Classy Hammers to boss makeshift Lions in Dockers derby

Top of the Table West ham make the short journey to the Den to take on Millwall at 12.30 today. West Ham manager Nuno Espírito Santo will be focusing heavily on exploiting an injury-ravaged Lions in this highly anticipated Dockers Derby.

The Hammers have been pretty porous at the back but have been free scoring up front. Nuno has demanded a defensive improvement. However, Nuno will look to capitalise on Millwall's injury crisis and not surprisingly has an offensive-minded starting XI with Bowen, Taty, Piroe and Solomon all starting and will aggressively press Millwall's makeshift backline right from the opening whistle.

Jarrod Bowen enters the derby in stellar form with 4 goals and 3 assists in his last seven Championship appearances. Having been overlooked by Thomas Tuchel in the latest England squad announcement, Bowen will take the pitch with a massive point to prove. Bowen faces young left-back Zak Sturge, presenting a massive experience mismatch and is 7/5 to score today.

But the atmosphere will be intense, even hostile and Nuno’s boys will need to embrace the emotional significance of this derby to the West Ham faithful while showing mental resilience and match Millwall's physical intensity. 

While the fierce atmosphere of a long-awaited rivalry will give Millwall a passionate home advantage, the tactical reality favours the vHammers. Millwall’s devastating injury crisis leaves their makeshift backline vulnerable against a clinical West Ham attack.

We can expect Millwall to fight fiercely and potentially score through a set-piece. However, the sheer individual quality and current form of the Hammers and potency of captain Bowen Jarrod Bowen should see the league-leading Hammers secure all three points by the final whistle.

Rory Nostradamus predicts a 2-1 win for the high-flying Bubbles.

Tierney to play central role as Hammers look to nail Lions

Sorry Eamonn, it's gonna be West ham's day

With less than an hour to kick off, the excitement is off the scales for the first competitive coming together of Millwall and West ham in fourteen years. On paper, the Hammers have a more skillful squad, and if football breaks out, you suspect the hammers will prevail. However, the Den is an intimidating environment and Millwall will almost certainly look to make this game a competitive and passionate toe to toe battle.

Central to today's outcome will be how the referee manages the game. Given the fierce rivalry and the intense atmosphere expected for their first league meeting in over a decade, the EFL has assigned Paul Tierney—a highly experienced official to keep a tight lid on proceedings. 

Tierney is no stranger to high-pressure environments. He has refereed over 350 Premier League fixtures and has been trusted with the FA cup final in 2023 and EFL cup final in 2021. 

He is generally regarded as a referee who tries to let the game flow but will not hesitate to clamp down early if the  match threatens to boil over.

Historically, the referee's stats heavily favor the Hammers over the Lions: the Hammers have picked up 24 ponts from 19 games under Tierney while poor Millwall have only picked up one win and three points out of eight.

Let's hope Tierney takes a no-nonsense attitude into today's game!

COYI!!!

Reasons to be Cheerful: Here’s why life in the Championship is so much fun

 

Anyone else enjoying life in the Championship? People said that West ham would have a half empty stadium for home games but the fans have answered that by turning up in force - 60k for last Friday’s demolition of Wrexham.

And here’s why:

1. First of all, It feels like we can win in every game! This allows for brighter, more open football and lots (and lots) of goals. Even Pablo has finally started pitching in. Honestly, Bowen looks capable of netting 25-30 goals over the season. Our Centre backs look superdangerous at set pieces, and lest we forget, SuperTomas Soucek is soon to return. Nuno is a manager of rhythm and now we have sorted out the transfer ins and outs, the team have found the rhythm that suits them. 

2. Secondly, there's no VAR. That means that there is full capacity for unbridled celebration. When the ball goes in the net it’s a goal. No VAR nerds finding a minor infringement 37 seconds back in the build up. Let’s face it, proper footy is a 90+ minute series of repeated transgressions. That’s what makes it human - to prosper is to ride on the outer margins of the rules. VAR may reduce the diving but it kills the celebration of goals. Football is a better spectacle without it.

3. This team is truly West Ham UNITED! Anybody left in the squad wants to be at the club (Magassa and Alcarez have been excluded by Nuno who has no time for 50%ers). The kids may be a bit raw but they are our kids, acadamied and East-Ended. Similarly, when we play other clubs, most have a healthy smattering of their own academy graduates. It’s delightfully REAL. 

4. We get to play Millwall.

COYI!!!