Pellegrini Almost Spoilt For Choice Ahead Of Fulham Game

Hammers returned from their 'warm weather' training session in Spain to find the temperature not far off back here in 'Blighty', however the team bonding excercise seems to have been worth it judging by the Instagram snippets shared with the media of the team celebrating Manu Lanzini's birthday. There are some observers who frowned upon hearing clearly drunk West Ham players singing Bubbles at Manu's birthday bash, but they weren't doing coke in the toilets or 'roasting' young girls in their hotel, nor were any of them caught breaking curfew by sneaking out for a late night binge!

Things are changing at West Ham in many different ways, newly installed manager Manuel Pellegrini has an ethos and style that is the blue print of how he wants his teams to be, both in performances on the pitch but also relating to their behaviour and mentality outside of the pitch. Transgressors know that beneath the calm and quite exterior lurks a man who will take no prisoners and has a steely determination to get things done his way, his efforts have been hampered by a ridiculous injury list but now he will begin to have access to some of those players who have been sorely missed, most notably Manuel Lanzini.

It is almost impossible to valuate where the club could have been in the league table had Lanzini been available, and while the club has had to deal with a whole raft of injuries, his has had the most detrimental effect. Players like Robert Snodgrass, honest as the day is long and a player who will run his heart out for the cause, need creative gems like Lanzini around them to help raise their game. It is worth noting that club captain Mark Noble always seems to perform better when in the company of 'gifted' players, they make him raise his game to a different level, and this positivity drips down through the rest of the players.

Hammers take on relegation threatened Fulham, who are winless on the road, at the London Stadium tonight in a fixture that in the past would have had all the hallmarks of the visitors being 'helped' by a West Ham team that loves to lose against lowly opposition. This is a game that Pellegrini's big club mentality ethos will be put to the test, by now he knows who has bought in to his ideas and who hasn't, his 'rejection' and freezing out of Lucas Perez being a case in point, it is clearly obvious that El Pel's rebuilding of the club is only at the foundation stage, but given the correct resources by the board and with a fitter squad next season could be something special.

Imagine the team Pellegrini could have selected without the horrendous injury list, let us know what your first team would be if all the squad were available. - Ed