Moyes Won't Shirk 'Tough' Call

Hammers go into today's early kick off against Newcastle knowing that nothing less than three points will do, the Irons have endured a really miserable spell since the last International break, but remarkably still find themselves there or thereabouts for a Champions League place, hence the need for an absolute minimum of max points!

The other teams around West Ham competing for fourth place in the Premier League are doing their level best to help the 'Moyesiah' reach the promised land as a result of their combined ineptitude, but it cannot last so Moyes HAS to get his team firing on ALL cylinders before the competition get their acts together, because they CANNOT continue to perform so badly between now and the end of the season.

Moyes has a couple of tough calls to make ahead of the Toon game, as he attempts to reinvigorate his 'stalwarts' as well as encouraging some of his newer talent coming through from the Academy. Hammer Czech mates Coufal and Soucek have both been well off the pace of late, with Vladimir Coufal in particular looking a shadow of his former self.

Coufal's poor form can be attributed to a niggling groin injury he picked up against Ronaldo United that has essentially NEVER gone away, Soucek's loss of form is a combination of exhaustion and the fact that he is playing in a deeper role that doesn't entirely suit him, or his style of play.

It is highly unlikely David Moyes would drop both players for today's game, but there IS every possibility he will drop Vladimir Coufal. The issue being who does he replace the Czech warrior with? Ryan Fredericks was brought on to replace Vlad against Leicester City in the last game a a result of the right back being continuously skinned by James Maddison. Fredericks' electric pace was used to 'some' effect, but left many fans wondering why Ben Johnson didn't take to the field, the answer was that Johnson was being kept in reserve in case Cresswell picked up an injury, given how poor Cress played it might have been a blessing to send young Ben on anyway!

Moyes cannot risk Coufal coming up against Saint Maxim unless the Hammers defender is in tip top condition, anything less spells disaster. The problem for the manager is that Ryan Fredericks may have truly astonishing speed, but as a defender and as an attacker he is virtually useless, he appears to have absolutely NO idea what to do with the ball.

However if Moyes elects to start Johnson, he will effectively have no cover for Cresswell on account of Authur Masuaku's ongoing knee issues. Newcastle will look to exploit Saint Maxim's pace, however the player is only marginally fit and the great expanses of the Olympic Stadium's pitch might prove too much for him.

Unfortunately there is also one huge nemesis arriving with the Toon, serial scorer against Hammers Chris Wood. He has scored seven goals in nine Premier League appearances against West Ham during his time at Burnley and will hope to continue that record today.

This is the type of game 'soft centre' West Ham would have definitely lost in the past, it is to be hoped however that now is the dawn of a new era. - Ed