Forum | Non-Football Related

It was perhaps inevitable sooner rather than later, and in this case much sooner, that having signed a lucrative THREE year deal to join West Ham Jack Wilshere would pick up an ankle injury that has had to be operated on. The injury will keep the 26 year old midfielder out of action for between 6 - 12 weeks, although it was a relatively minor ankle surgery, Wilshere's recovery up to match fitness could take considerably longer..

Wilshere completed West Ham's first three games but was taken off against Wolves and missed Sunday's win at Everton. "We envisage he will only need a relatively short period of rest and will then start his rehabilitation," said head of medical Richard Collinge. The surgeon was satisfied with the procedure and said all went as planned, Jack is focused and determined to get back training and playing as soon as possible," Collinge added. Sounds familiar?

'Focused and determined to get back training and playing as soon as possible', has disturbing 'Carrollesqe' connotations bearing in mind 'wheelchair's' legendary injury history, furthermore given last Sunday's performance he is unlikely to 'hobble' back into the first team which seems to have found the correct balance without him. We are not suggesting that signing Wilshere was a complete waste of money, merely that he is a rather expensive option for a player who at best will only play half the season, IF the manager chooses him ahead of all those players who are fit and capable.

Strength in depth is a neccessity for aspiring Barclays Premier League clubs, so having Wilshere as an option is useful, but only so if he doesn't emulate Andy Carroll and become a permanent fixture in the medical team's room. As we have mentioned already, the team looked much more balance without Jack, sometimes things just fall into place.

The best thing the club can do in our opinion is to get Carroll and Wilshere fit, which is no mean task in itself, and then flog them off along with a couple of others during the January window, 'sick notes are not for turning!' - Ed

Crisis, what crisis? Manuel Pellegrini looked like the cat that got the cream as he oversaw his team's 3-1 victory at Goodison Park away to Everton, although we used a feline reference, Manuel Pellegrini is much more reptilian, his eyes are very similar to those of Slaven Billic's, and wierdly their reptilian personna extends to their other facial features, at any time during an interview one expects an unsuspecting fly to be quickly consumed by a lighting 'tongue action', a certain Mr Harry would have a field day with that one!

The dark flags have been removed from Org headquarters as for the first time in what seems like a thousand years Monday morning will not be spent avoiding the 'Press'. Was it ever meant to be any other way? Interestingly in his post match 'El Pel' when asked if he had been worried about such a bad start to the season calmy mentioned that 'his' players had performed to a level that both he and they knew that they could perform at, he also dismissed whether it was a special day because it was his 65th birthday preferring to talk about how 'his' team had performed. Encouragingly Hammers played with a mixture of grit and guille and more than a bit of flair as they outplayed an albeit under strength and somewhat inexperienced side.

Whichever way viewed, the victory against what has always been a 'bogey' team for West Ham United, meant much more than the three urgently needed points that saw the club move out of the relegation zone, the result was much more a damning endightment of Pellegini's Tora Tora Tora approach, arrogant or just a self believer, his mantra only needs the players to embrace it before it can work.

Blind faith or beligerant obduration, Hammers are Paying Pellegrini just shy of £135,000 per week so he should be good! That said the media circus that descended on crisis club West Ham who had previously named them 'on the move' West Ham will have to cede to wisdom. Pellegrini saw his now match fit Yarmolenko link up perfectly with Arnoutovic, Anderson and Obiang in what was a truly moblie forward line, 'Elbows' unselfish play led to the first of Yalmalenko's brace following an electric counter, England number one keeper Jordan Pickford provided the second with a woeful clearance that ended up at 'Yar mo be there's ' feet as he tormented the Toffees defence before curling in a beautiful shot.

Inevitably the home side equalised just before half time with a well worked goal which was a bit unfair on the visitors given their work rate, all of Hammers defence performed well with Diop and Rice impressing and hopefully becoming a pairing for many years to come. Given the visitor's frailty of recent games it was presumed that the home side would launch an all out attack during the scond half, but it was not to be, and when Arnoutovic tucked home the third Hammers goal it was nothing more than they deserved, and huff and puff as the Toffees did, in the end they were not good enough to overcome a West Ham team that finally looked like it had discovered itself.

Blinding result, happy days, dream the dream, now count the sheep! per ardua ad astra - Ed