David Moyes in his first spell as the club’s manager two seasons ago saved the club from a precarious position steering them safely away from the dreaded relegation zone, and as a reward had his services promptly dispensed with in order to be replaced by the 'luxurious' management style of Manuel Pellegrini. On Saturday week against Wolves at the London Stadium, he has pick up the pieces from where he left off, the team had started to gain impetus in the last couple of games, although that had not been mirrored in the actual results achieved, there are nine remaining games of this once in a generation or even lifetime situation.
Many West Ham fans had hoped that the season would end prematurely which would have guaranteed the club's top flight safety, such was the team’s predicament when coronavirus forced football to shut down in March. However 'project re-start' has seen to that, so the Irons, in 16th place but on the same 27 points total as the 3rd from bottom club Bournemouth, will have to play a lot of games in a very short space of time* to ensure their Barclays Premier League Premier League future while obeying strict public health requirements, and playing in empty stadiums.
David Moyes has been around the block a few times in over twenty years of top flight management and believes that his team are ready and have the desire to ensure their Premier League survival and write a new chapter for the club. “We’re ready to play now,” Moyes is quoted as saying. “I do feel as if the preparation has gone as well as we could have hoped. The attitude of the players has been fantastic. In some ways lockdown has been good because the way we’ve had to work with the players has allowed me to get to know them a bit better. I had come into the club during January, with a lot of games scheduled and with little time to really work with them on the training pitch. Physically, the players are in good condition and I also think they have enjoyed it as well, because we’ve tried to make it as varied and enjoyable as we can."
Exactly the kind of words you would expect from a manager trying to steady the ship, he should stick a copy of his 'speech' on the dressing room wall, because for once he actually has a full squad to choose from, with the exception of Winston Reid who is on loan to Atlanta in the USA. Unfortunately just when things were starting to look rosy, alarming news that has shocked and gobsmacked many fans emanating from the London Stadium is that Moyes intends to 'deploy' a resurgent Jack Wilshere as his 'secret weapon' in the club's bid for survival, and start him for the first crucial game against high flying Wolves, either it is a 'cunning plan' set out to deceive the opposition, or David Moyes has lost his marbles as a result of his enforced prolonged period of footballing inactivity!
If for some reason the manager does want to play Wilshere, for the love of God just bring him off the bench for a cameo role that might hook a buyer for his services when the new transfer window opens, the stats don't lie there is a 90% Jack will get injured sooner rather than later, and while it is true that he has the ability to unlock a team with his supreme skill, he cannot be allowed to deprive Tomas Soucek or Pablo Fornals their berth in the team. It would be sheer madness, but then again, this is West Ham United, a location renowned for normally sane people who arrive and then lose their senses! - Ed
PS: * “I would also like to mention the staff here and particularly the medical team. The amount of work our medical head Richard Collinge and his staff have had to work through, in terms of process and protocols, has been a real challenge, but they have toiled tirelessly to ensure the training ground meets all the requirements of the Premier League".
It is to be hoped that keeping Coid-19 at bay is their main occupation. - Ed
