J-Lo in search of a Christmas miracle

Ho, ho, ho. Alright, let's be honest, we've all been dreading this game over the holiday break. It has loomed like a dark cloud, inevitable in it's darkness.

Right now, Liverpool are as good as they have been in a mighty long time while under the J-Lo leadership we seem stuck in transition - neither flesh nor fowl; leaky in defence, incoherent in midfield and stuttering up front.

With a truly dreadful record against Liverpool - both home and away, only the most naive fans can expect a result this evening. The Hammers are 15-2 against for a win with a draw at 9-2 and Pool hot favourites at 2-5 on with the bookies. 

On a positive note, Kilman is back and J-Lo has had tge sense to play Emerson and Wan Bissaka on the left flank to try and stifle the considerable threst of an on form Mo Salah.

Up front, Fullkrug and Summerville drop to the bench while Soler and Paqueta will try to create chances for Bowen and Kudus. It's a big ask but being West ham you just never know.

COYI!!!

Hammers starting XI: Areola, Coufal, Mavropanos, Kilman, Wan-Bissaka, Emerson  Alvarez,  Soler, Paquetá, Bowen (c), Kudus

It's all about to get very nasty for the Hammers!

West ham picked up what may be a massively important three points away to lowly Southampton yesterday as Captain Fantastic Jarrod Bowen stole in to grab the only goal of a scrappy affair. 

The Hammers are looking comfortable in lower mid table safety but the upcoming run of fixtures gives huge cause for concern that they are likely to struggle to pick up many points until late February.

Sunday’s home tie with a rampaging Liverpool side is followed by away fixtures at Man City, Villa, Chelsea and Arsenal with intervening home games against Fulham, Palace and Brentford looking like key fixtures in which J-Lo’s men need to get results if they are to maintain distance from the relegation battle. 

Add to all of that the sudden peak in injuries to Kilman, Fabianski and Soler, with Antonio sidelined for the foreseeable future, it’s looking like a worrying 2025 for the Hammers!

Tim Steidten is going to need to work some considerable magic in the January transer window if J-Lo is to avoid coming under increased pressure. A striker and a high energy midfielder are top of the needs list but Hammers fans will know that such commodities are rarely available in the January sales!

Fasten your seatbelts - it’s about to get bumpy!

COYI!!!

Happy Hammers Stumble Past Saints

Christmas is off to a good start for the Hammers as we picked up all three points away to lowly Southampton. However, it was another lukewarm performance with little evidence of a new system at play. With Liverpool and a wounded City up next, we needed to grab the points today and ultimately must respect the win. We are only 6 points off the Eurozone but really do not look like a top half side as Southampton were pretty toothless and a better side would surely have punished a generally lacklustre showing from J-Lo’s troops. 

West Ham Player ratings:

Lukasz Fabianski – 8/10: Fab’s career looked almost over when Areola took over the starting berth but he has battled back to remind us just how capable he is. He pulled off one excellent strike and then was the victim of a nasty collision in which he sustained a head injury. Areola is an able deputy and was solid albeit with very little to do as the Saints huffed and puffed and fizzled out.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka – 8/10: West Ham pulled off a real coup in bringing Wan Bissaka in from Man United and once again he was an energetic force throughout. He has been our best defensive performer this season and looks happy in his role. 

Konstantinos Mavropanos – 7/10: A solid showing from the big Greek. His physical strength was a real asset in keeping a lid on the supersized Onuachu in attack for Southampton. 

Max Kilman – 7/10: Along with Wan Bissaka he has been one of the Hammers’ best players this season. Taken off after sustaining a shoulder injury if he is out for Liverpool and City we are in big trouble. Todibo came on and played solidly and seems to be uo to the pace of the Premiership at last. 

Emerson Palmieri – 6/10: Emerson has a quiet day with only a few of his trademark forays forwards- possibly because Kudus looked well off form.

Guido Rodriguez – 4/10: Rodriguez really doesn’t look up to the Premiership - slow about the pitch and ponderous in possession, he is like another Soucek but without the aerial impact and goalscoring touch. Substituted with 25 minutes to go as he looked a bit lost and was on a yellow card. Almost sent off in a bizarre but correctly overturned red after a clumsy ‘coming together’ with Walker-Peters but in reality he had added very little. 

Tomas Soucek – 7/10: His usual go-to presence for headers and committed if clumsy around midfield. Also helped set up Bowen’s goal. 

Carlos Soler – 5/10: Soler has been playing well in recent games but struggled to make an impact today in a scrappy affair. Subbed at half time for Alvarez who was more involved as the Hamners tried to control the game in the second half.

Mohammed Kudus – 3/10: Possibly his least impressive performance for the Hammers. Looked off the pace and kept passing the ball backwards rather than doing what he is best at - taking on defenders. 

Jarrod Bowen – 8/10: Not at his best but clinical when it mattered with the crucial goal. A captain’s performance. 

Niclas Fullkrug – 5/10: Fullkrug is struggling to fit into J-Lo’s system but after such a long absence we need to be patient if we are to see what the experienced German can deliver. 

So, we are now in 13th, a point above Man Utd and level with Spurs. We need to bring in a high energy midfielder in January but sadly they are in short supply at that time of year.

COYI!

Fullkrug can be the fulcrum for Hammers attack

As the season lurches towards half way it's been a frustrating time for Hammers fans. Having moved on from the dull effectiveness of Moyesball, hopes were high that the incoming Jolen Lopetegui would bring a swashbuckling style that could push the Claret n Blues towards a European return. 

Sadly, despite an exciting transfer window with a host of top talents arriving while our best players stayed put, it's been a frustrating stop-start season so far. The Hammers look well adrift of the European action spots an languish in 14th with just 19 points - six points off Bournemouth in 6th.

There have been a number of key factors in the Hammers difficulties - Fullkrug's injury, a brand new defence that has struggled for consistency and Paqueta's loss of form have been big problems but in reality the team seems to lack a clear tactical plan.

Monday night suggested that perhaps the team are finally beginning to gel as the 1-1 at Bournemouth was a deserved point. Before that the win over Wolves was an important result and frankly the Hammers should have thumped Leicester but were sucker punched three times. 

The return of Fullkrug can hopefully provide the fulcrum for our attack as undoubtedly Bowen, Kudus, Summerville and Paqueta have the potential to upset any defence. The German makes his long awaited start today and begins with Bowen and Kudus in support. Sumerville can add energy from the bench, while Emerson and Wan Bissaka can keep things flowing down the wings.

Brighton, of course, will have their own ideas and have proven tricky opponents in the past for the Hammers. West ham are a tempting 7/4 for the win.

COYI!!!

West ham starting XI: Fabianski, Wan Bissaka, Mavropanos, Kilman, Emerson, Alvarez, Soucek, Paqueta, Bowen (c), Kudus, Fullkrug.

Feisty Fun as Hammers and Cherries share the spoils

It was an improved showing from Julen Lopetegui's troops tonight as they went toe to toe with a buoyant Bournemouth and almost stole all three points.

The Hammers edged the first half with a brave performance where they dominated midfield but lacked the necessary magic up front. 

At the back, J-Lo's lads looked composed but almost conceded a sucker punch just before half time but Fabianski was equal to it.

In the second half, the Cherries slowly grabbed the initiative until supersub Fullkrug had a crashing header from two yards brilliantly saved by Kepa in  the Bournemouth goal. 

Enter our recent buddies at VAR and the ball was judged to have struck a Bournemouth hand on its way across the goal. Ridiculous pedantry ensued with the happy Hammers donated a penalty.

Paqueta slotted to put the Hammers ahead with just a few minutes left but alas a stunning free kick from Cherries substitute Unai from all of 25 yards levelled it. It was the one moment of real class in a lively but sometimes scrappy affair. 

So, it finished 1-1. Probably a fair result. Importantly for West ham, we played with guts, fire and discipline. Fullkrug looked lively and mobile and is neat on the ball as well as a physical presence - we want to see more of our Summer signing!

Also, there was game time for Ollie Scarles and Kealan Casey which was a bonus In what was a decent team effort.

Three points would have been sweet but a point was a decent return. Maybe we are turning the corner at last?

Discordant Hammers Stumble South

It's hard to know what to make of the mediafest around West ham at the moment. Rumours of rifts abound with the bottom falling out of Julen Lopetegui's squad. It was always going to be a season of transition but right now the question is - transition into what?

Paqueta, Kudus, Todibo and others are all rumoured to be unhappy, while the loss of Antonio is a knife to the heart of the squad. 

After an underwhelming and fortunate win scraped out against lowly Wolves last Monday, some reports even suggested Lopetegui might go before tonights clash but that has not transpired. 

The squad tonight is less adventurous as J-Lo tries to stem high flying Bournemouths movement through midfield but that comes at the cost of dropping the impressive Somerville to the bench. Fullkrug is fit and amongst the subs, while Todibo is (apparently) injured and Emerson is on a ban. 

the pairing of Soler and Paqueta could be interesting but you'd have to worry about the lack of pace in midfield with Soucek and Alvarez filling the two defensive berths.

Rory Nostradamus is hoping for a draw but that'll require a big improvement on recent form as Lopetegui once again shuffles the disgruntled pack!

COYI!!!

Hammers starting XI: Fabianski, Coufal, Mavropanos, Kilman, Wan-Bissaka, Alvarez, Soler, Soucek  Paquetá, Kudus , Bowen (c).

Unconvincing Hammers Chisel Out Vital Win

Deemed the El Sackico by the press, last night's clash between fellow strugglers West ham and Wolves was always going to be a compelling affair. However, there was little evidence of quality on show apart from the effervescence of Jarrod Bowen who, ultimately, was the difference between the two sides. Bowen claimed an assist for Tomas Soucek's opener and then a tremendous strike for the winning goal as the Hammers ran out 2-1 victors.

But it was far from straightforward as the Hammers were lucky to be awarded the corner from which Soucek scored and there was a possible foul in the build up to Bowen's strike. Moreover, Wolves had two good shouts for penalties turned down by VAR. That 2-1 could easily have been 0-3 on another night.

But the Hammers will feel that they deserved the win after a sickening defeat to Leicester in their previous outing in which Soucek was denied a perfectly good goal for a perceived foul on the keeper and despite massive domination, the Hammers were suckered 3-1 by a modest Leicester side.

From the Hammers perspective, Mohamad Kudus was also unlucky not to get on the score sheet last night with two strikes ruled out for offside. 

Michail Antonio linked in with his team mates for a videocall prior to the game and had the Hammers goals dedicated to him in touching moments during the game. We wish him a good recovery.

The extent of Wolves discontent was hammered home by the distasteful scenes at the final whistle as Wolves captain Lemina tusdled with Bowen during the usual hand shaking exchanges and then proceeded to huff around the pitch like a child throwing a tantrum for another 7 minutes before staff finally calmed the irate player down. Pointless bad loserdom that only adds to Wolves sense of despair. We expect more from the club captain.

So, what next for Lopetegui? Bournemouth is another major test for the under- pressure manager. The Hammers are enjoying more possession under his reign but quite simply don't match the better sides and are vulnerable to counterattack from sides that sit deep and absord pressure. This may well only represent a short stay of execution as there is little evidence of a tactical plan that is still to kick into gear.

Either way, that's five wins which is half way to yhe magic ten wins that usually guarantees safety in what was always going to be a season of transition for the Hammers.

COYI!!!