head

The last twelve games between West Ham and Southampton have seen four wins apiece and four draws.  In the last twelve played in London, West Ham have won seven and lost four with just a single draw.  Southampton ran out easy 3-0 winners in the only previous meeting at the London Stadium in September 2016.

Team News

West Ham welcome back Arthur Masuaku (following a six match ban) and Edmilson Fernandes (after a mysterious injury) to the match-day squad.  There are concerns with the fitness of Manuel Lanzini and James Collins who picked up knocks during the enforced cup and international break.

Southampton have few injury concerns and ominously welcome Charlie Austin back to their squad.  Since David Sullivan’s ill-judged public comments about Austin he needs no additional motivation to raise his game against the Hammers.  Hopefully, this can be reciprocated and trumped by Marko Arnautovic’s animosity towards Hughes.

Southampton’s major threat often comes via their full/ wing backs, Bertrand and Soares, and West Ham must work hard to keep them occupied and well tracked.  There really needs to be an alternative to the hopeless Noble – Kouyate axis in central midfield and even though I prefer Declan Rice as a centre back I would start with further forward today; otherwise Lemina and Tadic will be calling the shots.  That would rely on a back three of Collins (if fit), Ogbonna and the vulnerable Cresswell but that is about as good as it gets in the mismanaged circumstances of the squad strength. Further forward now is the hour for Arnautovic, Lanzini and Michail Antonio to prove their worth and Premier League class.

Man in The Middle

Today’s referee is Jonathan Moss from West Yorkshire.  Like all his other Premier League colleagues he is deemed not good enough to officiate at the World Cup but we are stuck with him nevertheless.  Moss is taking charge of his third West Ham game of the season having previously whistled through a home draw with Arsenal and an away win at Huddersfield.  In twenty eight outings he has a record of ninety-five yellows and three red cards.

Predictions

Lawro has toppled of his fence this week to predict a 2-1 West Ham win while Merson goes the other way to predict an away win by the same score.  The Cockney Rejects sang Shit or Bust while the Small Faces put it more politely as All or Nothing and today has that sort of feel to it.  Win and we most probably survive, lose and we are looking over our shoulder at the fat lady.  Southampton will be hoping for a new manager bounce – but it is only Mark Hughes.  With the right attitude and the crowd behind them the Hammers can win comfortably.  If it goes the other way I can see us ending the season stuck on 30 points.  In a show of solidarity I will plump for 3-1 to the cockney boys.

Five Takeaways: They Think It’s All Over, It Could Be Now!

Some People Are on the Pitch They Think It’s All Over It Could Well Be Now! The chances of Championship football rattling around the London Stadium next season increase significantly after a disastrous afternoon in Stratford.

Some people are on the pitch…..

Probably it is no surprise that events unfolded as they did.  It started with a show of unity in memory of Bobby Moore and ended with a shambolic descent into chaos both on and off the pitch.  I would defend the right of any paying customer to make their feelings known but there is a time, a place and a way of doing it.  Perhaps the board do not have the interests of the club at heart (beyond the value of their own investment) but then neither do those who ran onto the pitch – their only objective was personal attention seeking.  In typical West Ham fashion the response was slow and late and there are sure to be consequences; how serious we will have to wait and see.  Disgraceful scenes were beamed around the world.  For a while, it looked as though the players might be taken off the pitch and the director’s box was more or less emptied for the safety of its occupants.  By the end a forlorn Trevor Brooking sat alone as the baying crowd sang ‘he’s one of our own’.  I doubt that a respectable man like Sir Trevor was sharing the same sentiment.

A Darkest Hour

It is difficult to see how there could be any positive outcome or acceptable way back from yesterday’s debacle – at least during the short term that remains of the 2017/18 season.    There will be action by the FA for sure – perhaps it will be just a fine but games played behind closed doors or away from London are other options they will be considering.  We are a club to make an example of, after all.  The pitch invaders will undoubtedly be banned from the stadium but how does the club with Board, players and fans at each other’s throats navigate the rest of the season while at the same time battling a desperate relegation fight.  For me, this now puts West Ham as one of the strongest of favourites for the drop – just behind West Bromwich Albion.  Perhaps some will see that as a price worth paying if it means farewell to Gold and Sullivan but I would view it as a disaster from which recovery will be slow and painful.

Shuffling The Bare Bones

Moyes decided to shake things up after heavy defeats at Liverpool and Swansea.  But with a third three goal defeat on the trot and the disappearance of what was once a slight goal difference advantage the changes badly backfired. The Hammers have conceded more goals than any other team in the division and now boast the fourth worst goal difference as they sleepwalk towards relegation.  Rather than strengthening the squad in January it was weakened by more leavers than joiners.  Further injuries mean that few to no options are available in an ageing and lopsided squad; while potential youthful reinforcements were allowed to go out on pointless loans.  I predicted that Moyes would reinstate Joe Hart but this was a mistaken gamble as demonstrated with the third goal.  Michail Anntonio made a welcome return to the side but he is wasted on the left where good positions created are undone by an inability to deliver from his weaker side.  Declan Rice did not deserve to be left out and could have done a job either in central defence or midfield.  Once again, the defensive midfield resistance was as flimsy as a David Sullivan promise.

Another Self Inflicted Defeat

West Ham bossed the first half without being able to turn better chances into anything tangible.  Marko Arnautovic should have done better when through on goal and Manuel Lanzini really should have scored.  By the time the half was coming to a close it was clear that Burnley had realised that the Hammers were ripe for the taking.  In the second half the visitors were by far the more composed side from the start and when Dyche introduced the second striker things started to look very ominous.  The breakthrough goal was a typical piece of lackadaisical Angelo Ogbonna defending.  We have seen him do this so many times in the past where he switches off and enters standby sauntering mode.  He should never have allowed Woods to outpace him and then give him all the time in the world to pick out Barnes.  After that the spirit visibly drained from West Ham and with further goals following swiftly it was the cue for the disgraceful crowd scenes to  unfold.  There was not even time for the consolation goal of previous weeks.

I Think It’s All Over

There is no game for three weeks now and it seems that the players are off on holiday to Miami.  We know how well these warm weather breaks have worked in the past and so expectations are low.  West Ham could well be in the bottom three by the time the next game comes around; wherever that will be played.  Suddenly the relegation battle looks to be narrowing down to a five horse race – or four teams competing for the remaining two places on the assumption that West Bromwich are already certainties.  Present form suggests that one of those unfortunate two may well be the Hammers.

Can West Ham Rise Above The Chaos To Beat Burnley In The Claretsico?

The nail-biting, nerve-jangling, too-close-to-call relegation battle enters another round with the Hammers seeking to reverse their wretched run of poor form against Burnley.

When I first started following professional football more seriously as a boy, when my preferred bedtime reading was the Playfair Football Annual, Burnley were one of the top sides in the English league.  At the time I would have been able to recite their preferred line-up from memory; which started something like Blacklaw, Angus, Elder, Adamson and so on.  They had won the old First Division in 1960 and were runners-up in both league and cup in the 1961-62 season.  It is fair to say that times have changed dramatically since those days when even Tottenham Hotspur didn’t choke in the final furlong.

Nowadays, most Hammers probably regard Burnley as one of the minions of the Premier League (and in financial terms they languish some way behind West Ham) and yet they sit comfortably in 7th place with the luxury of looking down leisurely at the frantic scramble below them for top flight survival.  Much of the credit for the new found stability must go to gravelly voiced manager, Sean Dyche, the most famous product from Kettering since Weetabix.  Burnley sensibly stuck with Dyche following relegation in 2015 and, following a quick return, they have emerged as a hard working, difficult to beat Premier League outfit.  There are many parallels with Fat Sam’s old Bolton Wanderers side but with several shades less negativity.

In contrast, things are so bad at West Ham at the moment that it feels like the club must have collectively got out of the wrong side of the bed at the start of the season.  A mini-revival in fortunes at the 2017 has faded and died and there is now the very real danger of relegation haunting the London Stadium.  The Hammers appear to have hit a wretched run of form at just the wrong time.  Mark Noble writing on the official West Ham website has told us not to worry and that everything will be OK.  I am not sure if those are reassuring words or cause for even more worry by what could be taken as a show of complacency.  What is needed is a fight and commitment shown by a team who know they are in a very perilous position.  The current off-field disenchantment around the club doesn’t help either and it has created a toxic environment that must have a knock-on effect to the players.  Not that there are not genuine grievances that, until now, have fallen on deaf ears in the boardroom.  But I do wonder whether now is the right time to air them when the team need a united support to get them across the seventeenth position line.  At least the threat of the march has disappeared but not without a degree of farce reminiscent of the splitters in Monty Python’s Life of Brian – the ‘Poplar’ Front of Judea maybe!

Head to Head

Although the all-time record against Burnley is close to neck and neck, the Hammers have bossed recent meetings having won eight of the last twelve (home and away) and ten of the last twelve home games.  The last Burnley win was at Upton Park in December 2011 when the Clarets came from behind to win 2-1 and prevent the West Ham going to the top of the Championship. The most recent top flight Burnley win was a 2-1 victory at Turf Moor against Gianfranco Zola’s Hammers in February 2010.

In the reverse fixture in October the Hammers were on course for a welcome three points until the game changing and unnecessarily foolish sending off of Andy Carroll.

Team News

Apparently today is designated in the gaming community as Mario Day (on account of it being MAR10) and just maybe this is an omen for a super display from our Portuguese loanee who, so far, has flattered to deceive.  At this stage of the season we need to clutch at any straw that is available.

After two feeble 4-1 reverses on the road we should expect to see several changes today.  It would not surprise me if Joe Hart replace Adrian in goal although it is difficult to pin much blame on the Spaniard for recent performances.  In the centre of defence we will need height to combat the visitors most dangerous threat.  With Winston Reid (and Sam Byram) reported to be out for the season options are limited and the hope is that both Angelo Ogbonna and James Collins have recovered from their problems of last week.  The presence of Aaron Cresswell in the back three always makes me nervous and especially so against a team who are strength is aerial power.  Declan Rice deserves to keep his place but the dilemma is whether to play him at the back or as emergency central midfielder to cover for the continuing flaws in the Noble – Cheikhou Kouyate partnership.

In the more advanced positions there is a desperate need for width and surely Michail Antonio will be a starter this week.  Unfortunately neither Pablo Zabaleta nor Patrice Evra can offer much of an offensive threat which maybe another argument for returning Cresswell to a left (wing) back role.

It is difficult to see how Javier Hernandez fits into the equation.  Undoubtedly he is the best natural finisher at the club but usually offers little outside of the penalty area.  Somehow fashioning Mark Arnautovic, Manual Lanzini, Antonio and Joao Mario into an effective attacking unit could be the best option of causing Burnley damage.

Burnely have their own injury problems and are reported to be without Arfield, Defour, Walters, Brady (who has frequently given the Hammers a torrid time) and keeper Heaton.

The Man in The Middle

Lee Mason from Greater Manchester controls his third Hammers match of the season with the previous two ending as 3-2 defeats: away at Southampton (where he sent off Arnautovic) and home to Newcastle.  In his twenty outings this year his record is fifty-three yellow and three red cards.

Predictions

The safest prediction of the week is that Lawro would have this down as a 1-1 draw. Merson, on the other hand, senses a West Ham reaction and a 2-0 home win.  Burnley are not going to be worried about possession stats and will put the onus on West Ham to break them down.  The usual laboured slow-slow predictable build up is not going get very far.   Maybe we can hope for a little less desire from Burnley with thoughts shifting onto the summer holiday brochures after a job well done.  In any case West Ham need to be fully up for today’s game and I will have everything crossed to take anything from a scruffy win to a pedigree performance.  Perhaps it will turn out to be an opportunity for Joao Mario to celebrate his special day by netting a glorious winner.

Five Takeaways: West Ham’s Shambles In The Mumbles

Another desperate and disinterested performance ends in a disappointing and embarrassing defeat at the hands of fellow strugglers Swansea City. What did we learn and can the terminal decline be halted?

A Perfect Time To Panic

Football folklore has it that each year there is a team that comes out of nowhere, from a position of relative comfort, to snatch the final relegation spot.  Normally, it is someone like Norwich ….or Sheffield United….., but could this year be the turn of West Ham to earn this dubious distinction.  Many more dismal performances like the one served up at the Liberty Stadium yesterday and it is a very real possibility.  The pre-Christmas bounce when the team were demonstrating a sense of cohesion, teamwork and effort has since evaporated and been packed away with the decorations.  Yesterday was as inept a performance as we have seen all season; right down there with the capitulations against the other fellow relegation candidates such as Newcastle and Brighton.

Tin Foil Hat Time

Ending the year with an obviously imbalanced and injury prone squad and then failing to have a coherent recruitment plan, selling two of your strikers (including one to a relegation rival) and finally allowing two young defenders to disappear on loan is the stuff of conspiracy theories.  Could a more disastrous set of decisions have been made if they tried? The desire for players with proven Premier League experience has become shorthand for putting together a bunch of football pensioners.  The lack of legs and pace in the team is woeful.  Add in the fact that Winston Reid and James Collins are frequently crocked then the decision to let Jose Fonte leave as well is bewildering.  What might you expect from a back three of Pablo Zabaleta, Aaron Cresswell and Declan Rice?  Once again in yesterday’s game West Ham lacked any width going forward and, while other teams look to their full or wing backs to provide width, what are the chances of the seventy year old legs of Zabaleta and Patrice Evra bombing forward throughout ninety minutes?  Yesterday Swansea not only wanted the game more but were also streets ahead in composure and technique.

Central Midfield Black Hole

West Ham’s weakness in central midfield has been talked about and understood for quite a few seasons now.  It must be clear to even the most shortsighted Sunday League manager that the partnership of Mark Noble and Cheikhou Kouyate is a hopeless one.  Neither has the requisite skills to protect the defence and they do not get close to complementing each other.  Since the injury to Pedro Obiang West Ham have picked up just four points from five games including three heavy away defeats; and the sad thing is there doesn’t seem to be any obvious solution to the problem for the remainder of the season.  Failure to strengthen this area may turn out to be a very costly mistake. The desperate defensive record (joint worst in goals conceded with Stoke) stems from this inherent weakness.  It is lucky that, despite not having any effective recognised striker, West Ham’s goals scored is the highest among the teams in the bottom half of the league.  As it is, there are only three teams now with a worse goal difference than the Hammers; something that could be a deciding factor come the final reckoning.

Poor Performances All-Round

There were no good performances from any West Ham players yesterday.  If I were giving ratings only Rice would score as high as a ‘5 out of 10’ and maybe Michail Antonio who arrived after most of the damage was done – he really needs to start to inject both pace and width into the side. The rest, for me, would average ‘3 out of 10’.  None seemed particularly interested in the game other than picking a fight with Jordan Ayew.  You might have expected them to run around more if only to keep warm.  I would suggest that the board, manager and players donate their week’s wages to the fans who made the long and treacherous journey to South Wales in freezing conditions to support them.  They deserved far better.

More Goals Conceded

The outcome of the game was certain by the half time whistle.  Any hope of a comeback only existed in that small hyper-optimistic part of the brain that refuses to recognise reality and experience.  The first goal seemed to roll into the net in instalments.  The player given far too much room to shoot and even though Adrian may have been unsighted he should have done better to deal with it.  I don’t think you could blame Adrian for any of the other goals but it would be no surprise if we see Joe Hart back between the sticks next week.  Both the second and third goals were as a result of a lack of defensive height once Reid had departed; the first of those two being the major blot of Rice’s afternoon’s work.  The challenge by Kouyate for the penalty was as lazy and clumsy as they come.  After that, Swansea had thankfully stopped trying.

A Chilly Welcome In The Hillside As The Hammers Head To Wales

Hoping there are no ‘leeks’ in the Hammers defence as West Ham venture to the land of dragons, sheep and daffodils for a crucial relegation encounter.

Not exactly an unstoppable force meeting an irresistible object but today’s game does pitch a ‘must win’ Swansea side against a ‘mustn’t lose’ visiting West Ham.  Both sides were on the wrong end of heavy 4-1 away defeats last weekend, against Brighton and Liverpool respectively, although the Swans have since picked themselves up, dusted themselves down and made it through to the sixth round of the FA Cup.

The Swans are still in the throws of  a new manager bounce following the appointment of Portu-geezer Carlos Carvalhal in December 2017, their ninth manager in ten years of whom only Roberto Martinez has lasted more than two years.  With Carvalhal’s record of seventeen jobs in twenty years it would be ambitious to expect long service awards at the Liberty Stadium any time soon.  That aside, Swansea have won their last three home league games (and last six in all competitions) to rejoin the pack of clubs with all to play for in the relegation stakes.  A win today would put them on equal points with the Hammers.

West Ham, on the other hand, will need to up their game considerably from that on display during their defeat at Anfield although the prospect of facing a pair of Ayews is far less formidable than what the Merseysiders had to offer; even for West Ham’s timeworn and dawdling defence.  The other variable for today’s game is the weather conditions and although technology has meant that Premier League games are no longer called off due to frozen pitches, there will still be safety concerns for those attempting to travel to South Wales this afternoon.

Head to Head

West Ham have won six of the last twelve fixtures with Swansea and have also been victorious in five of the last twelve away games.  The last defeat on the road was in August 2012 and last season the Hammers came away with a resounding 4-1 Boxing Day victory.

Team News

The usual names are on the West Ham absentee list which is thankfully shorter than a few weeks back.  Arthur Masuaku serves the fifth of his six match spitting ban, Pedro Obiang is, of course, out for the remainder of the season and the Hammers are also without the elusive Andy Carroll and the even more elusive Edmilson Fernandes.

Changes from last week’s starting eleven should be expected and I would hope to see either Winston Reid and/ or Declan Rice returning to the back line and one of Michail Antonio or Little Pea starting in place of Joao Mario.  Any realistic solution to the fragility and ineffectiveness of the Noble – Kouyate central midfield partnership seems as unlikely as finding a simple answer to the frictionless Irish border conundrum.

Swansea are without long term injured Bony, Fer and Angel and look set to give a first start since his return to Wales to former Hammer, Andre Ayew.

The Man in the Middle

Familiar face Martin Atkinson will be officiating his fifth West Ham contest of the season but has yet to see a Hammers win.  Previous attempts have ended in defeats away to Manchester United and at home to Brighton plus two home draws with Leicester and Bournemouth.  Atkinson has been in charge of twenty four games this term issuing eighty-one yellow cards and four red ones.

Predictions

Lawro has returned to his favourite 1-1 scoreline for today’s game while Merson is predicting a 1-0 Swansea win.  Chances are that the Hammers will need to rely on the form of Marko Arnautovic once more to get anything out of the game but the hopeful presence of Manuel Lanzinin and Antonio can also cause the home team enough problems to compensate for erratic defending at the other end.  With all of my frost bitten fingers and toes crossed I am banking on Marko showing himself as the true beast from the east today and  inspiring the Hammers to an odd goal victory.