Hammers make Guinness Book of Records attempt on another night to forget for Rudi Van Maigaswinkel!



West Ham attempt to enter the Guinness Book of Records for most simultaneous substitutions

Hammer’s fans were reminded this evening how precious confidence is to that footballing creature commonly known as 'the striker'. Picture the scene, half way through the first half of a lively tussle…”Maiga, it’s a wonderful turn, he prepares to shoot……..ooogh it seemed to bobble up just as he was going to hit it”. Familiar story for the down on his luck forward who has been forced by financial circumstance (i.e. he was given a long and lucrative contract!) to return from his loan period at Metz to the Boleyn for another dose of despair. 

With just 5 goals in 31 games, Maiga’s record is relatively unimpressive (but statistically better than that of Enner Valencia who has only 4 in 32 games!), although many Hammers fans would say that it has been the quality of his all round play that has really disappointed. Spare a thought for similarly afflicted Rudi Van Wolfswinkel who has returned to Norwich after a loan spell at St Etienne to try to enhance his appauling strike rate of a single goal in 25 previous apearances for the Canaries. By far and away the best opportunity in the first half of tonight’s friendly was when the Dutch forward beat the offside trap to find himself one on one with Adrian. You can guess what happened next!

Both Maiga and Van Wolfswinkel need to get away and start afresh but the salary craziness of the Premiership is such that both are trapped as high earning flops until their respective contracts expire.
 

In the end the misfiring forwards were outdone by defensive starlet Harry Toffolo who managed to deflect a West Ham corner into his own net as the Hammers emerged as 1-0 victors.

In other news, how nice to see ex-Hammers Gaz O’Neil (midfield) and Dean Ashton (goals) plying their trade with the Canaries these days!