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Moyes Annoyed By 'Noise'

Submitted by Louis Nixon on Fri, 11/12/2020 - 10:07

Hammers' wing back Authur Masuaku's now deleted instagram message, detailing how he had just had corrective surgery on his knee that had caused him to be in acute pain for the last TWO years, was as a result of 'miscommunication'. When David Moyes did his Press conference ahead of tonight's eagerly anticipated clash with Leeds United at Elland Road, he made no mention at all regarding Masuaku's operation, which has left many observers baffled.

Moyes' "stop the leaks" mandate had held as firm as a 'Tenna Pad' until yesterday, indeed there had been substantial media coverage of Leeds' manager Marcello Bielsa's early announcement of his team for the upcoming match against the Irons, so why did Moyes hand Bielsa the bonus of knowing Masuaku would not be included in sufficient time for the Argentine manager to make 'suitable' adjustments to how his team sets up for the match?

The answer is quite simple, it was a complete 'cock up', anyone who left a mistakenly drunken message back in the days when everyone used 'static' answerphones only to find out they left a suggestive message to one of their relatives or definitely someone who shouldn't have been the recipient, will know just how easy it is do make a colossal error of judgement.

With all the technology available now, it is little wonder that 'news' gets into the Mainstream in an instant, it only takes one click of a button and the sender can enter in to a whole world of pain and embarrassment! Apparently such was the case with 'King Authur', he was supposed to send the message 'just ahead' of the match, in fact ONE hour ahead not one day! Unfortunately once you hit the send button that's it, and that is exactly what Authur did, doubtless the anaesthetic probably didn't help, but clubs really do need to look at their players' various media platforms.

Surley if you are paying players between ££50-100,000 per week you are entitled to 'oversee' their media 'snippets'? Why not ban them completely? Is it against their human rights? Most 'ordinary' people would be happy to sign a non-disclosure contract as part of getting paid so handsomely, but players are so powerful now that they seem to be able to have their cake, and eat it!

It is not as if Masuaku 'snuck off' to have the operation is it? The club would have sanctioned and overseen the details of the surgery, and anticipated the repercussions of such an important player's lack of availability, possibly up to three months, following the operation.

Masuaku definitely didn't look the same player in his last game, he was clearly troubled, and unfortunately the role that he has been playing means he was far more likely to be on the receiving end of some 'industrial' tackles, defenders and midfielders don't like being dance past by 'fleet of foot' players, and a such generally find a way of taking their 'retribution'.

In the last few games Masuaku has been 'fouled' high up the pitch relentlessly, it is frankly astonishing that no further action was taken on at least a couple of occasions, if Masuaku had adopted Mo Salah's way of showing he was being repeatedly fouled he might not have needed the surgery quite so soon.

One door closes and another opens, Masuaku's unavailability means David Moyes will be able to 'unleash' Said Benrahma, but the ex-Brentford player will have to be disciplined in his approach, and will have to play in a position that is out of his comfort zone.

It would be catastrophic to alter from the three men at the back system that has served the club so well, if Moyes were to revert to four at the back, Aaron Cresswell, who has played with a new lease of life since moving to a back three, would be cruelly exposed risking the undoing of all the early work from this season.

Stick to a Three Moysie, you know it makes sense! - Ed Jnr

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Authur Masuaku Out For Weeks!

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Submitted by nevillenixon on Thu, 10/12/2020 - 16:10

Hammers wing back Authur Mauaku has just undergone surgery on his troublesome knee, having played through the pain barrier in recent weeks "King Authur' finally decided to go under the knife. Masuaku had been forced to withdraw from his International duties during the break, and it had been hoped that the injury could be managed, unfortunately the troublesome knee was the recipient of a 'robust' tackle from a Manchester player during last week's 1-3 home defeat.

Make no mistake about it, losing Masuaku is a major blow for David Moyes ahead of the important game against Leeds on Friday night, it will however mean that new signing Said Benrahma might get a first start for the club. Mauaku's performances have been one of the key elements in Hammers recent fine run of form.

No wonder David Moyes was keeping his cardsclose to his chest durng his 'Pressy' this afternoon! - Ed

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Moyes Not Taken In By Bielsa

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Submitted by nevillenixon on Thu, 10/12/2020 - 15:40

Irrespective of whether the team he announced actually is the one that takes to the field on Friday, Leeds manager Marcello Bielsa's mind games don't seem to have had their desired effect on David Moyes as he prepares to take his Hammers team up to Elland Road.

Although being aware of the opposition's capabilities is important, paying too much attention can have a detrimental effect, so a balance of awareness and pragmatism is required. Moyes has already said that Bielsa mght be bluffing, that naming teams well in advance is quite common place in Europe and finally knowing another team's line up doesn't really make much difference!

Well, Moyes might be telling porkies to a similar degree as Bielsa, of course knowing how a team are going to line up days ahead of a fixture is indispensable knowledge, he will however be mindful of Bielsa doing the 'old switcheroo' just ahead of the actual game.

The only element involved ahead of the game that Moyes really needs to prepare his team for is Leeds United's impressive attack minded midfield and a very mobile forward line, concentrating on who is there or not in Leeds' defence
could literally result in taking 'eyes of the ball' collectively.

The Irons need to treat Leeds with respect for this fixture, but not too much respect! -Ed

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Be Wary Of Argentinian Bearing Gift!

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Submitted by nevillenixon on Wed, 09/12/2020 - 16:53

Now there is no way that we would wish to walk in to some kind of top gear offend an entire nation situation, hence the article title being in the singular, rather than what would have been an offensive plural. You see it is fine lines that can have long term implications, fine lines along with accurate timings.

So when Marcelo 'El Loco' Bielsa, maverick manager of Leeds United, Hammers' next Barclays Premier League opponents, appeared to have served Iron's manager David Moyes an early Christmas present by announcing his team selection more than 48 hours ahead of the fixture, suspicions must have been aroused, because managers only have to adhere to the League's mandate of announcing team's right up to one hour ahead of the fixture.

Now why would a manager, who by his own admission has authorised members of his own staff to 'spy' on opponents' training ahead of their upcoming fixtures, want to 'gift' David Moyes with such a massive amount of information? Is the Wiley Argentine trying to outfox the equally wirey Scot? Is he trying a double bluff? Or is he so confident in his team's ability that he doesn't mind the opposition knowing their line up ahead of the game, in fact he positively encourages
it in order to build up some kind of myth?

Possibly it is a combination of all variables, the late great Brian Clough used to say it doesn't matter about the opposition, it only matters what you do on the pitch, which is probably what David Moyes will say to his players ahead of the game, while taking Bielsa's 'gift' with a large pinch of salt! - Ed

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Bus Lane Changes!

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Submitted by nevillenixon on Wed, 09/12/2020 - 11:22

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Completely off topic, but has anyone else noticed how local authorities in London have been altering bus lane timings? On and around the Embankment, virtually all of the bus lanes have been 'converted' to 24 Hrs, and as if to earn a few quid more, there are also bus lanes that start with notifications stating that from 7-11 am and 4-7 pm the lanes are for bus use only, but then as if by magic within less than 100 yards they change to no other vehicles at any time! Thus earning the local authority a quick £60 for every driver who concentrates on the traffic and pedestrians ahead, rather than looking out for the pernicious altering of signage...rant over! Or should I say Olivier?

We Are Doomed-Leeds And Irons React To Oliver!

Submitted by Louis Nixon on Wed, 09/12/2020 - 11:00

News that Micheal Oliver, or as he is more commonly known, 'Lord Olivier' for his centre stage exploits, will be the referee for Friday night's Barclays Premier League between Leeds and West Ham at Elland Road, has been greeted by what can only be described as mass disapproval to put it mildly!

Both teams have suffered immeasurably as a result of Lord Olivier's baffling "look at me!" decisions, his appointment as the chief match day official lacks any form of awareness and is a portent for more controversy. Some small consolation can be found in the fact that "Olivier' is equally atrocious for most teams, obviously apart from when he is officiating a match involving a 'top flight, elite club' that pander to his every whim, but West Ham fans in particular have not forgiven him for his repeated 'errors' when it comes to adjudicating the lads in Claret and Blue.

In fact "Olivier' is the most disliked 'top flight' referee of the current bunch, his decisions always seem to be far more based on his 'opinions and interpretations' as opposed to the application of the rules of football. The absence of fans in Stadia has allowed 'Olivier' to get away with it for far too long!

Perhaps it is because he is a Newcastle United fan that he wants all the other teams to achieve the same as his club, ie: diddly squit, that theory would go a long way to explain some of the decisions he makes that have a collateral effect on other teams?

By only influencing games that involve the top clubs, this official is able to be in the spotlight like no other, you can guarantee there will be at least one example of controversy, and probably a few more on Friday evening, it is part and parcel of a match refereed by "Olivier'!

With such a Ref in charge, Friday evening's game is as impossible to predict as some of his previous decisions in games and as such the result could go either way, you can be sure his yellow cards, and quite possibly his reds as well, will be getting a bit of a run out, after all, it is the only 'top flight' game on the Nation's television's on Friday, and as such is an ideal stage for one of his 'virtuoso' performances, heaven help us all, Whites and Claret & Blue! - Ed

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Irons Seek To Avoid Contract Chaos

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Submitted by nevillenixon on Tue, 08/12/2020 - 19:37

Lukasz Fabianski is out of contract in the summer, as is Ryan Fredericks and Robert Snodgrass, Michail Antonio, Mark Noble and Fabian Balbuena! That's a fair few, some of whom you would expect to get 'instant' renewal, others not so. Realistically the price of signing a new top class keeper is well beyond the financial reaches of West Ham, so a new contract for a couple of years seems inevitable.

Fabianski initially struggled when he came back from the serious groin injuries he had sustained, however he has now returned to his best,and while he may be pushing on a bit, he makes up for his lack of speed with his nous acquired from so many years in the top flight. Fabianski's eventual successor will come from one of the club's several very decent young keepers, with Nathan Trott leading the line, with added competition from Joseph Anang.

Next up for consideration is Fabian Balbuena, deemed surplus to requirements by David Moyes, Balbuena 'The General took his opportunity when Issa Diop tested positive for Covid-19, and hasn't looked back since. His relatively low wages and long term relationship with the rest of the squad added to his desire to stay at The London Stadium means he must surely be nailed on to sign a new contract as opposed to just a one year extension. Retaining Balbuena will save the club an absolute fortune in fees, an aspect that will not have gone unnoticed by the club's hierarchy.

Micahial Antonio is a tricky one, on his day he is virtually unplayable, unfortunately the price he pays for his 'bamboozling' style is regular injuries to his hamstrings! Realistically he is only ever really going to be able to play 50% of the games in a season, so his contract extension will be reviewed with that in mind, although there shouldn't really be a problem unless Antonio's agent decides to go 'all billy big bollocks' during the negotiations.

Now we reach 'the rest', lumping captain Mark Noble in to 'the rest' category may seem disrespectful given the outstanding service that he has given the club, but renewing his £50,000 per week contract is a decision easily made by the heart, probably not so easily by the 'bean counters' at the club.

Robert Snodgraas has been a decent player for the club despite his early experiences, replacing Dimitri Payet was always going to be too tall an order! However the Scot forced his way back in to the thinking of ex-manager Manuel Pellegrini, and to a slightly lesser extent that of David Moyes. 'Snoddy' would welcome a return to Celtic, and such a move could happen during the January transfer window with West Ham seeking little or no transfer fee.

Finally we reach Ryan Fredericks, he of electric pace, the likes of which have rarely graced the Barclays Premier League! Regrettably the story ends there, in a similar way to the end product of his electrifying runs, in a blind alley. At the end of virtually all of Frederick's involvement featuring his rampaging down the wing in the top flight, a skill that had been honed in the Championship while at Fulham, was a 'rabbit in the head lights moment' when he would play an ineffectual pass, or just lose the ball, after all his and invariably his team mates' efforts.

Unfortunately Fredericks has also endured a torrid time with injuries, and it is those, in addition with his poor decision making at critical moments in a game that wil see him being shipped out during the January window, he is ost definitely NOT a bad player, merely one who's undoubted talents would be best served either in the Championship or possibly in the Middle East or far East Leagues.

There is still an obvious need to re-inforce David Moyes' squad, but a level head in these sometime difficult circumstances will be necessary in order to ensure a smooth transition from the old to the new, there are other 'peripheral' players approaching the end of their contracts who will also sit down with David Moyes as well as their advisors to 'seek the right path'. - Ed

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Who Are West Ham's Defensive Targets?

Submitted by Louis Nixon on Tue, 08/12/2020 - 11:27

The Irons might have made a solid start to the Barclays Premier League season, but only a fool would say there isn't a need to look at defensive reinforcement in the January transfer window. With the opening of that less than a month away, we look at the names in the frame.

Number 5. Samuel Umtiti

You would be ill advised to think that Samuel Umtiti wouldn't instantly improve the rear guard on show at the London Stadium, he would. The trouble is, he might struggle getting out on the pitch all that often because his track record over the past couple of years doesn't read well. The France international is in his peak years at 27 but the last two seasons have seen him make only a combined 33 appearances in all competitions for Barcelona, it's simply not enough. Throw into the mix that he's currently injured and that he'd want big money to come to a club whose biggest aspirations for the next five years is possibly Europa League qualification, and you can park this rumour before you leave the garage ahead of getting your coat!

Number 4. James Tarkowski

In the summer, Burnley stalwart Tarkowski emerged as one of David Moyes' top targets as he looked to add a steel to the defence, but the Hammers rightly baulked at the reported £50m asking price. On top of the substantial fee, the player himself has recently spoken of the contract on the table from Burnley being 'nowhere near good enough'> suggesting his wage expectations are sizeable too. You'd expect his name to still feature somewhere on the list of targets but given his form has not been on point it would have to be assumed that any contact with Tarkowski's representatives as January nears would be as a result of West Ham having missed out on other names.

Number 3. Jonathan Tah

24-year-old German international Tah had looked set to establish himself at the heart of Bayer Leverkusen's defence for years to come just a season or two ago but the mid-season arrival of Edmond Tapsoba in January has forced him down the pecking order. Now, it's reported that he's looking to leave with West Ham a possible destination.Tah's career trajectory hasn't continued on the sharp trajectory it started on but he'd still be a good addition to Moyes' squad and has the potential to become one of the top defenders in Europe. Moyes may well think he can help the former Hamburg man achieve that. His 2019/20 stats of 1.4 tackles, 1.2 blocks and 3.8 clearances per game show he can be a rock like presence at the back.

Number 2. Frederik Alves Ibsen

Pretty reliable sources have already suggested this deal is as good as done but it's not over the line yet and, even if Alves Ibsen does sign, it's likely a more experienced head might arrive too. Alves Ibsen is close to having a half century of senior appearances under his belt for Danish side Silkeborg but at just 21-years-old he'll need time to settle given where he's coming from. Alves Ibsen, who plays for Denmark under 21s but also qualifies for Brazil, is composed in possession and has good timing in the tackle, however, he is known to lack concentration at times and allows attackers to get the march on him in man marking situations. Still, at £1m you can't expect it all.

Number 1. Nikola Maksimovic

Now here is the interesting link, Maksimovic is a 29-year-odd Serbian international who Napoli are reported to be willing to let go on the cheap to avoid losing him for nothing in the summer. He's barely had a look in this season with his game time largely coming in the Europa League but injuries to first choice pairing Kalidou Koulibaly and Kostas Manolas gave him the chance to put himself in the shop window last year. He made a total of 28 appearances in 2019/20 and his stats make good reading. He came out on top in 64% of his aerial duels, won 77% of his tackles and, to round of the package, managed to achieve a seriously impressive 92% pass completion from 1,500 passes. To put those stats in to context, Issa Diop had a pass completion of 78% last year. The only negative to this link is the fact that Everton, Liverpool and Inter Milan are all monitoring Maksimovic's situation too, which means the odds of West Ham getting their man are somewhat reduced.

There you have it, five names that could be donning the claret and blue come January. We reckon any of these would be great Christmas gifts for any Hammers fans. Talking about Christmas gifts, check out FiveBoxes.com to find subscription boxes for men, including shaving kits and sports boxes full of soccer items!

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Man Utd Running Out Of 'Gift' Homes For Officials

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Submitted by nevillenixon on Sun, 06/12/2020 - 14:49

Somewhere tucked away in Portugal's sunny Algarve there lies a little known private and exclusive 'Holiday Village, our Portugese writer Rodrigo Perreira takes up the story. Nearly 40 years ago an 'elite' set of luxury holiday villas were sold to an English based company called Nomak holdings, nothing particularly of interest except Nomak holdings was a subsidiary of Manchester United, and the properties were purchased in order for the club to 'reward' loyal servants, again nothing particularly important, that is until the identities of the recipients of these 'gift' houses are revealed.

Generally it would be assumed long serving players and back room staff would be high on the list of 'worthy' recipients, however NON of the properties were given to United's staff or people ostensibly on their pay roll, so who got the plots? Have a guess, it couldn't be a who's who of match officials from the UK could it? No that's inconceivable, or is it?

Careful examination of the 'escaturas' reveals the names of those 'lucky people', current legislation prohibits us from revealing them in this article , however we are seeking clearance to give the full details without predjustice and to avoid litigation.

Suffice to say there are some 'big names' involved, could they possibly have been rewarded for all those hours of 'Fergie time', or decisions that always seemed to favour the Red Devils? Possibly for officials who turned a blind eye to all their illegal tapping up of players through out the last 50 years?

Saturday's game was a classic example of one rule for Manchester United and one for all the rest, the Manchester team benefited from 'generous' officials during their victory over Southampton the previous week and the week before that against West Brom, so it came as no surprise to see all the decisions go against West Ham and for the visitors!

One day their time will come, and they will be found out and exposed for all their cheating and gamesmanship, unfortunately the officials who helped them out in the past are way too far removed to be subpoenad now, more is the pity! - Ed

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