Geoff Hopkins

Matchday: West Ham Too Hot For Gunners To Handle?

Can West Ham build on recent momentum against Wenger’s wobblers to pull off another derby victory?

With the race for Premier League title now down to a one-horse race, all the excitement (at least in the media) will be focused on the thrilling battle for fourth place. Today’s visitors, formerly Woolwich Arsenal, subsequently changed to just plain Arsenal could easily re-brand themselves as Fourth Placed Arsenal given their record over recent seasons. The one-time “Invincibles” are without a title since 2004 and for all of Wenger’s astuteness in the transfer market and his attack minded credentials has never been able to reproduce the defensive efficiency provided by the bulldog backbone of Tony Adams and Co.

As things stand there is a bigger gap between Arsenal and Manchester City than there is between ourselves and the Gunners; and West Ham will be looking to build on their recent upturn in fortunes to close that gap even further. It will be no surprise if tonight’s game follows a similar pattern to the one against Chelsea as Arsenal attempt to weave intricate patterns through the middle of a hopefully disciplined Hammers backline – but without any real menace until they bring on Giroud for the final ten minutes. My biggest concern for a breach, however, is how well pirouetting Arthur Masuaku deals with the forward runs of Bellerin.

The Arsenal defence was all Keystone Cops against Southampton at the weekend and they looked so vulnerable that is was a surprise that the Saints did not have the match sewn up by half-time. The dilemma for Moyes will be how to put the visitors under pressure and exploit that vulnerability while at the same time protecting against Arsenal’s quick breaks, something they continue to excel at. Recent West Ham performances have given supporters a great deal of encouragement but it is difficult to know whether the new found character would stay strong if an early goal were conceded. For that reason, I suspect that caution will be the watchword as the Hammers go in search of more bonus points in support of their survival plan.

Head to Head

The record against Arsenal is not one of West Ham’s better returns. Of the 137 games played the Hammers have won thirty four but lost sixty three. Of the last twelve encounters, the 2-0 victory in August 2015 is the only West Ham win to Arsenal’s ten.

Strangely the Hammers have won more games away against Arsenal than they have at home. The last West Ham win was in November 2006 courtesy of a Marlon Harewood strike. That was the only success in the last twelve home games to go with eight defeats and three draws. West Ham have only won fourteen of sixty-eight home fixtures against the Gunners.

Team News

It would be a huge surprise if Moyes made any changes from the side that started so well against Chelsea, relying again on Michail Antonio and Marko Arnautovic to unsettle the visitor’s defence (at least until they tire!)

Arsenal are without Ramsey, Mustafi and Cazorla and Wenger may be tempted to shuffle his dodgy defensive pack. Whatever else happens there will always be threat potential if Sanchez, Ozil and Lacazette are at the top of their game.

Man in The Middle

Another first of the season as we welcome Jonathan Moss from West Yorkshire to the London Stadium. West Ham came across Moss twice last term in a home defeat by Southampton and an away draw at Old Trafford. In fourteen matches this season he has shown forty-two yellows and one red card.

Predictions

Former Gunner Paul Merson is repeating his weekend forecast of a 1-3 defeat for the Hammers while Lawro is once again playing safe with a 1-1 draw. Personally I think there is another perfect opportunity to pull off a surprise tonight and leave Wenger moaning about how his players were tired and cold. In a patient and stealthy game I can see West Ham nabbing a 2-1 win.

Five Takeaways As West Ham Banish The Blues

What else did we learn from this excellent West Ham victory other than how sweet it is to get one over on Chelsea and the snarling Cesc Fabregas?

A Famous Victory

It is rare for me to get a prediction correct and so when it happens I will take just a brief moment to gently blow my own trumpet. In my match preview I predicted a nail biting one-nil victory and that is exactly what we got. While that is probably me done for the season there is a great deal of encouragement that can be taken from yesterday’s victory, as well as the gutsy performance in last week’s defeat at Manchester City. West Ham are still in the bottom three but now have momentum and, with plenty of ‘at risk’ clubs around us, any three of the bottom ten could be in for the drop come the end of the season. At last we are beginning to look like a team rather than a collection of strangers and once players starting performing as a unit then understanding increases, creativity improves, pressure reduces and individual errors start to reduce. Full marks to David Moyes and his team for putting pride and belief back into the club in a relatively short space of time. There is still some way to go but all of a sudden everything is looking just a little rosier.

Pundits Know Nothing

To most supporters who had watched West Ham during the early part of the season (and the better part of last season) it was glaringly obvious that the team lacked organization, fitness and discipline. I don’t recall any of the pundits who regularly interrupt our enjoyment of the football action pointing this out. To them, Slaven Bilic was a nice guy and a great coach who just needed a little more time and maybe a bit of luck with injuries and transfers to turn things around. Now though, through the wonder of hindsight, it is now revealed that the shambles that had been allowed to develop at the club is taken as read. Now I know the pundit’s job is simply to wax lyrical about the top six clubs but this is surely another example of their lack of credibility – time to phase them out and concentrate on more action. Equally as damning were David Sullivan’s admission (in response to a question about whether he was the de facto Director of Football at West Ham) that no-one at board level appeared to have any idea about what went on at the training ground. Another sign, if needed, of the club’s ongoing and long standing amateurish approach to football matters.

A Fine Team Performance

There were understandable rave reviews for Marko Arnautovic and Arthur Masuaku following yesterday’s game. Yet, if anything, this was an outstanding team performance. The whole approach to the game was tactically superb by the coaching staff and brilliantly executed by each and every player. Adrian inspires a confidence that Joe Hart does not; an unlikely back three of Winston Reid, Angelo Ogbonna and Aaron Cresswell suddenly looks solid and courageous; the midfield players didn’t stop running, harrying and denying space; and Michail Antonio and Arnautovic showed why movement and mobility is so important up front at this level. It was great that some players stood out but to criticize any individual would be churlish – although some fans couldn’t help themselves by still having a dig at their favourite bête noire. Could we have done better with ball? For sure! Do we still need reinforcements in the transfer window? Undoubtedly! But until then I will enjoy this victory and look forward to a repeat performance on Wednesday.

Those Special Mentions

Massive team performance aside it would be unfair not to give special mention to several stand-out players. I thought Declan Rice was unlucky to be left out of the starting eleven but his replacement, Winston Reid, had the type of game that made premature reports of his being washed-up look ridiculous. My previous reservations about Arnautovic were also torn to shreds by his application yesterday. As well as scoring the winner he was a handful all afternoon and was more than willing to perform his defensive duties. My only question to him was why stop when you thought Christensen had handled in the box? Taking Arnie off first in preference to Antonio who had run himself into the ground by the hour mark was the only strange decision of the afternoon but it all worked out marvelously in the end. Finally there was Masuaku. For a period in the first half it looked like the ball was magnetically attached to his boot such was the trickery of his footwork. It was great to see panache back in the side and to witness some wonderful combinations with Manuel Lanzini. Arthur had a more restrained second period and I wonder whether that was under instruction? Sometimes knowing when and where to turn it on is as important as the ability itself. A note to the referee: why no foul throw for the Pedro incident?

Where Do We Go From Here?

It is difficult to imagine that the approach against Arsenal will be much different to what we saw yesterday. The reality is that whatever West Ham can get out of games against top six sides at the moment are bonus points. The season will be defined by how well we can do against the rest. I still believe that we have one of the best ten squads in the league provided that they can be molded into an effective unit. If there are going to be additions in January, particularly in the problem central midfield area, then even better. What I am looking forward to seeing is how Moyes can take this new found attitude and organization and deploy it in a way that dominates teams that we really should beat. At least now I can look forward to that prospect with some optimism.

Can West Ham Avoid The Hazard To Win All The Points

A London derby against Chelsea is the latest opportunity for David Moyes to open his victory account.

No matter what the outcome of today’s home fixture against Chelsea, West Ham will sit in one of the three relegation places at the end of this weekend’s set of fixtures. There is even a reasonable chance that, with Swansea hosting West Bromwich Albion, the Hammers could end up rock bottom should David Moyes fail to secure his first win as West Ham manager.

Although Chelsea are reigning Champions, the prospect of a game against their current side should not be regarded as overly daunting; they are far from unbeatable. But to stop Chelsea you need to stop Eden Hazard, a player who has had a hand in seven of the last eight goals that his team have scored past the Hammers. Having watched Chelsea’s game last week at home to Newcastle everything revolved around Hazard and Kante. Between them they picked up nearly every loose ball and moved it quickly and intelligently forward. The challenge for West Ham is whether they can demonstrate the competency and discipline to stem this tide without giving away free-kicks in dangerous positions or even worse penalties. A strategy of conceding possession might be a dangerous game to play in the circumstances but a player with the ability to man-mark Hazard is not someone available in the Hammer’s squad.

The commitment shown in last week’s display at Manchester City would be welcome again today and if the effort of the players can get a response from a passionate crowd then West Ham do have the capacity to unsettle the visitors.

Head to Head

In the pre-rouble era this was an evenly contested affair where West Ham even held a slight advantage; but the tables have been totally turned over recent years with Chelsea now holding a ten win margin in the 108 games played. West Ham have, however, managed to record three wins (seven defeats) in the last twelve home and away encounters in all competitions.

The Hammers have won twenty-seven (lost twenty) of the fifty-five home fixtures against the west Londoners while only eight have ended all square.

Team News

West Ham sit proudly atop the Physio Room Premier League injured table although which players are available this afternoon is far from uncertain. It is reported that Jose Fonte, Sam Byram and James Collins are definitely out but others including Javier Hernandez, Winston Reid, Mark Noble and Andy Carroll may all be in the squad. Watching Cheikhou Kouyate hobble off last weekend it would be a surprise if he made it into the starting line-up which may give Noble a route back in.

It looks like Adrian will rightly retain the keeper’s shirt (and shorts hopefully) and there could well be one or two other changes from the team that started at the Etihad. How the team looks may well depend on the extent of Moyes attacking ambition or if stifling Chelsea is taken as the primary objective.

Chelsea are without the superficially impressive David Luiz and workmanlike Danny Drinkwater but unfortunately there are no injury concerns over Eden Hazard.

Man In The Middle

A first meeting of the season today with Anthony Taylor from Cheshire. Taylor was referee for four West Ham games last season including away defeats at Chelsea (where he failed to send off match-winner Diego Costa), Everton and Leicester. He was also in charge for the Hammers heroic win over Tottenham Hotspur last May.

His record to date this term is thirteen games with fifty-two yellows but yet to get off the red card mark. Watch this space.

Predictions

The BBC’s Lawro has been kind to us once more this week and is predicting a 1-1 stalemate. Sky’s Merson on the other hand is going for a 1-3 Hammer’s defeat.

I was badly (and encouragingly) wrong on a feared Manchester City landslide last week and much will depend on whether there is now some traction towards consistent improvement or whether performances will continue to fluctuate up and down. In the interests of positivity I will back West Ham for a nail-biting 1-0 victory.

Five Takeaways: Spirited West Ham Close To Pulling Off A Major Shock At The Etihad

The predicted City storm fails to materialise as an encouraging West Ham performance almost leads to a major shock.

So Much Better Than Expected

It is an unusual sensation to have finally lost the game but still feel strangely positive about the performance at the Etihad Stadium yesterday. I read that the odds at start of play of West Ham losing by eight goals were shorter than those for a single goal defeat. Yet the drubbing that many (including myself) had predicted was not forthcoming. Despite a lengthy list of absentees West Ham managed to fashion themselves into the best approximation of a football team that we have witnessed so far this season. For the most part the tactics were spot on in preventing Manchester City from getting into their rhythm and were reminiscent of the smash and grab approach that reaped such unexpected rewards in the early days of Bilic’s inaugural season. In the first half City were limited to speculative long shots and that the game was ultimately lost to a pair of relatively scruffy goals should not detract too much from the many positives on display.

Pep The Poor Winner

Without doubt there is much to admire about the way that Pep Guardiola has got his Manchester City playing. Apparently his match-day squad cost in the region of £550 million in transfer fees with the starting eleven costing an average of £35 million per player. A bottomless transfer budget is not a new phenomenon for modern day City but under Guardiola the quality and style of play have reached new levels. It is a shame, therefore, that he feels the need to come across so petulantly as a winner. Of course clubs with fewer riches will seek to stifle the fluidity of his team but why the need to make stuff up about the opposition having “ten men in the box”. West Ham’s approach was pragmatic rather negative and his comments were as wrong as they were unnecessary. . A little self-awareness and humility might go a long way for Guardiola.

Organisation and Fitness

For the first time in many months our players looked like they knew what they were supposed to be doing and what was expected of them; attacking and defending as a team for once. Not only that but there was a demonstrable game plan which the players stuck to it despite the make do and mend look to the line-up. Everyone played their part and as well as a spirited defensive display there were further chances to to add to Angelo Ogbonna’s fine headed goal for Michail Antonio, Manuel Lanzini and Diafra Sakho . Possibly fitness told at the end but it was great to see players on their toes for a change and giving it their all. In truth I am not sure that many of the absentees would have performed better than their replacements although further injuries to Cheikhou Kouyate and Antonio could be cause for concern.

Stand Out Performances

Within a solid team display there were stand-out performances from Adrian and Declan Rice, an honourable mention for Arthur Masuaku and strong leadership from Pablo Zabaleta. Not only did Adrian make some fine saves but hw instils a far greater sense of confidence in the box and in the air than Joe Hart. It would be a travesty if he does not keep the shirt for the upcoming games. Rice gave a mature and assured display in the makeshift backline suggesting that he needs to be given an extended run in his proper central defence position. There were some suggestions that he might have prevented Silva’s winning goal but, for me, the responsibility was that no-one tracked Silva’s run into the box, after he had played the ball to De Bruyne, rather than it being Rice’s failure to cut out De Bruyne’s fine pass. Masuaku was once again a willing runner demonstrating an eclectic mix of exceptional and over-elaborate footwork.

Onwards and Hopefully Upwards

The levels to which organisation and fitness had fallen under Slaven Bilic really are quite shocking and the hope is that that these can be reversed before it is too late. The four games played under David Moyes have yet to follow any discernible pattern or consistency; two poor efforts at Watford and Everton interspersed with encouraging signs at home to Leicester and at City yesterday. The games against Chelsea and Arsenal will be useful in building understanding and momentum (even if we cannot expect too many points) but after that we need to embark on some serious point collection in the games against Stoke, Newcastle and Bournemouth if survival is to be assured. While there were many positives to be taken from the defeat to City it will be time very soon to turn encouragement into something more tangible. As it is West Ham have never had fewer points after fifteen games of a Premier League season and those alarm bells need to be silenced immediately.

Hammers To The Slaughter: Against All Odds At The Etihad?

In what looks like the biggest mismatch of the Premier League season to date can West Ham keep the score respectable at Manchester City?

It is only a fighting comeback from Stoke at home to Swansea yesterday that prevents this match from being billed as top versus bottom. West Ham with the worst goal difference and joint worse goals conceded in the division take on rampant, runaway Premier League leaders Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium. The cash rich Arab lottery winners have already scored forty-four goals this season (conceding only nine) and could easily bring up their half-century by the end of this afternoon’s encounter.

Many of us might have looked at City’s rise to fame and fortune as the prototype promised land of next levels after we followed their example by moving from an old much loved home into a new stadium at the end of an athletics tournament. It is there, however, that the comparison currently ends and in terms of any other metric – professionalism, flair, class, talent, organisation, ambition, training facilities, half-time pies – the gap between the two clubs is one of several divisions rather than just the length of the Premier League. Perhaps one day West Ham will also be bought by a small middle-eastern country – probably just as the oil runs out!

Any concept of competitiveness in today’s game is as tenuous as if it were a bunch non-league postmen, plumbers and supermarket shelf-stackers turning up for a third round cup tie against illustrious top flight superstars; with not even the hint of a potential banana skin in sight. David Moyes claim that “I’ve never gone into any game thinking we’ve not got a chance of winning” will surely be put to the test today.

Head to Head

Historically any trip to Manchester and Liverpool has been undertaken with hope rather expectation but, of those four confrontations, the one against City, prior to their windfall at least, would have offered the greatest promise. Even so, West Ham have only come away from the away fixture with all the points on twelve out of fifty three attempts. Most recently, the Hammers have won only once (lost ten) in the last twelve visits.

Team News

West Ham are reportedly missing Carroll, Hernandez, Reid, Collins, Fonte and Byram through injury. Leaden footed Joe Hart is thankfully ineligible due to the terms of his loan deal and so Adrian gets a long overdue opportunity to impress in a Premier League game.

I have read various team news speculation during the week about formations and lineups which range from pragmatic damage limitation to the more bizarre including suggestions of playing Zabaleta at centre back or in midfield; strange that those having criticised Bilic for playing players out of position would believe that such an idea would have any more legs than the player himself. You can’t fault Pablo’s spirit (and a return to the scene of his many achievements will be emotional) but he is well past his best before date at this level.

There will be probable returns for Antonio and Rice in what will undoubtedly turn out to be a backs to the wall, massed defence, bus-parking exercise – until we are eventually sliced open by City’s quick and slick inter-passing play. The frailty in the centre of midfield is likely to be the most easily exposed and exploited of West Ham’s many obvious weaknesses.

City are without Stones and Mendy but have sufficient £50 million replacements to put out a decent enough starting eleven, which may worryingly also see the return of Sane.

The Man in the Middle

Mike Dean doesn’t have far to travel from his Wirral home to take charge of this afternoon’s game. Dean was witness to the only highlight of the Hammer’s season to date when he ref’d the EFL cup win over free-falling Tottenham Hotspur. In eleven games this season Dean has issued thirty-six yellow cards and just one red one (Raheem Sterling at Bournemouth).

Predictions

Even the usually cautious Lawro has predicted a 3-0 win for City while Merson is going one better at 4-0. Anything less than four will have a better than expected feel about it but I fear it will be worse, particularly with the lack of character and leadership on the field. Once the first goal goes in heads are likely to drop faster than London Stadium attendances in the Championship. Having predicted a midweek win at Goodison I would be more than happy to have my clairvoyant skills shown up once again but my contingency is a course of mild sedation before the match kicks off.

Five Takeaways As Hope Of A West Ham Revival Crashes and Burns

Despite the pre-match hopes the inevitability of another tame defeat at Goodison Park is visited on the Hammers.

The Green Shoots Of Recovery

Well the green shoots of recovery that were seen last Friday didn’t survive very long and it is back to the drawing board and back to square one for David Moyes and the Hammers. Once again the attitude of the players, particularly in the first half, has been rightly criticised. Tails should have been well and truly up from a good second period against Leicester and after witnessing Everton’s troubles at Southampton. Fast out of the blocks and putting their players under immediate pressure from the off was what was required. As it was the hosts were allowed to play themselves into the game as West Ham sat back and took it easy. Surely, that could not have been the team orders, could it? If we thought we were rid of one Everton bogeyman in Lukaku then Rooney was afforded every opportunity to replace him as West Ham’s nemesis. Why does it so often need a half time bollocking to get any response from our players? It is far too early to lay the blame on the new manager but how long can we wait for signs of improvement if the worst nightmare is not to become reality?

Line Up Conundrums

There were certainly reservations about the line-up. In the absence of Andy Carroll the decision to start with Andre Ayew as his replacement rather than Diafra Sakho was a strange one. Is Moyes falling in to the old West Ham manager trap of having a preferred list of players and selecting them in turn when an opening arises regardless of which position is vacant? Is it the lack of options that has bred complacency in the squad? Collectively the defence has looked weak all season and we continue not to provide enough defensive support from midfield. Right now we need at least two players in midfield whose priority is to defend. None of Obiang, Kouyate or Noble is good enough on their own and Kouyate seems to have a remit to get forward as much as possible increasing the fragility. The slow and ageing back-line needs far more support. Once again Joe Hart failed to impress and, if there was a chance to get back in the game at 2-0, it was scuppered by his dreadful attempt at a clearance that fell to Rooney’s feet. It is difficult to understand why Hart (especially as an on loan player) is preferred over Adrian.

The A Team

It has been apparent for some time that being the record signing at West Ham has resulted in little success for the players concerned. Andy, Andre and Arnie have all failed to impress in terms of both attitude and aptitude, and the winners in each of those deals has been the selling club. Their overall contribution has barely repaid the first instalments on the combined £50+ million transfer fees and whatever wages are involved. Player recruitment and the reliance on agents rather than scouting continues to blight the club. There was a welcome return to match-day action for that other A-man, Michail Antonio who is needed back at his sharpest and fittest without delay. Those of us around for the Roeder relegation season will remember the season’s oft-repeated lament of “if only Kanoute had scored that penalty against Arsenal”; if things continue as they are we might soon be hearing the regular refrain of “if only Antonio had taken the ball to the corner flag against Palace”.

Penalty Posers

There has been a lot of debate about the penalties awarded in the game yesterday. It seems quite difficult to articulate what the exact law is nowadays but, within the current interpretation of what is and isn’t a penalty, it was no surprise that both were given by Michael Oliver. The danger is that this interpretation is moving football even further towards being a non-contact sport, particularly anywhere in the area, which is to the ultimate detriment of the game.

What Next

Things look bad. The three games where points were meant to be available before the run of games against Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal have yielded just the one point. The return of points on games played to date would give us only 27 points if projected to the end of the season. It may seem obvious but, when looking for the likeliest relegation candidates, the teams with the worst goal difference are always at greatest risk; evidence as it is of problems at both ends of the pitch. At the moment West Ham, Palace and Huddersfield have the weakest goal differences and with the prospect of a double figure defeat at the weekend it might get a lot worse. For those interested in the record books we are closing in on Everton’s current position as having lost the most Premier League games since its foundation. We are just three defeats behind despite having played four fewer seasons.

Matchday: West Ham To Break Away Duck At Everton?

Looking forward to the Hammers securing their first on the road win of the season.

The battle for the club in greatest disarray enters a new phase today as West Ham travel to the usually unproductive north-west to fight it out with embattled Everton. There was a period where the Hammers looked likely to overtake early season pace setters Crystal Palace in the shambolic stakes but after the weekend results Everton have dramatically claimed pole position.

If Burnley and Watford are the two surprise teams of the season so far (in a positive sense) then West Ham and Everton are their mirror image. Everton in particular, after a healthy finish in 2016/17 and a heavy investment in the squad which gave the look of a good balance between youth and experience, have performed woefully. In the same way that West Ham’s swagger in Slaven Bilic’s inaugural season relied heavily on the exploits of the moody French free-kick specialist, it seems that Everton’s fortunes were largely courtesy of the steady supply of Lukaku goals. Failure to replace the prolific Belgian cost Ronald Koeman his job and Everton’s failure to replace Koeman is costing them dearly. Caretaker boss David Unsworth, briefly a Hammer whose family couldn’t settle in that London and who seems to have eaten too many of his homesick wife’s pies, is experiencing a torrid time in his fifteen minutes of managerial fame. Tonight could well be his last hurrah and it is up to West Ham to take the initiative and expoit the turmoil that exists at his club. Who dares wins!

The return of David Moyes to Goodison Park adds a further ingredient to the contest. Moyes built a solid reputation while at Everton only for his stock to be devalued significantly since his departure. His new charges showed fleeting moments of recovery in last Friday’s home game against Leicester and he will be hoping that the improvement can be continued at his former home tonight.

Head to Head

No doubt that Everton are something of an historic bogey team. The Toffees have won exactly half of the one hundred and thirty six games played, to West Ham’s uninspiring thirty-one. Of the last twelve West Ham have won only once; the late, late comeback show two seasons ago.

Goodison Park (along with the majority of north-western venues) has never been a happy hunting ground with the Hammers winning just eleven and drawing twelve of sixty-four. Prior to 2015/16 the most recent win was in December 2005.

Team News

I would expect Moyes to start with a similar eleven that took to the field last Friday meaning another chance for Andy Carroll to prove that he can earn his keep. He wil need to up his game considerably.

Everton were appalling at Southampton. They were disorganised at the back, ponderous in midfield and lightweight up front and may well be tempted to give Rooney a start given that he likes a goal against West Ham.

The Man in The Middle

Tonight’s referee is Michael Oliver from Northumberland. Oliver took charge of the home defeat by Tottenham earlier in the season, as well as two West Ham games last season: cup defeat by Manchester City and the drawn league game with West Bromwich Albion. In fourteen outings this season he has flourished fifty eight yellow cards and two red ones.

Predictions

Merson is going for a 2-0 Everton victory while Lawro sees the Hammers winning 1-0. For me, all the omens are good and in a rare display of optimism I am looking forward to West Ham returning to London with all three points from a comfortable 2-0 win.

Five Takeaways From West Ham’s Weekend

An early set back, a spirited response and a passionate crowd sees highly paid Hammers settle for a Premier League point.

What a Difference a Crowd Makes

Without doubt the crowd played a massive part in lifting the gloom that had surrounded the club in recent weeks and proved that if the players are putting in a shift then the supporters will get behind the team. There remains a lot of animosity towards the Board but venting that anger and frustration without it affecting the team performance is a dilemma. I guess the best way to grab the owner’s attention is through their pockets rather than by match-day protests or Twitter rants. David Moyes would not be the first choice of many supporters but together with his coaching staff deserves the opportunity to prove his worth and show that he can steer the team towards safety. It is not his fault we find ourselves rooted in the bottom three and there was, at least, an indication of improved attitude, energy and spirit during last Friday’s match.

Another Bad Goal Conceded

Going a goal behind after only eight minutes was far from ideal and once again it was the result of a gift from the West Ham defence rather than earned by the guile and ingenuity of Leicester’s players. Inexplicably, Zabaletta had gone walk-about (something he did repeatedly during the course of the game), Reid allowed Vardy too much space to cross and Ogbonna failed to deal with what should have been a routine clearance. Apart from that early glitch the defence look reasonably sound although they were not really tested and it was to the team’s credit that they did not crumble after the early reverse.

Getting The Balance Right

Looking through the squad, even if all the players are fit and available, it is difficult to select an obvious effective starting eleven, such is the imbalance with the players and skills available. While playing three centre backs might look attractive do we have wing-backs competent to both attack and defend? When playing as a back four can we provide adequate defensive cover in midfield? If we play with a lone striker how do we prevent him from becoming isolated? If we play two up front how to avoid being over-run in midfield? In the two Moyes matches to date it looks like Kouyate has been under orders to get forward more to support the striker with Arnautovic also getting into more central positions as his defensive responsibilities allow – in fact Kouyate and Arnautovic have taken up more dangerous positions than Carroll who has preferred to lurk out towards the edge of the area well away from where any crosses are aimed. There were signs on Friday that improved fitness had led to better organization but there is still a long way to go in improving quality; maybe that can come with confidence.

The Wages Explosion

There were reports over the weekend that West Ham were among the top twenty clubs in the world as far as wages paid are concerned. When you look at what has been served up on the pitch over the past year or so you can only conclude that we have been done! Yet the club are likely to present this astonishing fact as something to be proud of. My personal view is that claims that the owners are penny pinching is exaggerated but they really don’t spend their money wisely. A strategy based on players with Premier League experience (any who are likely to be attracted to a mid-table or worse club at that) is always going to be short term and expensive. More money on wages means less money on transfers. The lack of planning at West Ham continues to scupper any notion of continued improvement. A much better scouting network is required to unearth value which is what most other teams at our level try to do. Improving this requires David Sullivan to step away from his de facto role as Director of Football and bring in someone who really knows the game.

Paying The Penalty

What is and what isn’t a penalty continues to bemuse me. At what stage does ‘there wasn’t much contact’ become ‘he was entitled to go down’. And does attempting to stay on your feet mean that it cannot be a penalty? Diving is cheating and one of the curses of the modern game but it seems if you want to get a penalty you must end up on the floor for the referee to award it – and so referees are in effect encouraging it provided the player passes the entitled test. The recent rule of retrospective bans in situations where the referee has been conned is unlikely to make much of a difference.

The Latest Must Win Game As West Ham Take On Leicester

Following a shambolic managerial debut can Moyes rally the troops in his first game at the London Stadium?

Right now it is difficult to see how things could get any worse at West Ham but tonight we have another opportunity to find out if it is possible. If everything we read is to be believed supporters, players, management, in-the-know bloggers and probably even Doris the tea lady are verbally slugging it out with each other and amongst themselves. Have the Hammers reached their darkest hour or will there be the faintest glimmer of light to sustain us over the weekend. Unity has been called for but appears a distant, forlorn hope at the moment and it won’t need much more than a slow, nervy start for the Friday night London Stadium atmosphere to descend to an all too familiar toxicity.

Towards the end of the 2014/15 season, West Ham visited the King Power stadium with Leicester languishing at the foot of the table and looking odds-on for relegation. The Foxes famously won, their first victory in nine, and went on to record seven more wins in their last nine games to preserve their Premier League status. The following season they were Champions. Can history repeat itself but in reverse? Yes, I was only joking ……… but taking something from the game, if not quite essential for survival, would be a major lift before that dreadful run of fixtures in December.

Leicester were never going to repeat their heroics of the 2015/16 season as most teams, with the exception of West Ham, got wise to the primary tactic of the ball over the top for Vardy to chase. They did well to keep the majority of that squad together (despite losing the influential Kante and later Drinkwater) but what appeared to be a productive transfer window last summer has yet to bear fruit as they hover around mid-table (but only four points better than ourselves). It is a surprise that they have already changed managers twice since their dream season and also that they saw enough quality in Claude Puel to bring him in as Shakespeare’s replacement. Puel’s previous Southampton side did, of course, stroll to a 3-0 victory at the London Stadium in September last year.

Head to Head

West Ham’s record against Leicester goes back to 1919 and stands evenly balanced with the Hammers having won fifty-one, lost forty-eight with thirty drawn games. In the last twelve encounters West Ham have won four and lost five.

Leicester are looking for a hat-trick of straight wins against the Hammers in London despite West Ham having won eight of the last twelve home clashes.

Team News

It appears that Marko Arnautovic has miraculously recovered from the near death sore thumb trauma and is available for selection along with Andre Ayew who has shaken off his illness. According to reports Michail Antonio, Javier Hernandez, James Collins and Sam Byram are all still out.

Changes are certainly required from the team that failed to impress at Watford; not just because almost every player was hopeless but also because the team was so unbalanced.

I would like to see Arthur Masuaku start but in a midfield role as he and Aaron Cresswell would prove a handful on the left hand side. Maybe give Arnautovic another run out on the right with Manuel Lanzini moving to an attacking central midfield role where he is best suited and can cause more damage. That would leave a choice of two out of Noble/ Obiang and Kouyate in the centre of midfield. In the striker role I would like to see Diafra Sakho start in preference to Andy Carroll and would also prefer to see Adrian between the sticks. Defensive options look to be limited (I am assuming that Moyes will stick with a back four) and it is unlikely that he will be brave enough to give a start to Declan Rice – I am not convinced that Rice is the answer to the midfield frailties.

Leicester have no injury concerns other than the continued absence of the Neanderthal Robert Huth. The main threats will continue to come from the Vardy/ Mahrez combination but hopefully we will at last have woken up to the ball over the top of the defence tactic. The other concern is a reckless Ogbonna tackle on Vardy in the area to concede a needless penalty.

Man in the Middle

Today sees Martin Atkinson of West Yorkshire take charge of his third West Ham game of the season having previously officiated in defeats away at Manchester United and at home to Brighton. Will he finally get to award a West Ham goal? In eight games this season he has shown nineteen yellows and one red cards.

Predictions

Lawro from the BBC sees this as a 1-1 draw while Sky’s Merson predicts a sound 1-3 away win. It will be interesting to see how West Ham approach this game. They badly need something from it and cannot afford a slow and ponderous backwards-sideways start if they want to keep the crowd on side. Will they have finally learned how to stop Vardy exploiting space behind the central defenders? Can they keep the ball long enough to put any sustained pressure on the Leicester defence?

Moyes will not want to lose but cannot afford to set up not to lose as he did at Watford. Puel seems to be from the same unadventurous school of football management. It could be a cagey game but as always a goal can change everything. It has the look of low scoring draw about it to me.

Five Takeaways: Humdrum Hammers Stung By Hornets

There is no new manager bounce as West Ham once again meekly surrender the points, this time away at Watford.

Nobody Said It Would Be Easy

There was no new manager bounce on show at Vicarage Road and David Moyes will now have a much better idea of the challenge that lies ahead of him. Looking at the immediate fixture list, Moyes must have pencilled this in as one as of the easier games to pick up points from between now and the end of the year, but it was not to be. If there was any discernible difference between this performance and West Ham’s other attempts away from home over the last twelve or so months it was difficult to detect. An energetic, forthright opening frenzy petered out after the first twenty minutes and by then the Hammers had found themselves a goal down courtesy of typically sloppy defending that allowed Watford to get their noses in front. With players absent over the past two weeks on international duty, injuries and a low starting threshold there was little evidence of the new training intensity being translated into something positive on the pitch. Whether it was stamina, confidence or attitude the team looked completely spent beyond the hour mark. It is far too early to finger for Moyes & Co for the poor performance but improvements cannot be too long coming if there is to be any chance of disaster being averted.

Missed Chances and Opportunities

The game plan was very much a safety first one which was clearly undone by the early goal. Watford looked far more comfortable in possession and their familiarity with each other and the ball far exceeded our own efforts and understanding. Even so, the hosts didn’t appear to carry a huge goal threat. Although West Ham had offered nothing going forward, the first half ended with the Hammers squandering two excellent goal scoring opportunities. First Kouyate fluffed his lines from Noble’s fine through ball and then Arnautovic brought a smart save out of Gomes only then to lack conviction in trying to convert the rebound. My mood at half time was (foolishly) optimistic with an expectation that a stiff half time talking-to would galvanise the players enough to drag themselves back into the game. As it turned out West Ham were even worse in the second period allowing Watford to dominate proceedings at their leisure. In the long period of play when Sakho was waiting to replace Carroll (and which ended with Watford scoring their second goal) the ball refused to go out of play as the Hammers collectively demonstrated some of their finest ball watching. For me, it was a clear hand ball in the build up to Richarlison’s goal but that didn’t excuse the halfhearted attempts to prevent it being scored. Ironically, West Ham also had two more gilt edged chances to score in the second half with Kouyate blasting wildly over and Lanzini’s shot lacking both power and accuracy.

Big Reputations

In his post-match comments, Moyes took aim at big reputation players who had failed to deliver. It is a fairly widely held belief that West Ham have a better squad (on paper) than at least half of the other teams in the Premier League. That belief is largely built on the reputations of the players (the fact that they are well known names) rather than any performances that they have been putting in for the last season and a half. Although there were no names mentioned the comment could have been aimed at almost all of the team that turned out yesterday. If level of reputation is synonymous with size of wage packet then the likes of Carroll, Arnautovic, Noble, Reid (and others) might need to take a good long look at themselves. I have to say I am also not convinced by Hart, who despite a very good game at Palace, looks no better than Adrian; he appears rooted to his line (Randolph style) most of the time and is often slow to get down, as he was for the second Watford goal.

Arnie: Will He Be Back?

After Arnautovic’s injury I was half expecting to wake up this morning to news of his obituary. I admit to never having broken (or fractured) a thumb but I have played in matches where much worse has happened and the injured player has never gone into full body convulsions. Maybe it hurts more than I imagine but I can’t help thinking of Stuart Pearce trying to play on with a broken leg. That moment of over acting aside, Arnautovic did get more involved than in most of his previous appearances although much of his work was deep in his own half. He could, and should, have got his name on the score-sheet and also set up the second of Kouyate’s missed chances; a tally which may well have doubled his statistical contribution for the entire season. The introduction of Masuaku, following his departure, was one of the few positives in the whole match for me where he demonstrated nifty footwork and put in some decent crosses during his twenty minute cameo. Masuaku is something of an enigma in that he can flip between top class and pub team player from one week to the next. In truth, he is probably a very decent wide midfield player but not cut out to play at full back.

Whatever Next?

Getting the excuses in early our unfit squad has only five days to improve and prepare before the next time out against Leicester at the London Stadium on Friday night. Perhaps each small, incremental step up in fitness will add some value but the immediate challenge is how to assemble the odds and sods of the squad into a competent, functioning unit in the meantime; we are like a pack of self-assembly furniture where many of the pieces are missing and the instructions are only available in Croatian. The formation that Moyes employed at Watford (or at least the way that it was executed) failed to address the many long standing problems with the lopsided squad that has been put together. Carroll or whoever plays lone striker is isolated, there is no width or penetration in attacking positions, there is little creative influence with Lanzini wasted stranded out on the wing, midfield players do not do enough to support the defence and passing decisions and execution are poor. There is much to improve before a difficult game on Friday.