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New Look Young Hammers?

nevillenixon's picture
Submitted by nevillenixon on Thu, 11/06/2020 - 11:45

Sometimes the news coming out from the London stadium can be confusing to say the least, one moment we are being told that manager David Moyes wants to assemble a lean mean fighting machine of young ambitious players full of energy and desire, the next minute word emanating from the 'Bowl of Misery' is that the club are looking to sign the likes of Adam Lallana and Thiago Silva, who have a combined age of 67 years!

Thankfully fans can dispel their fears on that one, because if yesterday's friendly against QPR is anything to go by then Moyes has stuck to his guns by using a raft of young players, including super hot prospect Xande Silva who has returned from a serious stomach injury that required surgery, Silva has picked up where he left off and is banging goals in for fun.

Worryingly though, Moyes did also select the perennially and perpetually injured Jack Wilshere for the game as well, 'wheelchair' seems to have come through the match uninjured so fair play to him and his manager, however between the lines Moyes' admiration for Wilshere might also have something to do with 'bumping up his value ahead of transferring him, as Wilshere is about to enter the final year of his incredibly lucrative contract which sees him being paid DOUBLE club captain Mark Noble's wages.

News has emerged that club stalwart Angelo Ogbonna has picked up an injury and is not likely to be fit in time for the first match of the Barclays Premier League project restart against Wolves at the London Stadium on the 20th of June, the 'Angel' was a stand out performer ahead of the League's suspension and is in the running to become Hammer of the Year, so losing him is not good news, however the club have a like for like replacement in the form of 'the General' AKA Fabian Bulbuena.

Balbuena started life at the London Stadium 'on fire', but he was rushed back from injury during Manuel Pellegrini's ill fated spell in charge, and both he and his centre back partner Issa Diop found themselves being further down the pecking order, being in and out of the team regularly. The cracks had already started to appear in Pellegrini's game plan, or more accurately, the lack of one, and so he 'tinkered' with the starting line up which meant splitting up what had once been a superb partnership between the 'General' and the "Beast' as Spurs and ex-Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho described Diop.

Fortunately Moyes has time to work with the Centre back pairing in order to get them singing from the same sheet, and hopefully get them to rediscover their understanding they had when they first played together for West Ham United. Diop is young and Balbuena is at his peak being 28 years old, along with the likes of Jarred Bowen, Xande Silva, Declan Rice, Grady Diangana, Ben Johnson and a whole set of new youngsters coming through, they can form the back bone of a team 'with ' LEGS.

Time and again, particularly at the London Stadium where the very nature and size of the pitch lends itself towards fast attacking football, an ageing Hammers team has been over run by more energetic opposition, especially in the last ten minutes of each game, with players who have energy to burn this could just be the turning point that many fans have dreamed of for ages, but as with most thing West Ham, the caveat is " be careful what you wish for"! - Ed

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boogerscaravan's picture

In this weird stage of the season which should have technically ended by now. Where are we with Grady? Is he still at WBA or has he come back now? I think the kid is brilliant and cant wait to see him in the 1st team again...

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moore 6 legend's picture

I'm afraid he's extended his loan spell with wba till the end of the season boogers,dont make sense,it would be alright if his help gets wba promoted and we go the other way.

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