Back in the day before we at the Org were banned from West Ham United press conferences, Journo's used to ask quite telling questions, if they were too much the manager would give a look that meant it was a no go area and the subject would generally be dropped. When Manuel Pellegrini spoke to the media he quickly recounted the injury situation that everyone knew about, Carroll, Reid and Lanzini, all long term, but then he casually mentioned that club captain Mark Noble had 'picked up' a back injury! What was he doing? Trying to get a piano upstairs? No one pursued the matter to an extent that was warranted, and the news just sort of 'slipped through'.
Sorry, but Manuel Pellegrini is not called the Gentle man for nothing, it would have been just as easy for him to have dropped 'Nobbs' in the public glare, but he has a lot more style than that. Noble's 'back injury' has removed a painful decision ahead of the Arsenal game for the manager as whether or not to play 'Mr West Ham', some would say it was a convenient co-incidence, either way all the fan sites and media, including the Org, have got their way and expect to see a 'new look' midfield.
Noble's injury, fake news, convenient or not, has opened up the midfield berths leaving Pellegrini with a lot of options from a lot of choices, experimenting against a team of Arsenal's quality is a risky business even if they are still 'running in' under new manager Emery's guidance. We are not inferring that Mark Noble's injury is pure invention, most professional sports people endure 'niggles' on a repetitive basis which only increase with the advancement of time. Indeed Noble played last season with a Hernia that needed operating on, he only underwent the surgeon's knife once safety against relegation had been confirmed!
For a long time Mark Noble has run his heart out for the club, cut him and he'll bleed Claret and Blue, when he was able to play along side top players in the past he was able to excell, however it does look as if his time as part of the starting line up is coming to an end. Manuel Pellegrini will not 'throw him under the bus', he is far more likely to ease him away from front line duty tactfully and with dignity. That is not to say that Mark Noble won't be pushing for his place back when he has 'recovered' from his back injury, far from it, after all he has seen off a good few managers in his time, and not all of them have 'fancied' Noble initially or at times during their tenure, but it didn't stop him working his way back in to the team, however he can't just hit the 'Go' button and suddenly haul back the years perpetually, there has to be a cut off point and maybe that time has finally arrived.
Most fans realistically expect Hammers not to win or even get a draw, but the manner in which they play will be very important, and although the Emirates is a big Stadium the fans can be as quiet as those at the London Stadium on a bad day, furthermore, with one exception, all of Hammers' new signings have 'big game' experience and should be able to go out and express themselves in what could be a lot less of a hostile environment than when they are playing at home. £100 Million must surely have ticked a few boxes, it might nearly have put majority share holder and co-owner David Sullivan in to one after he had to write out the checks!
Perhaps the Pellegrini effect will take root this weekend, perhaps not, but there needs to be solidarity while the club is in transition, Rome wasn't built in a day and neither will West Ham become the club it aspires to be in the short term, but a bit of steady progress would go a long way to calming already sensitive nerves around the club. - Ed
