Moysie Backs The Og

David Moyes has wholeheartedly backed Angelo Ogbonna's return to fitness and welcomed the Conference Cup games as an ideal route for a player returning from a serious long term injury, particularly as the player in question has recently turned 33 years of age. Ogboona has been making excellent progress as he recoveres from his ACL injury sustained against Liverpool last season, Moyes alluded to the fact that Hammers were flying high in third place in the league when the Og picked up his injury, the results tailed off considerably when the Italian's presence was missing from the back line.

The Con Cup has come in for a lot of criticism, but it DOES give the manager the chance to bed in new players as well as those returning from injury as well as players from the U-23's and of course those from the youth set up. Thursday's opponents Anderlecht are no mugs and will put up stiffer resistance than they did last week, however IF Hammers can get this one over the line they are virtually guaranteed to progress to the next round of the Con Cup with games to spare which will allow Moyes to 'rest' certain players as well as giving others a run out they might not have had the opportunity otherwise.

The club DOES finally have some strength in depth, it does beggar the question as to where the club might have ended up last season if there had been one or two extra additions during the transfer windows. - Ed