Everton.
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Come on Everton
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Everton.
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Come on Everton
Soucek
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Back amongst the goals and doing what he does best.....Moyes meddling turned Soucek into a Pariah figure with fans wanting him out but with Rice gone Alvarez playing the role Soucek had last year and now given the freedom to get into the box and do what he is good at and scoring vital goals........Look what happens when you play players in there best positions instead of Mogadons square peg syndrome....could not be happier for the player as he was dug out a lot last season by me and others over his passing and being a passenger in nearly every game but the one thing you could say about him is his attitude and commitment to the club never wavers.
Have Hammers Missed A Trick (or two)?
Most media operators look to find the best and most reliable information with regards to Premier League clubs comings and goings, such is the global interest in the 'brand', some sources of course are more 'honest' than others! However, there does appear to be one interesting anomaly and that is that 'youth' players seem to be far higher valued away from England than they are 'at home'.
In Europe it is NOT uncommon to see clubs vying for the services of 17 year olds, these sought after players are generally snapped up by a 'big team' and then have a ludicrous sell-out clause inserted into their contracts. Many of these starlets eventually arrive on these shores on massive wages and for huge transfer fees!
So when David Moyes elected to start 'Uncle' Danny Ings against Burnley this afternoon ahead of young Divin Mubama it came as NO surprise to many Hammers fans, Moyes persisted with the hopelessly off the pace Ings until 'Moysie' time (always the 65th minute) when he finally unleashed Divin Mubama on to the Turf Moor pitch.
Instantly the tempo changed and the Burnley defence knew that they were going to be in a game until the final whistle and they certainly were!The soporific 'fodder' that had been on view suddenly changed, the entire Irons team got an extra spring in their step knowing that the through balls and cross field balls they played would actually have a recipient who would burst their lungs to reach the pass.
Mubama made life an absolute misery for the Clarets' defenders which ultimately lead to Mubama's goal although it has now been deemed an 'OGGY', nevertheless it was the young striker's persistent badgering of the opposition that eventually paid off.
Then of course Kudus, another player Moyes seemed to think incapable of starting matches, provided his 2nd assist in a matter of minutes, his lovely ball was met by a Tomy Soucek half volley that made the score a respectable 2-1 and three points to boot. Soucek is starting to resemble the player he once was before being sacrificed by Moyes in the managers' attempts to keep Declan Rice for one more season.
Kudus did blot his copybook by conceding an early 2nd half penalty, but he made up for it and then some. Incidentally such was the poor showing of the 1st half that a Hammers 'celebrity' fan was seen to nod off in the 'executive' wine and dine suite! WE are reliably informed he was NOT drunk, just bored witless.
Just as Moyes now acknowledges the important part Kuudus plays for the team, there is a vague possibility he might 'climb down' regarding Mubama, Mubama as opposed to Ings? No question to answer. - Ed
Live Now Burnley v West Ham Line Ups
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
Callum Marshall & Divin Mubama Set To Soar?
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
I want a Date
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Calm down boys i'm talking about a football date as in change the start of the season to say start of October that way you get shot of two International breaks before the season starts and only have two disruptions to the premier league until March and finish the season say mid June we can all go away on our hols and not worry till October again.
Bare Bones..It Was Coming!
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
No Tomy & No Big Mikey!!
The International break is always a fraught one for domestic managers and this most recent one looks as if it is going to be "MOYES' NEMESIS!' BOTH Mikey Antonio and Tomy Soucek have picked up injuries that will make them unavailable for the next Premier League game against Burnley AND most likely the crucial derby games against Palace, Tottinghmam and Fulham!
There are also important Europa League games against TSC and Freiburg that the duo could well miss, crisis, what crisis? Eventually the lack of cover in the forwards positions was ALWAYS going to come and 'bite Hammers arse' and that is exactly what has happened!
'Uncle' Danny Ings is absolutely a square peg in a round hole when it comes to filling in for Antonio, who despite his poor run of form recently is still far and away a better 'outlet' for a team that plays 'Moyes Ball'. The only vague positivity surrounding the situation is that Divin Mubama might FINALLY get a chance to show what he is made of!
There are those who have been highly critical of Soucek this season, a player who was 'scarificed' last season in order to keep Declan Rice at the club. Big Tom has now returned to being the player he once was, as his goal tally will testify to so far, so losing him even for a few games is going to be a drain on Moyes' self-imposed limited resources.
The need to get involved in the January window has suddenly cranked up. hopefully the 'Steidten' will have a plan in place to rectify past transfer misdemeanours! - Ed
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