Forum | General Discussion

Hammers manager David Moyes faces a bit of a selection problem when it comes to this afternoon's game against Fulham at Craven Cottage. The 1st half's lamentable performance against 'Tottingham' was followed by a blistering display of 'positive' football that no one, least of all Moyes we suspect, saw coming.

The issue for Moyes is does he stick with the same line up or make a couple of changes? Alphonse Areola was unavailable midweek due to a 'minor' wrist injury with 'Fabbo' deputising really well, however the deal between keepers is that the 'Euro' spots and domestic cups go to the 2nd choice keeper right up until the finals, therefore who should make the cut for today?

IF Areola is not 100% fit then Fabianski MUST start, if however Areola is fit then he should.

Some misguided souls have suggested that talisman Lucas Paqueta should be dropped from the starting line up, citing that his last couple of games have been below par. THey of course have forgotten or not realised that Paqueta was himself struck down by the virus that saw several players miss games but elected to play in spite of the illness.

Perhaps the fact that 'Pacman' has been forced to play as a 'defacto' left back hasn't helped any either! Jarrod Bowen keeps on going from strength to strength and is banging the goals in, but you can't jelp but wonder how many MORE goals he could score if he wasn't being played out of position.

Nevertheless, Hammers currently have a chance to 'jump on to the coat tails' of the top four IF they don't blow it against Marco Silva's side. It all depends on which team turns up, the 1st half rubbish from Thursday or the scintillating counter attack team from the 2nd? - Ed

Hammers Jekyll & Hyde performance against Tottingham last night left fans frustrated and then elated against a team that should have been 3-0 up at half time but for the heroics of the Irons defence and more than a small amount of luck combined with a complete lack of aptitude from the home side.

Many are of the opinion that David Moyes' stirring half time speech was not actually conducted by the manager who had been locked in the toilet and was in fact delivered by the newly arrived from Ajax cheroot toking John Heitinga! "Listen boys, forget all about Moyesball and go on and express yourselves" Well it seemed to have worked as Hammers suddenly became a team full of International players actually trying to play forwards instead of sideways or backwards!

The three unexpected points helped compensate for the loss of two points in the home game against Palace, which leaves Fulham next in Hammers trio of Local Derbys. There is no point in winning at White Hart Lane and then go losing at the Cottage, but it is the West Ham way, so expect nothing more than a resounding loss!

With that potential banana skin in mind, four points out of a very tricky nine is not to be sniffed at, it is the equivalent to more than three draws! All in all the balancing act of playing in Europe and competing on three domestic fronts appears to be going averagely well, but how long may it continue?

Hammers are due to lose at least TWO incredibly important players during AFCON and results WILL dip during their absence, hopefully the 'Dutchman' will continue to influence the outcomes, just as his pal Tim Steidten has influenced the club's recruitment!

If Hammers can get anything out of Sunday's game it will be a big result and show that the team are developing a level of consistency that is needed to compete at the highest level. - Ed

Spurs: Vicario, Porro, Romero, Davies, Udogie, Bissouma, Lo Celso, Johnson, Kulusevski, Hojbjerg, Son(c). Subs: Forster, Skipp, Richarlison, Gil, Royal, Sarr, Veliz, Donley, Dorrington.
West Ham: Fabianski, Coufal, Zouma (c), Aguerd, Emerson, Alvarez, Ward-Prowse, Kudus, Soucek, Paqueta, Bowen. Subs: Anang, Cresswell, Fornals, Mavropanos, Ings, Ogbonna, Benrahma, Kehrer, Mubama.

Alf Ramsey's World Cup winning team were labelled as 'Wingless Wonders' by the press at the time as the England team did not have traditional wingers playing, of course Ramsey had introduced the usage of wing backs, something ALL elite teams utilise now.

So in a way 'Alf' was way ahead of the game at the time, West Ham manager David Moyes has 'made his bones' moulding wingers into out and out strikers with SOME degree of success, however his 'obsession' in doing so has blinded him from the need blatant and obvious need the club has for at least one, preferably two out and out strikers!

Moyes has 'bounced' two really decent strikers from the club who have gone on to great things and he has NOT replaced them! Anyone calling Danny Ings a suitable replacement for either Sebastien Haller or Gianluca Scamacca needs a quick visit to specsavers followed by a lengthy consultation with a psychotherapist!

A Team that possesses the quality that Hammers currently have shouldn't be scraping narrow victories, it should be DOMINATING lesser clubs and giving the 'big boys' a bloody nose, but the players can't because they are shackled by Moyesball.

We know Moyes is an easy 'hit' but he makes himself such a target by some astonishingly trait comments and ludicrous team formations and selections, it is little wonder that many fans cannot WAIT until the 60 year old Scot departs.

Too much water has flowed under the bridge for armchair fans across the globe, but for those who attend the as yet unnamed London Stadium on a regular basis even more so, for any changes made to work, enough seems to be enough.

Anyone who attended the Palace game will testify as to how bad the atmosphere was, but fans are not automatons who can cheer and clap on a whim, they need something to get them going! Without Lucas Paqueta and his often over indulgent play and play acting many fans wouldn't even bother to turn up!

Unless 'Pacman' has been given assurances that Moyes is going to be off at the season's end there is absolutely NO WAY he will stay at the club and neither will a few others either. Put simply the club will stagnate and continue to do so until Moyes and his stubbornness is a thing of the past, until then fans are just going to have to suck up a brand of football that makes that of Sam Allardyce look positively exciting! -LN