Forum | General Discussion

Burnley: Trafford, Vitinho, O'Shea, Beyer, Taylor, Gudmundsson, Berge, Brownhill, Koleosho, Amdouni, Rodriguez. Subs: Vigouroux, Roberts, Redmond, Ekdal, Zaroury, Ramsey, Cullen, Bruun Larsen, Obafemi.
West Ham: Areola, Coufal, Zouma, Aguerd, Emerson, Alvarez, Ward-Prowse, Kudus, Soucek, Paqueta, Ings. Subs: Fabianski, Cresswell, Fornals, Mavropanos, Cornet, Ogbonna, Benrahma, Kehrer, Mubama

Normally such a headline would be viewed as a naive and ill-informed belief that David Moyes' had changed the colour of his spots, however Hammers sudden injury crisis might just have been the trigger to make the one who is 'not for turning' turn!

With a game every three days for nearly six weeks to navigate, the Hammers manager finds himself with only ONE recognised forward, unfortunately that forward is 'Uncle' Ingy-AKA Danny Ings who is so ill suited to Moyesball that whoever sanctioned the signing would have been found hanging under Blackfriars bridge during the eighties!

The January transfer window is still an age away so Moyes will HAVE to promote players from the youth set up to the 1st team. Fortunately there are two prime candidates who score goals for fun, Callum Marshall and Divin Mubama. Both are revered youngsters, both might want to leave the club unless they get 'meaningful' game time and both are full of confidence, what more is there to like?

IF Moyes persists with his youth denial then Hammers will get well and truly 'Gurted' durng the next few games, relying on Uncle Ingy CANNOT be a serious option, but you kind of know Moyes WILL TRY to get Ings firing on all cylinders, the problem is most of the 31 year old's dont work anymore!

Moyes will probably try Ings and when that option fails, which it will, he will probably try and convert Tomy Soucek into a 'false' number nine, watch and see. News that Mo Kudus has also picked up an injury, albeit a minor one merely exasperates the situation and exposes the price the club is going to have to pay for Moyes' sheer bloody mindedness!

You never know, perhaps Moyes will elevate Callum Marshall and Divin Mubama to the first team? Hang on a minute, we just saw a Claret & Blue pig fly past the window so Moyes might relent, you never know, sadly the never part will most likely be the adjective used to describe Moyes' 'stricking plaster' application! - Ed

There was a certain inevitability that sooner or later Hammers lack of forward recruitments was going to 'bite' the club and it has now done so in a 'Massive' way!

Hot on the heels of injuries to Mikey Antonio and Tomy Soucek, JARROD BOWEN HAS NOW JOINED THE 'CROCK' LIST! Should anyone be surprised? "down to the bare bones" was a favourite expression of 'Arry Redknapp, he used it to 'remind' the board of the paucity of his squad and constantly wheeled and dealed in order to be able to put a consistent team out.

Unfortunately there appears to have been NO plan B in place for Hammers current potential emergency. Tim Steidten CAN work wonders, but he is alongside the epitome of a football Luddite in David Moyes. Moves were made but knocked back by Moyes for a plethora of players, NONE were deemed 'good enough' for the 60 year old Scot!

Does Moyes have a 'glass ceiling' that players cannot reach? If so he needs to adjust his criteria by aquiescing to those who are in the know....an accident waiting to happen? You betcha! - Ed

It has always gnarled many fans that apart from having a technically anonymously named Stadium, that West Ham United have carried a betting company's logo on their shirts for an awful long time! However, just like waiting for buses or Policemen, suddenly TWO bits of outstanding news are potentially on the horizon with German Financial giants Allianz showing an active interest in the naming rights of the Queen Elizabeth Park Stadium AND more pertinently a 'direct' shirt sponsorship deal with the club.

For those who have witnessed the devastating effect gambling can have on homes and communities this news cannot come too soon, Betting sponsorship is due to be outlawed for Premier League clubs in the not too distant future, unfortunately the same ruling will NOT currently apply to those clubs in the Championship and lower leagues who are looked on as being in danger of going out of business without betting sponsorship, but there is ABSOLUTELY NOEXCUSEfor 'elite' clubs to carry betting sponsorship in any way shape or form due to the huge revenue streams now being generated by global and domestic media coverage.

Lets face it, over the years Hammers have had some truly dreadful sponsors. Probably the last one which had any kudos was the much lamented Dr Martens deal! There have been a series of disastrous names associated with the club that always gave the impression of 'Authur Daily' deals done on the back of a fag packet in a service station!

How refreshing will it be to have a 'proper' sponsor in place, the club has had more an more exposure having been ever present in Europe for the last three seasons and has amassed a huge following abroad with the likes of Lucas Paqueta, Tomy Soucek and more recently Mo kudus and Edson Alvarez attracting a massive following from their home countries' supporters!

Hammers fans love to sing "West Ham are massive, everywhere we go" at an unnamed stadium with a dodgy sponsor's name on their shirts....what an upgrade it would be to play at the Allianz Stadium with their branding on the club's shirts! It can't happen soon enough- LN