Author: Geoff Hopkins

Five Takeaways: A Point Against Palace and Transfer Fever

Moyes’ Makeshift Hammers Move One Point Closer To Survival In A Spirited Performance – But Reinforcements Are Still Badly Needed.

First Page Of Teletext

Supporters of a certain age will remember Teletext (or CEEFAX) as their primary source of up to the minute football information.  Page 324 of CEEFAX showed the Barclays Premiership league table over two pages and I can still recall one fan’s excitement in the aftermath an away win at Southampton in 1993/94 that West Ham had finally made it on to page one for first time that season.  History repeated itself last night and no matter how temporary the position the Hammers have at last assumed the top ten position that their financial muscle should routinely guarantee.  Two teams can theoretically leapfrog us tonight in the increasingly congested lower reaches of the table but it is good to carry the momentum into the upcoming fixtures against Brighton and Watford.

Patched Up Squads – plus ça change!

In the circumstances it was more a case of a point gained than two points dropped as the Hammers extended their unbeaten (league) sequence in 2018 to five matches.  As mentioned in our Palace match preview this is the longest unbeaten start to a calendar year since 1974 when the Hammers embarked on a ten match spree, before finally finishing one point above the relegation places – a season where Billy Bonds finished as West Ham’s leading scorer.  My memory of that time is also of patched up teams filled with played out of position defenders as the lineup from one of those games illustrates (a 3-0 win over Chelsea courtesy of a Bonds hat-trick): Day, Coleman, Lampard, Bonds, Taylor, McGiven, Holland, Paddon, McDowell, Brooking, Best.  I’m sure every team has its bad luck with runs of injuries but does any other top flight club so regularly get into such a mess?  Flashbacks to Ian Perace at centre-forward and Les Sealey as an outfield substitute spring to mind.

Honours Even

A point apiece was a fair reflection of the game.  Defensively we should have done better with the Palace goal as Aaron Cresswell had strayed too far upfield in a situation where we did not have good possession and Declan Rice was slow to close down the advancing Townshend.  Benteke is another of those players who is generally woeful but too often experiences a productive ninety minutes against the Hammers.  It was great to see Tomka getting an assist with the equaliser; a definite penalty, calmly dispatched by a cool Mark Noble.  There was also excellent work in the build-up also from Joao Mario who had a more than encouraging league debut.  It will be fascinating to see how Mario and Lanzini will be paired together in the same side.

Too Late, Baby

Given the shortage of numbers it was a brave (and correct) decision by David Moyes to drop Michail Antonio from the match-day squad for failing to turn up on time.  It is another indication that Moyes is bringing greater professionalism and discipline to the club after the happy go lucky days of Slaven Bilic.  It has been reported that Antonio apologised and that the incident was now closed but it is difficult to understand what is going on with the player.  He can play a crucial role over the next few weeks in the continued absence of Arnautovic and Lanzini as West Ham face important winnable games against fellow stragglers and strugglers.  Let’s hope he can get his body and mind together and make a useful contribution in picking up the points that are required to continue the climb away from trouble.

Slam Shut Day Is With Us

The final day of the transfer window has arrived with everyone at West Ham allegedly working hard to bring in new players.  Even as the day breaks new names (such as Islam Slimani and Ibrahim Amadou) are added to the list of targets (already including the likes of Pelle, Smolov, Cairney, Schneiderlin and Dendoncker) which continues to grow at a time when you would hope it is being narrowed down to known players and realistic proportions.  Those involved agree that a transfer is a complex business with issues related to valuations, wages, fees, loans versus purchases, buy-out clauses, sell-on clauses, payment terms, medicals and lucky squad numbers to be resolved.  Past performance does not instil a tremendous level of confidence that our crack negotiating team will manage to get more than one (if any) deal over the line in time.  As usual I will disregard common sense and the lessons of history in the improbable hope that a rabbit or two can be pulled out of the hat at the last minute.  Don’t go to bed!

West Ham Unable To Take It Easy As The Eagles Check Out The London Stadium

With a patched up squad and lacking influential players will Moyes be happy to share the points against Palace? Or will Super Mario make an immediate impact on the Premier League?

If only Michail Antonio had taken the ball to the corner flag or launched it into Sainsbury’s car park rather than chipping it back to the Palace keeper then West Ham might have found theselves sitting in ninth place, above Everton, and seemingly out of the relegation dogfight, which according to most observers comprises only eleven teams.  Then again, that sliding doors moment, may have seen the Hammers remain under the stewardship of Slaven Bilic and his Carry-On-Coaching team with the unimaginable dire consequences that such a situation might have created.

Of all the managerial changes that have taken place in the Premier League so far this season, it is in the boardrooms of the London Stadium and Selhurst Park where the Directors will be most effusively slapping themselves on the back, oblivious to their own poor decision making that led to the respective crises in the first place.  Yet with this season proving that our league is the most competitive in the world (at least as far as relegation places are concerned) the mid-table standing that the two clubs currently enjoy offers little in the way of real comfort.

West Ham will be looking to forget the inconvenience of having to go through the motions of a highly predictable FA Cup defeat by Wigan while Palace will hope to recover from their dreadful defensive display at the Emirates.  Why the schedulers saw fit to arrange so many games in January (and interfere with the far more newsworthy transfer window) is a mystery but the Hammers have the opportunity to start a calendar year unbeaten in their first five league games for the first time since 1974; a run that, back then, eventually extended to ten games either side of a FA Cup defeat to Hereford United.

Head to Head

The last twelve competitive games against Palace show four apiece as far as wins, draws and defeats are concerned.  In the last twelve encounters on home turf (which date back to 1972) West Ham have won six and lost three.

Team News

If a low key and unspectacular exit from the cup was the unspoken objective then there must be huge disappointment that West Ham came away from the game with another serious injury and a long term suspension.  The injury list is a long one, and that it includes bothh Marko Arnautovic and Manuel Lanzini means that any offensive threat will be at a premium.  It is probable that at least a few of the walking wounded out of Mark Noble, Cheikhou Kouyate, Winston Reid, Andre Ayew and Michail Antonio will be available for tonight’s clash.  In the circumstances there must be a temptation to rush Antonio back but past performance suggests that this would be a massive risk.

Almost certainly there will be a first league start for João Mário Naval da Costa Eduardo in midfield and there doesn’t seem any viable alternative to using Javier Hernandez once more as lone striker, despite all the evidence that it is not a role that he is anywhere close to accomplished in.

Palace are not without their own selection problems with Roy Hodgson claiming that he only has eighteen players to choose from.  There is a high probability of their still being one Sakho out on the pitch tonight as the Eagles welcome back defender Mamadou; while Cabaye and Ward are also back in contention for a place. Loftus-Cheek is missing and so it will be Zaha (and his tendency to go off-balance in the penalty area) who carries the greatest threat to the Hammer’s unbeaten run.

The Man in the Middle

Anyone looking for an omen of a lucky referee will be disappointed to see Neil Swarbrick picking up the match-ball when the teams walk out tonight.  Swarbrick was previously in charge of heavy defeats by Newcastle and Liverpool this season.  In seventeen outings during 2017/18, Swarbrick has forty-five yellow cards to his name but remains a red card virgin.

Predictions

Lawro returns to his 1-1 safety net for this clash while Merson expects a 1-2 away victory.  I can see pragmatism ruling the day in this one with both teams adopting a safety first approach that lacks in any real adventure.  My own sense is also a draw and it would be no surprise should it remain a goalless one.

First Class Players Wanted. All Positions.

West Ham once again look set to disappoint as the annual January transfer window frenzy draws to a close. Is the squad strong enough to survive?

Thames_Association_advertWhen the short lived Thames AFC (who played their games at West Ham Stadium in Custom House) were elected to the Football League in 1930 their Directors placed an advertisement in the newspaper in the hope of attracting players of sufficient quality to preserve their new found status.  In the event the ploy was an unsuccessful one and Thames lasted only two seasons in the professional game before being wound up.

With just a few days remaining in this year’s January transfer window and the context of an ever increasing injury list, a wafer thin squad in terms of quality and a long term suspension, then maybe it is time for the current Board to consider a similar approach.  Perhaps David Gold could send out an appropriate tweet to set the ball rolling.

If fake news in the political arena is a recent and growing phenomenon, fake transfer news has been with us ever since the introduction of the window system.  Media outlets have recognised that the recycling of stories, subsequent denials and supporter outrage create a steady flood of click bait traffic to their sites and enhance advertising revenues.  Notwithstanding that the majority of transfer stories are pure fabrication, aspiration or hallucination, the window at West Ham tends to follow a fairly predictable pattern of failing to plan and deliver until last minute panic sets in.  The only good piece of incoming January business that immediately springs to mind is Dean Ashton.

With a window that started with the premise that it was more players the club needed, rather than fewer, West Ham have already seen Diafra Sakho depart and (if reports are to be believed) Andre Ayew could soon be following him out of the door.  It was clear from Moyes preference to play Michail Antonio or Marko Arnautovic in the striker role that he didn’t really fancy any of the supposed forwards on the books.  None of them are really suitable or equipped to play in a style that the majority of also-ran Premier League (including the Hammers) teams now set up for with pressing and rapid counter attack the order of the day.  The lone striker needs to fast, strong, athletic and mobile.  Arguably Sakho was the closest but he unfortunately lacked that final attribute of sanity.

With less than forty-eight hours remaining for reinforcements and cover to be recruited the names resonating with greatest frequency are Russian captain Fedor Smolov or Graziano Pellè up front and Morgan Schneiderlin, Tom Cairney or Leander Dendoncker in midfield.

I will admit to knowing nothing about Smolov other than his scoring stats look great at first sight.   Pellè, on the other hand, would be a panic acquisition pure and simply; this year’s Jose Fonte.  Unless I am remembering wrongly he is just another lumbering immobile lump who couldn’t even terrorise vertically challenged Chinese defences.

I was always a big fan of Schneiderlin at Southampton but he is another Saints player who has not travelled well and who now appears to have gone well off the boil.  Maybe he is up for another challenge.  Cairney and Dendoncker look to be decent signings but one feels that the price may be too high for a club who have short arms and deep pockets when it comes to scraping together transfer funds – a consequence in part to the stupid amounts the club wastes on wages.

Will West Ham Be Up For T’Cup at Wigan?

Can David Moyes pull off a delicate balancing act by keeping the plates spinning in both cup and league competitions? Or will the Hammers obvious priorities see them crash out at Wigan?

In more straightforward times a cup weekend was an exciting interlude to the muddy slog of everyday league action, a little like a mini-break weekend to somewhere more exotic.  With the fourth round ties reducing the field to sixteen teams, anticipation and dreams of a day out at Wembley would start to creep into supporter’s minds.  A draw against a team from two leagues lower would, despite the Hammer’s penchant for being giant-killer victims, generate images of claret ribbons in the merry month of May.  The modern reality, however, is that even at this relatively advanced stage of the competition the matches for the majority of Premier League clubs (players and managers) are a mere sideshow.  West Ham, like many others, treat the FA Cup as a nice to have and as a far lower priority than collecting the points that will help maintain Premier League status.  Even in the media the Fourth Round very much plays second fiddle to the last days of the transfer window, with the games viewed as an unnecessary interruption to the daily speculation as to who will be the next £50 million import arriving in Manchester.

It is a curious coincidence that today’s opponents are the only team ever to have won the FA Cup and been relegated from the Premier League in the same season.  Since that day in May 2013 Wigan have experienced two relegation’s and one promotion and now find themselves on the verge of another as strong favourites for a return to the Championship.  Whether their fans would have traded the Wembley win for survival, as suggested by David Moyes, is debatable (and perhaps expectations are different at Wigan in any case) but as someone who has had the good fortune to see West Ham in three FA Cup Finals the occasion is certainly among the highlights of a supporter’s life.

The Latics are having an impressive season at the summit of League 1, having lost just three times with a record of most goals scored and least conceded.  In the cup they have already comfortably seen off Premier League Bournemouth (a task that was beyond West Ham) in a replayed game at the DW Stadium earlier this month.  West Ham struggled to elbow past Wigan’s League 1 colleagues, Shrewsbury Town, in the previous round and a growing injury list, which has deprived Moyes of eight players including his entire creative contingent, doesn’t point to an easy afternoon in the north-west.  West Ham’s manager may acknowledge the importance of the cup to fans in public but in private it is sure that his attention will be focused on the midweek game with Palace, his own performance being tied to league stability rather than cup heroics.

There should be a further opportunity for some of the younger players to show what they are made of this afternoon (including the likes of Josh Cullen, Reece Burke and Toni Martinez) but it is up to those senior players still available to demonstrate that they really are Premier League class.  If West Ham are to get a positive result (by which I mean victory as another replay would not really be welcome) then we need performances from players such as Mark Noble, Cheikhou Kouyate, Javier Hernandez and Andre Ayew.

It would be great to get over this fourth round hurdle in the hope that league status and injuries will be more settled by the time that the next round comes around and it is only three games to the final. Unfortunately my sense is that we don’t have the quality or resolve left in the squad to see off a buoyant Wigan side.  Strangely, I do not get the sense that the Latics are in anyway underdogs today.  Hopefully I am wrong but I am not at all confident.

Today’s referee is new to West Ham and goes by the name of Chris Kavanagh from Lancashire, suspiciously near Wigan!

Match Preview: Hammers To Squash Cherries?

Back to league action with another chance to put more daylight between West Ham and the floundering relegation pack; and maybe even take a curious glance at what is happening immediately below the top six.

When West Ham met Bournemouth just a few short weeks ago for a Boxing Day fixture the two teams were placed 17th and 18th respectively in the Premier League table and were among the favourites for the dreaded drop to the Championship.  Since then both have taken eight points from four games and sit a little more comfortably in what now passes for mid-table at the increasingly congested lower end of league.  According to the bookmakers, there are nine teams more likely to be relegated than the Hammers and seven that are seen to be teetering closer to the precipice than the Cherries.

Boxing Day’s 3-3 drawn game is best remembered for the terrible refereeing by Robert (Call Me Bobby) Madley who saw fit to overrule his linesman’s call and allow an offside goal scored with his hand by Callum Wilson during time added on for Simon Francis’ yellow-card only attempt to decapitate Cheikhou Kouyate.   Interestingly, the website I visit to check referee statistics appears to have mysteriously erased Madley’s involvement in the game from history (http://www.soccerbase.com/referees/referee.sd?referee_id=1189). It seems that there were no sanctions forthcoming as a consequence of Madley’s professional incompetence and he continues to be allocated to major games.  Away from the controversy West Ham were largely outplayed in the match where goals were given away like late Christmas presents in a spirit of seasonal generosity.

Both sides were involved in mid-week FA Cup replay action against League One sides and, while West Ham squeezed past second placed Shrewsbury, Bournemouth were comfortably beaten by leaders Wigan Athletic – who West Ham now face in the 4th round.  It is difficult to draw any conclusions from the outcome of those two games as the unfortunate tendency of Premier League clubs is to to view competing in the early rounds of the FA Cup as optional.  The Hammer’s obvious struggle to break down Shrewsbury’s packed defence was, however, typical of their plodding attempts to win home games against fellow lower table teams.  Thankfully this should be less of an issue in today’s game with Eddie Howe preferring his team to adopt a generally adventurous approach to games whether they are at home or away.

Head to Head

The contest between West Ham and Bournemouth is still in its embryonic stage with the Cherries a relative newcomer to the top table of English football.  The visitors famously mugged us off during the last season at the Boleyn while West Ham were fortunate winners the following season in the inaugural league fixture at the London Stadium.

Team News

One thing for sure is that neither team will line up as they did for their midweek cup games.  West Ham are likely to be still without Winston Reid, Michail Antonio, Andy Carroll, Edmilson Fernandes and Jose Fonte.  The starting eleven could well be a reprise of the one that kicked off against Huddersfield last weekend – not because it is wrong to change a winning team but because there are few alternatives available.  Although such a lineup might be considered defensive minded and not best suited to breaking down a massed defence it might well work against Bournemouth.  If Marko Arnautovic and Manuel Lanzini can repeat last week’s magic and put Bournemouth under pressure then Cherries keeper Begovic and captain Francis are often good for a ricket or two.

Bournemouth are reported to be missing Josh King and former Hammer’s ‘favourites’ Jermaine Defoe and Junior Stanislas.  I watched most of their game against Arsenal last week and once the Gunners went ahead I thought that would be it.  As a big admirer of what Eddie Howe has achieved on the south coast I have always been baffled to understand what on earth prompted him to shell out such big money for Jordan Ibe.  I was commenting on how his performance against Arsenal was as shocking as usual when lo and behold he pops up with the winner.  To avoid tempting fate I will cast no such aspersions this time around.  In the absence of the impressive King, Callum Wilson presents the greatest threat and the West Ham defence need to remain alive to his fine movement.

The Man in The Middle

Referee Martin Atkinson from West Yorkshire covers his fourth Hammers match of the season having previously whistled along to defeats at Old Trafford and at home to Brighton, plus the home draw with Leicester.  No Max Headroom VAR today and so we must rely on his eyes alone (and those of his assistants hopefully) to ensure all is fair.  Atkinson’s record this year is 19 games, 63 yellows and 4 reds.

Predictions

The BBC’s Lawro has shifted momentarily from his uncomfortable position on the fence by forecasting a 2-0 home win for the Hammers.  Sky’s Paul Merson (Football Expert and Columnist) also sees a West Ham win but this time by 2-1.  I am still in a positive frame of mind and will back the rip roaring, free scoring Hammers to canter to a 3-1 win, as our blindside assault on the European places gathers apace.  Time for the London Stadium to be graced by a touch of West Ham style.  Come On You Irons!

West Ham To Tame Shrews At Second Time Of Asking?

Can West Ham Finally See Off League 1 Shrewsbury In This Unwanted FA Cup 3rd Round Replay?

It is the game that no-one at the club wanted as West Ham are forced to fit a 3rd round FA Cup replay against Shrewsbury Town into their busy relegation avoidance schedule. Manager David Moyes was critical of his side’s performance in the original tie but having picked a team lacking any guile and making noises suggesting that the cup was a low priority he was equally as guilty as the players. The FA Cup has thrown up many a giant killing act in its illustrious history (several at our own expense) but too often nowadays they are the result of the giant’s lack of appetite than lower league heroics.

Shoud West Ham, as expected, progress through to the next round they will face either Bournemouth or Wigan, who replay tomorrow, and so at least West Ham will have a day extra to recover than their weekend opponents. With the 4th round tie scheduled a few days before a home game against Palace it would undoubtedly be another game where caution rules the day. In the circumstances it is easy to understand Moyes’ approach as it will be league results (rather than the cup) that not only determines his West Ham fate but also goes a long way to rebuilding his shattered reputation. Disappointing as it is for the fans (especially those giving up their time and money to attend) that league status is prioritised over a cup run, I do not understand anyone who says that they would trade a relegation for cup success – any gratitude would surely be short lived as rebuilding has to start all over again. Not that competing in cup and league need be mutually exclusive and if West Ham were a half dozen points better off then giving the cup a real go would be worth the risk. That we do not have those points is not the fault of the current manager.

Anyone looking for a precedent can take heart that in two of West Ham’s three previous cup winning seasons they were taken to a replay by a team that should have been beaten – Leyton Orient in 1964 and Swindon in 1975. Perhaps if league recovery is maintained and the 4th round negotiated safely the cup could be taken seriously after all.

Since the first game, West Ham romped to a runaway win at Huddersfield while Shrewsbury were well beaten at Blackburn. This may have little relevance to tonight’s clash with Moyes likely to field a weakened side yet again. If that means no Arnautovic and/ or Lanzini as well as the continued absence of Antonio, Carroll, Hernandez and Sakho then it is difficult to see where any goal threat will come from. I am more than happy to see the likes of Burke, Cullen, Oxford and Martinez given another outing but it is folly if not backed up with at least a shot of midfield creativity. Could Hakšabanović be the answer?

I believe we will do enough to go through but it won’t be pretty.

Arnie Is Different Gravy As Yorkshire Puddings Are Battered

Five Takeaways As West Ham Inflict a Heavy Home Defeat on Huddersfield Town

Current Form Resurgence

At the risk of cherry picking statistics in order to prove a particular point, West Ham’s form over the past nine games gives every reason for supporters to breathe a little easier right now.  Disregarding David Moyes’ first three games in charge, as an opportunity to get his feet under the table, the Hammers have since taken fifteen points from nine games; a return that if repeated for the remainder of the season would deliver a comfortable fifty-five points.  At the same time, the goal difference (although still in debit) is starting to look much more reasonable in comparison with the rest of the relegation threatened pack.  Three points are welcome at any time but on Saturday there was something of a recent rarity where victory was backed up with a fine dominant performance that demonstrated some of the most enterprising football witnessed for some time.

Team Selection Vindicated

It would be preposterous to question team selection following such an emphatic win but there was plenty of online negativity when the lineup was first announced; mainly centred on a defensive looking midfield and the absence of a recognised striker.  The central midfield continues to be a problem area for West Ham and putting three bodies in it was a belt and braces solution for the respective shortcomings of the three individuals involved.  In the context of the game it worked very well with Mark Noble getting more freedom and Cheikhou Kouyate being able to make himself a nuisance (Fellaini style without the elbows) in more forward positions.  The one player who was unlucky to miss out was Declan Rice but I suspect that the management are keen to manage the youngster’s game time.  I do not really see Rice as a midfield alternative and, for me, it would have been a toss-up between him and Aaron Cresswell for the final back three berth.  Cresswell is doing OK but his lack of stature is a vulnerability that more wily opponents than Huddersfield will seek to exploit.

False Strikers

There has been a lot of talk about West Ham’s strikers and their respective attributes with the probability that none of the existing crop is a good fit to the way that Moyes wants to play.  Despite stating at his press conference that he didn’t want to lose any of his four main strikers (and that he wasn’t looking for any new ones) it was interesting that he plumped for Marko Arnautovic in the striking role for Saturday’s game, just as he had previously shown a preference to use Michail Antonio for that task in earlier games.  Arnautovic revelled in his new found freedom and gave the Huddersfield defence a torrid time.  It was a match winning performance and his transformation over recent weeks has been a revelation.  He has a reputation for being moody and we must hope that he can continue to be motivated to show was a superb player he can be.  The link up play between himself and Manuel Lanzini was a joy and particularly effective when the team is looking to break quickly.  How this might translate against a team coming to the London Stadium to defend is another question altogether.

Team Effort

Understandably it was Arnautovic and Lanzini who received the plaudits following the weekend’s game but this was truly a tremendous all-round team effort.  I don’t think any player let the side down although one or two could have done better before Lolley popped up to net with his excellent equaliser. It has become fashionable in recent weeks to target the performances of Kouyate and Pedro Obiang for any deficiencies in West Ham’s play; and although neither of them has been at the top of their game they haven’t played as consistently poorly as some have claimed.  One of the many player ratings I saw over the weekend (I think it was from Claret & Hugh) singled out Kouyate as the worst performing Hammer, this despite his telling involvement in three of the Hammer’s four goals.  It is probably time to get off the bandwagon when you can no longer be objective.

The West Ham Enigma

As West Ham fans our long experience of false dawns make us suspicious and ensures that we do not get carried away too easily by a few good results.  However, we can be quietly encouraged by the improved performances that Moyes and the coaching team have managed to get from the players in a relatively short space of time.  Naysayers will still point to cup performances as a reason to criticise but as much as we all love a cup run the club will see preserving Premier League status as the much bigger (if not exclusive) priority.  Do you think that if West Ham won the FA Cup but were relegated the manager would still be in a job come the summer?   So despite the recent turnaround in form the official stance from all concerned or associated with the club is to emphasise that there is still much work to be done before we can think of ourselves as safe.  I am certain, however, that the more agreeable league position will put a different complexion on transfer window dealings, where signings can be made not just through panic but with longer term improvement in mind.

Relegation Scrapping As West Ham Take On Huddersfield

Wheear ‘ast tha bin sin’ ah saw thee? West Ham’s first league visit to Huddersfield since 1971.

January has become the twilight zone of the football calendar with the league programme seeming to be an unnecessary interruption to the ongoing frenzy of transfer window speculation.  It is like an unofficial winter break but with clubs continuing to play competitive matches rather than going on a marketing tour of the Far East.  Meanwhile the window is taking its normal wide-eyed course having learned nothing from history that little of note really happens in January and that whatever panic purchases owners are compelled to make quickly transform into a case of buyer’s remorse.

Despite very few deals having been completed anywhere, it doesn’t prevent supporters being ‘appalled’ by West Ham’s apparent lack of activity in bolstering their bare bones (© H. Redknapp Esq) of a squad.  As ever, the majority stories in the media are concocted fantasy but that doesn’t stop social media resonating with reaction to any unfounded rumour that serves to reinforce an individual’s pre-conceived view of the world; whether that is the Board’s lack of ambition, the manager’s lack of imagination or both.  I still maintain that it is not a reluctance to spend money that is the club’s problem but in spending it wisely.  Transfer policy and oversight has left the club with an unbalanced squad and too many highly paid players on long contracts with little or no re-sale value. Players have been bought on reputation without any thought of how they might fit into a system or complement each other.  At least we can hope (until proven otherwise) that David Moyes will take a more targeted approach to player recruitment.

Anyway, back to the mundane matter of today’s game and the Hammers travel ‘oop north’ to take on Huddersfield Town at the Kirklees (or John Smith’s) Stadium.  Huddersfield, along with Brighton and Newcastle, were one of last season’s promoted sides.  All three made encouraging starts to their Premier League campaigns before slipping back into the swamp of the relegation melee that presently involves at least twelve teams.  Having started out with what looked a tight, well organised unit they subsequently started to ship goals badly, to the extent that they are one of only three teams in the division with an inferior goal difference to our own.  Possibly, as a disciple of Jurgen Klopp, manager David Wagner suffers the same defensive blind spot as his mentor.

Head to Head

The last away league meeting between the two clubs was in 1971 at Huddersfield’s old Leeds Road stadium; a game which ended in a 1-0 win for the hosts – The Terriers also won a 5th round FA Cup tie between the two clubs at the same stadium in the same season.  West Ham have played at the Kirklees Stadium on just one occasion when they lost a League Cup first leg tie in 1997.

You need to go back to 1952 to find West Ham’s last league win at Huddersfield when a Fred Kearns goal was enough to secure all two points, as it was at the time.  Goals from Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters did, however, earn the Hammers a fourth round FA Cup win in the relatively more recent history of the 1968/69 season.

Team News

There are fears that Michail Antonio’s injury is worse than originally expected and he joins Winston Reid and Andy Carroll on the injured and doubtful list along with long term absentees Jose Fonte, Edmilson Fernandes and Sam Byram.  More positive news is that all of Marko Arnautovic, Manuel Lanzini, Aaron Cresswell and James Collins are available for selection.

With no new recruits yet to bolster the fragile centre of midfield I expect Moyes to stick to his ‘hard to beat’ format of three/ five at the back where wing backs Pablo Zabaleta and Arthur Masuaku will be joined by three from Angelo Ogbonna, Declan Rice, Collins and Cresswell.  Defensive cover in midfield should come from Pedro Obiang and Mark Noble while Lanzini and Arnautovic will be expected to carry whatever threat can be mustered offensively.  The remaining lone striking option of Javier Hernandez or Andre Ayew doesn’t set the pulse racing but one of them will have to do; and most likely until the end of the season if Moyes’ recent comments are to be believed.

Huddersfield have two new recruits in the form of Alex Pritchard and Terence Kongolo at their disposal and either or both may get a first start today.  The Terriers also have a few other players that I have never heard of out with injury.

Man In The Middle

Today’s referee is Jonathan Moss from West Yorkshire who given the short travelling distance to the game can have a bit of a lie-in this morning.  Moss makes a quick return to West Ham duties having been in charge of the draw with Arsenal just a month earlier.  In 19 games this season Moss has shown sixty-eight yellows and three red cards.

Predictions

If there was a prediction competition to predict what Lawro would predict for West Ham games then the safest option would be to go for 1-1 and this week you would not be disappointed.  Sky’s Paul Merson is nowhere near as West Ham bullish and sees Huddersfield coming out as 2-1 victors based on having a respectable home record.  West Ham’s recent league form has been encouraging (no team outside the top five has picked up more points in the last seven games) but they go into the game off the back of a poor showing in the cup at Shrewsbury.  I imagine it will be another cautious display but if Marko and Manny can create something on the break then there is every chance of a Hammer’s win.  If we can get our noses in front then I am hoping that Huddersfield will capitulate and that a repeat of September’s 2-0 scoreline is on the cards.

All Around The Wrekin: Can West Ham Avoid The Shrewsbury Banana Skin

Can West Ham dodge the banana skin and avoid another early exit from the FA Cup in this 3rd round tie at Shrewsbury.

One of the reasons (apart from the absence of skill, pace, determination and stamina) that I ascribe to never making it as a professional footballer was  the sudden departure of my secondary school PE teacher to run a pub near The Wrekin, a notable landmark on the road to Shrewsbury.  If I had been asked “Which country is Shrewsbury in?” on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire and the computer had cleverly left in ‘England’ and ‘Wales’ from my 50:50 lifeline then it would still have been enough to make me sweat even if it was only £2,000 question.  Shrewsbury is, of course, in the English county of Shropshire (a region that most people spend their lives bypassing on the M6 never getting to experience one of England’s finest medieval market towns); it is, however, just a short afternoon’s stroll from the Welsh border.

Shrewsbury Town were elected to Division Three (North) in 1950 when the football league was expanded to ninety-two clubs and have spent most of the intervening period bouncing around in the lower tiers including a brief return to the Conference at the start of the millennium. This year they are riding high in League One and seeking a rare promotion to the second tier which they have visited just the once for a ten year stay between 1979 and 1989.  During that time the paths of West Ham United and Shrewsbury Town met on four occasions in the old Division One, with The Shrews completing a double over the Hammers in 1979/80 and West Ham returning the favour in their record breaking promotion season of 1980/81.  Today will be the very first cup meeting between the two sides.

The previous encounters against Shrewsbury took place at the amusingly named Gay Meadow (away supporter access via the rear entrance) while they now play at New Meadow (or the Montgomery Waters Meadow to give it its full naming right’s title!)  A legend from the Gay Meadow years that I remember watching on Jimmy Hill’s Chinny Reckon Football Yarns (or some similar TV programme) concerned a local boat-builder who spent match-days in a coracle afloat on the adjacent River Severn ready to retrieve any wayward clearances that sailed out of the stadium.

With West Ham playing their third game in a week, and still sitting precariously in relegation danger, manager David Moyes will almost certainly make several changes to today’s starting eleven.  The dilemma of modern football is that while fans continue to dream of the romance of the cup the practical realities of survival in the money league creates a completely different set of priorities for managers.  Moyes, like many other managers at the top level, will be judged on preserving Premier League status first and foremost rather on than heroic cup performances.  It is a shame particularly for those who have good paid money to watch but it will remain a fact of footballing life while the cost of Premier League failure is so high.  If West Ham were six or seven points better off then it would be a different story.

It would be a surprise if more than five or six of the team that started at Tottenham are in the starting eleven for today’s game – despite the limited options that might be available with up to nine senior players out with injury.  One player who will definitely be starting is Joe Hart making a return to the home town club where he started his career in 2003.  Other than that the West Ham lineup is impossible to predict.  It is unlikely any of those returning from injury will be risked while others (such as Mark Noble and Pablo Zabaleta) could well be rested if there are viable replacements at the ready.  An opportunity perhaps for Declan Rice, Sead Haksabanovic, Domingos Quina, Toni Martinez and Reece Oxford (if fit) to get a little game time.

Shrewsbury manager Paul Hurst may be inclined to give this one a real go, seeing an inspiring cup run as enhancing the club’s promotion push rather than hampering it.  He has an impressive managerial record and has done a remarkable job during his time at Shrewsbury.  It will be an athletic, pacey and direct side that is full of confidence facing the Hammers this afternoon.  The Shrews have lost just three league games this season although they have also been beaten in an EFL Cup against Nottingham Forest.  They are not a high scoring side but equally do not concede many goals.  Top scorers are Stefan Payne (once of AFC Hornchurch) and Shaun Whalley.  Other notable players include team captain Abu Ogogo, a long time servant of Dagenham and Redbridge, and Aristote Nsiala who was released as a youngster at Everton by Moyes who himself had a stint in a Shrewsbury shirt between 1987 and 1990.

Difficult to see which way this game will go as much depends on the desire of the two managers to win the tie.  West Ham have gone out of the FA Cup four times in the last six seasons at the 3rd round stage and it would be no big shock if it happened again today.  I still love a cup run but equally understand the unfortunate realities of the modern football business that makes this famous old competition a lower priority, especially during the early rounds.  In many respects the worst outcome of the afternoon would be a draw and a replay.  Third round day in the FA Cup was once one of the highlights of the season and let’s hope that today’s game can re-kindle some of that old magic.

West Ham To Once Again Poop Tottenham’s Party?

West Ham have another opportunity to derail the ambitions and delusions of the north London glory boys.

If ever further proof were required that English football well and truly dances to the broadcaster’s tune then the clusterfuck that is the holiday match schedule is surely the smoking gun.  The intention to bring a daily dose of soap opera style Premier League football straight into our living rooms might be the marketing man’s dream but its major flaw is that we all know how the story ends (i.e. Manchester City win the title) – while the peripheral cliffhangers of who qualifies for Europe and who gets relegated are simply B-movie supporting features.

Nevertheless, just forty-eight hours after their last games two of the supporting cast lock horns at Wembley to further their own particular battles.  West Ham desperate to build on their last gasp success over West Bromwich Albion and climb away from the relegation zone; Tottenham desperate to finish above Arsenal.

Over the past two seasons I will begrudgingly admit that the hosts have played some of the most attractive and enterprising football in the league but their real chance of glory has now been missed and it is only a matter of time before manager and star players go looking for medals and money in more fertile waters.  This season Tottenham are back in their rightful place scrambling to pinch fourth spot in their role as wannabe top four gatecrashers; a task that should their usual late season bottle job be repeated could prove well beyond them.

Head to Head

Bragging rights in this fixture favour the north Londoners who have sixty three wins to the Hammers fifty with another thirty six games being drawn.  On recent form, however, West Ham have the edge winning six and losing five of the last twelve games.

The Hammers have not traditionally travelled well to the north London suburbs having won only seventeen times on the road out of seventy five attempts; although we have a 100% record against them at Wembley.  The last twelve away fixtures against Tottenham have seen West Ham win three and lose seven but with all three of those victories happening in the most recent six games.

Team News

Aaron Creswell is added to the West Ham injury list and if he is confirmed as missing then his place in a back three will likely be taken by Declan Rice or Cheikhou Kouyate.  I expect West Ham will adopt similar tactics to those used at Manchester City with Mark Noble and Pedro Obiang sitting in front of five defenders to form an impregnable shield.  At least the blossoming understanding between Marko and Manuel does offer enough quality to break quickly and cause problems on those rare occasions that we get and hold on to the ball and it will be interesting to see how they can link up with the unplayable (but largely unmovable) Andy Carroll – who will surely keep his place after his two second half goals on Tuesday.

Tottenham will be without Rose but Kane returns to the starting eleven possibly along with Wanyama (which is a bit of a shame for West Ham).  Although an admirer of Pochettino’s management his recent signings have not matched up to what he already had and it will be disappointing should a few of those not be on the pitch today.

Man In The Middle

Twelfth man for Tottenham today is Mike Dean from the Wirral.  If the old adage that bad refereeing decisions balance themselves out over time then hard done by West Ham might be awarded a dozen penalties today against the routinely leniently treated hosts.  Dean was in charge of the EFL cup game between the two teams in October as well as the defeat against the Champions Elect in early December.

Predictions

Merson sees an emphatic 3-1 victory for Tottenham while our old mate Lawro appears to have passed on predicting this one; maybe the result of too many sherries and snowballs over the holiday period.  This is going to have to be one of those spirited backs to the wall affairs, where not conceding an early goal and the ability to pull off a smash and grab are crucial to coming away from the game with any return.  It will a tough ask but I am hopeful (with 70% confidence) that West Ham will earn a scoring draw and continue to be a thorn in the side of the angst ridden Tottenham support.