Hammers prepare for Superman's return

As the transfer merry go round kicks into gear the Hammers gave moved quickly to address their longstanding problem at right back by capturing Pablo Zabaleta from Man city. Zabaleta is no spring chicken at 32 years of age, but will bring his experience and discipline to the position with the hope that young Sam Byram can learn from the Argentinian veteran.

Meanwhile, the rumours about regarding their other key area of deficit as they have been linked with a series of forwards.

In other news, it appears that Enner Valencia will be returning from his loan spell at Everton. After 21 appearances and three goals, his contribution at the Toffees has mirrored his in and out form over the two previous seasons at West ham where he managed 8 goals in 54 appearances.

Valencia has not managed to bring his prolific scoring at International level to the Premiership but with Gokhan Tore departed, he may be deemed a useful squad member as Superslav looks to push for top six status next season.

What do you think? Should we hold on to him in the hope that he has finally adjusted to the physicality of the Premiership or let him go?

Hammer Foils Narcos Kingpin

More International snoozerama last night as England stumbled home after a 0-0 draw against Slovenia with a frustrated Michail Antonio stuck on the bench. Antonio's capacity to shake things up with his uber-direct aggressive style and aerial prowess seemed just the thing that a listless England needed, but Gareth - nice guy - Southgate was playing it much more conservatively on his first outing as stand in manager.



The real Pablo Escobar

Meanwhile, out in South America, Enner Valencia was banging them in again for his native Ecuador. Scoring twice and having another cleared off the line against Bolivia, Enner was on top form as his contributions matched those of Bolivian striker Pablo Escobar!!! One would have thought that Pablo was the one name off the menu for those blessed with the Escobar surname but not so in Bolivia where perhaps they don't get the popular Netflix show Narcos!

What is perhaps more intriguing, however, is the remarkable disparity between Valencia's strike rate at international level (18 goals in 33 games) compared to his tenure at West Ham (10 goals in 66 games). Valencia is 3.6 times more likely to net for Ecuador than the Hammers, but why???

One likely element is his relative lack of physicality - despite being at West Ham for three seasons before moving on loan to Everton, he still finds it hard to hold on to possession against Premiership defenders and at 5 foot 8 inches is small even for a wide attacker.

The relatively narrow pitch at Upton Park may also have limited his success as he thrives on the extra space at International venues. Perhaps things might have been different at the Olympic Stadium but we won't know for at least the rest of this season - except when the Everton Bogeymen come to visit on April 22nd next year.

Meanwhile, it's back to business for the Hammers as we prepare for Palace away at the weekend. Hopefully the break will revitalise our side and we might see the return of some of our absent players with both Andy Carroll and Aaron Cresswell looking at making the bench...COYI!!!

 

There's only one Enner Valencia...

Valencia's finest moment in Claret n Blue

Indeed, there is but only one Enner Valencia - but somebody needs to tell Swansea FC who were 'chasing' the Ecuadorian striker and announced on their official website that he had arrived as a new signing even though he had actually ultimately ended up at Everton!

Many Hammers fans will suggest that Swansea might be better off blushing now at a minor faux-pas rather than enduring a hapless season of Valencia NOT scoring - something he has excelled at during his time at West Ham. In fact, so NOT prolific was Valencia that he didn't even make the suggestion list for main striker in the on going Fans poll - if you haven't voted why not let us know your thoughts by clicking on your choice (above right).

Hammers fans might well also surmise that there are indeed two different Enners - the one who has amassed an impressive 16 goals in his 29 international performances (more than a goal every other game), and the one who has struggled with a mere 8 goals in 60 appearances at West ham (a goal ever 7.5 games).

Has he been played out of position? Those who actually watch Ecuador's international matches will say not and point to his lack of innate physicality as a major disadvantage in the rough and tumble of the Premiership.

Either way, it'll be good to not have to endure watching him repeatedly lose possession during our games!

Perfect Start to New Life at OS for Hammers but how did they rate individually?

Life at the Olympic Stadium began with an emphatic win as West Ham dominated Slovenian rivals NK Domzale, overturning the 2-1 deficit from the first leg to run out 3-0 victors. The reward will be a tie versus Romanian side Astra Giurgiu who defeated the Hammers in last year's Europa exit. One senses that Slaven Bilic will be looking to avenge that defeat with a strong side when the tems meet on the 18th (a) and 25th (h) of August.

But how did our heroes perform individually?

Darren Randolph: Dazza is a top quality keeper and we are lucky to have him as back up to Adrian. A quiet night but he was called into action in the second half as Domzale tried to get back into the tie. His concentration was good and he made the one excellent save that was needed. Good distribution from the back as well. 8/10.

Sam Byram: Sam played really well despite being on his less favoured flank. He also contributed to the attacking efforts of the team with plenty of overlapping runs. One foolish mistimed challenge in the second half reminded us that he isn't the finished product just yet but is certainly progressing well. 8/10.

Michail Antonio: A better organised defence last night meant that his lack of defensive positional sense was not exposed as in the first leg. One mistimed tackle reminded us that he is naturally an attacker. Michail was unphased by the difficulties of the previous match and just got on with it, pushing forward regularly without any fear. He seemed to connect well with Reece Oxford as the right-sided CB as well. Still wasted though at RB! 8/10.

Winston Reid: Cool and committed, Winston is our best defender by an amount. He linked in brilliantly with young Oxford while also supporting Byram out wide. Top class player. 9/10.

Reece Oxford: He really does look like the new Rio! Calm, intelligent and fearless - should he start against Chelsea? We think yes!!! Made some excellent tackles when needed and looked entirely unphased by events. 10/10.

Havard Nordtveit: Looked much more comfortable as the defensive midfielder than he did at CB last week. A decent physical presence he looks well suited for the Premiership. No nonsense tackling and unfussy but distribution. he'll be pleased with his contribution. 8/10.

Mark Noble: Captain Claret fluffed his first few touches at his new home but naturally kicked into gear and kept the intensity of our game at a high level throughout with his high octane contributions. 8/10.

Cheik Kouyate: Looked a bit off form last week but was back to his best with his energetic running and, of course, two decent goals. Kouyate likes playing anywhere in midfield and last night emphasized his ability to be the more forward element of the midfield. All smiles, as always! 10/10.

Enner Valencia: Made the first goal and looked lively throughout. However, he missed a few decent opportunities and in fairness it seems that things have just never quite kicked on for him at West Ham. Maybe its time for a switch? 7/10.

Sofiane Feghouli: You sense that we have picked up another diamond here. Lively, nice touch and an eye for goal as emphasised by his finish for the third goal. We simply cannot wait to see him alongside Payet and Lanzini. 9/10.

Andy Carroll: No goals but he put in a very decent shift. Andy looks like he has gained a yard or two in pace as well! We were once again reminded just how big his contribution to the team effort is with his targeted physicality. Ten goals a season along with the chaos (and space) he creates is enough. 8/10.





 

Five Positives to take from Domzale Defeat

Cheer up lads!

Competitive football in July is a strange delight. It takes our attentions away from the tiresome transfer merry-go-round while providing an opportunity to run the eye over new signings and younger talent coming through. However, as last night's disappointing performance against Slovenian 'giants' NK Domzale demonstrated, it can also expose our lack of game sharpness and sap confidence.

Despite the obvious negatives from a game where we never got out of second gear, there were some definite positives to take from what was a revealing encounter:

1. Sofiane Feghouli will be a huge addition. Although he drifted out of things as we lost our way in the second half, before that he looked very lively and assured on the ball. He is clearly blessed with a tasty first touch that makes space for everyone around him and preseason has shown that he knows what to do with the ball when given the chance. No doubt every Hammers fan is looking forward to seeing him link up with Mr Payet as one senses they are very likely to 'click'.

2. The Michail Antonio 'experiment' MUST now be abandoned. Aside from it's stunning failure, it's only a matter of time until another club senses that he is being misused at West Ham and swoops with an offer to play him in his proper position. He simply doesn't think like a defender, both positionally and in terms of his tackling as he innately tries to win the ball rather than block progress. After Domzale's second goal he looked lost - neither fish nor fowl he looked fearful of attacking but still out of position in defence. Byram looked better at RB when he moved there but we are very thin on full backs for a side with major aspirations. Mr Bilic's case for funds to sort out the full back positions was certainly strengthened by last night's proceedings.

3. Enner Valencia needs a fresh start at a new club. He may well still be banging them in for Ecuador but he has failed to deliver during his time at West Ham. Last night he again looked out of sorts and after his first few efforts floundered you could sense his head dropped. It's Matt Jarvis syndrome all over again - nice guy but it's time to move on and make space in the squad for a more consistently incisive talent.

4. Given that the game was only aired on BT Sport it seems unlikely that top striking talent from across Europe and beyond will have observed the shambolic performance. We lost and deservedly so as we failed to create a single decent scoring opportunity and we gifted a soft penalty as compensation for an even softer one given earlier to Domzale. Strikers need service to shine and there was scant evidence that any new recruit could have done better than Andy Carroll last night. On a positive note, once again we were reminded how useful the big man is in defending set pieces as he cleared more than half of Domzale's sixteen corner kicks! Yes, sixteen!!!

5. Adrian is a truly top keeper. His double save at the end of last night's game kept West Ham firmly in the tie. A 3-1 lead would have put Domzale in a envious position, especially as we seem to concede goals for fun right now. At 2-1 we won't have to chase the game too much and are surely still favourites to progress. Last night's result will make next week's Olympic Stadium debut all the more exciting and meaningful. Rather than some tame affair with a foregone conclusion, we will surely see a strong side get stuck in to Domzale. It'll be a chance to test our ability to recreate the Boleyn atmosphere - a challenge we are all looking forward to.

That's more like it!

 

Marshall To Lead the Line For Hammers Against Blackburn

It's kinda inevitable that with his surname and rapmeister look, that Hammers new man Emmanuel Emenike is already being referred to as soundalike hitman Eminem AKA Marshall Mathers! With the recent departure of Nikica Jelavic to China, the latest injuries to Andy Sicknote and Enner Valencia, and Diafra Sakho still a few weeks away from a return, Emenike faces a big opportunity to demonstrate his ability.

So far, the verdict has been mixed. Hammers fans were aware that Emenike is an emotional player, even to the point of volatility. In more practical terms, he had lost his previous scoring touch that in 2013 won him the Golden boot at the AFCON, ultimately being forced out of the Nigerian Super Eagles National team set up.

Some commentators warned that his first touch can be heavy, and early evidence suggests that indeed may be so. In addition, others have commented that he prefers to play from a wide attacking position rather than in the central role where the Hammers lack presence. However, he is well known to Slaven Bilic from his Turkish adventures and has strength and power as major assets.
 

In last weekend's game against Norwich he came on for a crazy final 20 minutes and managed to get himself into two gilt edged scoring positions, but sadly fluffed both!  On the plus side, he did get into scoring positions and watching his movement, he positions like a striker rather than an attacking wide player.

His first touch was heavy on a few occasions, including one which almost led to a dangerous Norwich counter attack. This, of course, may just be a combination of his enthusiasm along with having to adapt to the speed of the Premiership. Either way, it looks like Hammers fans are destined to get a close look at their now striker as Sakho will need time to get to match fitness.

Given his history, Hammers fans will be hoping that Emineke gets a confidence-boosting goal early in his Hammers career, and the tussle with Blackburn will provide an excellent opportunity to show his worth. Bilic has done virtually nothing wrong in the transfer market so far (OK, so Jelavic proved a squad bolstering move that didn't quite work out!) and seems to have a good sense of what works in the Premiership. Fingers crossed!

 

It's Time to Ditch the Faux Modesty Slaven


And so, with the transfer window closed, now it's down to the business half of the season. The lack of engagement in the madness that is the window is a marker of where West Ham are as a club. Byram was a decent (and much needed) acquisition, while Emenike is a punt but otherwise we have a strong squad that should bloom with the imminent returns of Carroll, Sakho and Lanzini.

Time to fly fly fly!

In a recent interview, Slaven Bilic again played down our European prospects suggesting that “We don’t have Champions League ambitions, we are very far away from that". However, we are just two wins off fourth spot and deserved well in the running for a champions League spot. If Liverpool or Spurs or even Man United had our current squad they would surely expect to qualify for Europe!

As such, we need to push on now. One wonders if speculating on a poacher (Charlie Austin went to Southampton for peanuts) might have given us that extra bite needed to really pressurise Spurs (and probably Leicester) as the season unfolds. Clearly Slaven feels we have enough up top and if Carroll and Sakho stay fit their combined efforts should bring enough goals to put us into contention, especially if Payet, Lanzini and Antonio chip in with goals from midfield.

Either way, tonight's game is a must win. In contrast to us, Villa needed a big transfer window but Remi Garde could not attract the 3-4 big signings that their relegation battle needs. They have multiple absences for this evening's trip and will probably be happy with a draw. Luckily, we have the ultimate lockpicker in Mr Payet who may well be a key influence this evening. We managed only a point when we met a few weeks back and really need to get four points over the two encounters if we are to realise top six pretentions.

However, after a good run we have stuttered of late, losing a game we should have drawn (Newcastle), drawing a game we should have won (Man City) and drawing a game we deserved to lose (Liverpool). With Noble and Kouyate back in the centre, we wont concede midfield the way we did at Anfield. Hopefully Enner Valencia will have sorted out his studs and stop falling over the way he did against Liverpool. It would be interesting to get a glimpse of Emenike as well.

Ten points from safety with games rapidly running out, perhaps the best thing we can do for Villa is show them the league table at the same point during our great escape year to emphasise how anything is possible!

The Man Who Fell To Earth

It's an all too familiar story to Hammers fans; the plucky 'smaller' club dominates the first two thirds of the game but doesn't make enough of their dominance. Then the bigger club gets a lifeline, seizes it and goes on to win 'easily' by two goals.

The one difference about this evening is that we were the 'bigger' club. 3-1 was a dreadfully harsh scoreline on the Cherries, who could have been out of sight by half time. Sadly for them, the Hammers have Dimitri Payet on their books and when they needed something magical, the sorcerer duly delivered.

His free kick was scintillating. Poor Boruc had NO chance whatsoever. But then, as Bournemouth were still reeling, Payet plonkered their defence before slotting the ball across to Enner Valencia. Without a goal in 11 months, the Ecuadorian lapped up the gift, 2-1. Valencia's confidence visibly swelled such that when another free kick opportunity arose but with Payet by now withdrawn, he had the audacity to shoot from an acute angle. The ball dipped weirdly and crashed into the net with Boruc again helpless. Game over.

Somewhere in all that Alex Song came on for Payet, again adorned in those  goggles that make him look like he's from another planet BUT there was only one player who was truly other worldly in his brilliance, and that was Monsieur Payet...

 

Good Tidings We Bring...at last!

At last we have some good news on the injury front with word that the Hammers squad for the St Stephen's day clash with Aston Villa will be graced by the presence of Andy Carroll, a ninety-minute ready Enner Valencia, and most importantly, Manny Lanzini.

Good news indeed as we have had to resort to Allardycian tactics over the past few games where goalless encounters have been hailed as success given the lack of attacking resources. Nonetheless, accumulating just 27% of the possession against third from bottom Swansea is hardly a champagne-opening event! Moreover, it points to more than just offensive deficiencies as Noble and Company in the midfield can surely do better?

On the plus side, we have demonstrated how strong our defence can be, with the Ginger Pele reminding us all why he must stay at West ham for another two year contract. Up front, however, it's frustrating to watch Jelavic occupying a spot which young Elliot Lee has patiently waited for over the past few seasons but finds himself on loan at Blackpool just when his big chance arrives.

Villa really is a must win fame as they are struggling big time. Reports suggest that they are even desperate enough to take on the dubious talent that is Morgan Amalfitano.

The return of Lanzini can bring that spark that has been lacking. The Argentinian has been a revelation since arriving in the Summer and has especially demonstrated his worth during the Payet absence where he has been our most creative force.

In other good news, Goldie has revealed that superhero Dimitri Payet is recovering ahead of schedule and should return mid January.

Deck the halls with boughs of holly, fa la la la la

La la

La la.

Striker Breakthrough As Hammers Respond to Valencia Injury

Stop Laughing at our Jersey Sponsor!!!

Reports emerging from the Spanish media suggest that Mexican international striker Raul Jimenez is on his way to West Ham for a season long loan from Atletico Madrid. After a disappointing year at 'Los Colchoneros' (The Mattress Makers!?!), Jimenez will be hoping to rediscover the form that prompted Athletico to splash out €11 million to capture his services from Club America.

Many Hammers fans will be wary of bringing in a player who has shined in the Mexican league but struggled for game time in La Liga and although he got on the pitch on 23 occasions last year, he started only five games and amassed a total of one goal.  Jimenez is struggling for game time in an Atletico squad that has both Mario Mandzukic and Fernando Torres as striking options but notably, Diego Simeone has repeatedly commented on the 24 year old's excellent attitude.

However, Jimenez is a completely different prospect to ex-Hammer Pablo Barrera. At 6ft 3inches and with a strong physique he is a substantial presence in the air and, in so far as is possible to predict, should suit Premiership football. He also has neat feet and the ability to produce the extraordinary as his bicycle kicked goal from outside of the area for Mexico against Panama in 2013 proves. If he can rediscover the goalscoring form of his time in the Liga MX, where his strike rate was a goal every 2.5 games, he could be a hit at West Ham. As a loanee, the Hammers are unlikely to lose out on the deal and will still have spare cash left in the Charlie Austin resettlement fund.

Speaking of Barrera, he has been back in Mexico for the past two years having had a stint in La Liga after leaving West Ham. He is currently playing for Monterrey but has fallen off the register of the Mexican National team since 2012.



 

The True Cost of Your Ropey League Hits Home

The picture says it all. Already stretched in terms of attacking options, the last player that Boss Slaven Bilic would have wanted to pick up an injury would have been Enner Valencia. Having just scored the comeback goal that Hammers fans expected to be the start of a scoring spree, he twisted awkwardly and now looks crocked for six months or more according to leaked reports after his scan today.

 As a result, the first of the VERYWESTHAM predictions for the coming season (i.e. that Valencia's second season would be terrific and prolific) has gone into the dustbin. The prediction that we would finish fifth in the Premiership also looks a little ambitious now!

However, perhaps this incident is what's needed to re-energise our efforts to find a new striker (or two?). Chaz Austin is still very much available and as the transfer deadline approaches the game of poker around the transfer fee and his  personal terms should come to a conclusion. The absence of competition for a starting place will also surely make the Hammers an attractive club for a player on the verge of the England set up, and then there's the King's Landing London versus Winterfellish Noocassell issue in terms of lifestyle.....Case closed!

A proven Premiership goalscorer who is relatively lucky regarding injuries.....the £15 million signing on fee would bring our Premiership predictions back to life and is surely a small price to pay for the honour of competing in one of Europe's leading football competitions.  

 

Bilic Ponders Valencia Conundrum

West ham's biggest signing last Summer was Ecuadorian forward Enner Valencia who arrived for 12 million from the Mexican League. Valencia enjoyed an impressive World cup, demonstrating excellent technique, speed and a notable goalscoring prowess.

His time at West ham began well, as he teamed up with the on-fire Diafra Sakho forming a formidable striking partnership that thrust the Hammers to the dizzy heights of fourth place by Christmas.

Along the way Valencia notched up a few strikes but seemed unlucky not to score more with a series of close misses. None the less, the omens were good, with his stunning strike against Hull a goal to remind us all that he is world class if given space and time.

But it hasn't kicked on for the Ecuadorian. Ultimately he managed just 4 goals all season despite being given his preferred free role on the left wing for much of the time. Interestingly, this contrasts with his performances at International level where he keeps banging in the goals at a rate greater than one every second game - as poor Mexico found out last night!

The challenge of adjusting to life in a new continent for a lad who previously worked as a farm hand in Ecuador cannot be underestimated ( but was perhaps overstated by Sam Allardyce who fretted that the lad might mistakenly eat dog food due to language difficulties!). He also had the misfortune of sustaining a nasty foot injury in a freak domestic accident that kept him out of action gor a (brief) spell. Moreover, the rumours of interest from Chelsea may have also distracted the lad.

Next season will see a new style under Bilic that will surely better suit the talented Ecuadorian who will also now be fully acclimatised to the speed and aggression of the Premiership. The return of Sakho et al to full fitness will also help.....

All in all its looking like 2015/6 could well be Valencia's season to really shine. Having put in the hard work supporting his acclimatisation, the Hammers will be looking forward to reaping the rewards of their patience!

In the time of chimpanzees i was a monkey



We're too sexy...

The words of the old Beck classic come to mind as two sides on losing streaks - West ham (4 of their last five) and Stoke City (last three) - come together to try and end their respective bad runs.

West Ham are close to full strength with Enner Valencia available again, while Stoke's side reads like a Republic of Ireland teamsheet with Glenn Whelan, Mark Wilson, Jon Walters and Stephen (not) Ireland likely to start.

West ham will be watching the caution count as they still harbour hopes of a back door entry to the Europa League via the fair play ratings system. Avoiding cautions against a physically robust Potters side will be a considerable challenge.

Hammers, we are coming for Ya!

Meanwhile, Stoke boss Mark Hughes has bemoaned the perceived lack of 'sex' appeal amongst British-born managers citing Sam Allardyce and himself as examples of underappreciated managerial (presumably) sex gods. In bad news for Stoke, they have been forced to widen the pitch at the Brittania stadium in order to comply with Premier League requirements for next season - a change that will undoubtedly impact upon their ability to compress games into tight physical encounters.

Either way, somebody is gonna lose their loser status today. We predict a 1-1 'thriller'. Our intrepid reporter Patrick 'Jeremy' Paxman will be in attendance to watch the ballet!

Put the Passports Away Lads...

"Anyone got any biscuits?"

At Christmas Hammers fans were dreamong of European football next year but after a subsequent run of just 2 wins in 14 matches (yes...2 wins, 7 draws and 5 losses!) West ham are merely making up the numbers as the business end of the season starts in earnest.

The players must have been dreaming of their annual 'warm weather' holiday to Dubai on Saturday as they fell apart against a very modest Crystal Palace side succumbing 3-1 at home.

The single bright moment for the Hammers was that it was good to see Enner Valencia back scoring again - our prediction is that he will realise his true potential in his second Premiership season.

http://youtu.be/uW2WT4zdd4E

With Chelsea buoyant after their league cup win over Tottenham yesterday, the Hammers will need to up their game if they are to get anything from Wednesday's trip to Stamford Bridge.

Either way, the season has petered out. Now the work will focus upon trying to hold what we have for next year's campaign as out of contract Winston Reid And loanees Alex Song and Carl Jenkinson look set to depart.

It's time to get out into the garden again...

Hammers Select Strongest Possible Starting XI

It's the big one and not surprisingly Big Sam has selected a strong starting line up. Interestingly, Kevin Nolan is on the bench as the dream midfield of Kouyate, Song, Noble and Downing finally gets to start. In Nolan's absence, Mark Noble is captain. The prolific Harry Kane returns for Spurs but West Ham will hope that the similarly returning Winston Reid can stiffle his impact. Up front for West Ham, Sakho is fit and ready to terrorise the Tottenham defence while for his striking partnet Enner Valencia today is the ideal moment to shine.

Rory Nostradamus predicts a thriller with the final score a 2-2 draw

Tottenham

Lloris, Walker, Dier, Vertonghen, Rose, Bentaleb, Mason, Lamela, Dembele, Townsend, Kane
Subs: Vorm, Davies, Fazio, Stambouli, Chadli, Eriksen, Soldado

West Ham

Adrian, Jenkinson, Tomkins, Reid, Cresswell, Song, Noble, Kouyate, Downing, Sakho, Valencia.
Subs: Jaaskelainen, Demel, O’Brien, Collins, Nolan, Jarvis, Cole

Winning Ugly is a characteristic of top six sides

After yesterday's victory over Hull City - described by some outlets as a 'thrashing' - Hammer's fans need to not get carried away as, despite the 3-0 scoreline, we were truly dreadful for the first half and hardly deserved to be at parity as we headed down the half-time tunnel.

Sam's assertion that we were off the pace and 'tired' rings true, especially when one considers that the wily old Steve Bruce almost certainly told his troops to run at West ham to test their energy levels. James Tomkins in particular looked well-weary and was repeatedly tormented by the pace of Hull's Sone Aluko. Maybe he was still upset after the 'row' with Mark Noble during Tuesday night's tense affair?

At half time Sam reverted to the diamond and it all clicked. Hull barely threatened and after establishing a lead, West Ham duly put Hull to the sword catching them on the breal twice in a matter of minutes. It was pleasing to see Andy Carroll score a classic striker's goal from McGregor's unfortunate spill as his repertoire would be improved by adding more 'easy' goals to his tally. We are told that Teddy is providing special sessions for Carroll and in all fairness he looked like Dean Ashton at times yesterday with some nice interplay.

Valencia is a conundrum - undoubtedly talented, he has struggled a little due to inconsistent game time and immediately after Sakho's injury he looked ring rusty. However, yesterday he was excellent and created two of the three goals and was unlucky not to add to his goal haul. One senses that over time if managed correctly that Enner will become a Premiership sensation. The best players often have a lukewarm first season in this uniquely frantic league.

So, the Hammers ran out easy winners against a decimated Hull city team who cannot score for fun. Perhaps not such an amazing result but how many times over the years have we come out the wrong side of a comprehensive scoreline against top sides having performed well for much of the game?

Dare we say it......are we really now a top side? The next four Premiership fixtures against Liverpool, Man United, Southampton and Tottenham will certainly test our credentials to sit at the top table....

West Ham Reach Tipping Point

Please Sir, can we have some more?

Today's clash with Hull City presents a key moment in the Hammers season as, after a series of draws following a disappointing Christmas spell, Big Sam's troops find themselves rapidly drifting towards mid-table obscurity. Even more concerning than the poor points haul of late, is the reality that  performances in the drawn matches against West Brom and Swansea were below par, while a ten-man Everton more than competed against West ham for an hour during Tuesday night's FA cup tie.

The absence of Sakho and Kouyate certainly weakens his hand, but Allardyce will hope that Enner Valencia can develop on his goal in the midweek FA cup dramafest against Everton, while Alex Song should be fit to start.

Valencia's form has been in and out, and despite newspaper reports suggesting that he was the star performer for West Ham on the night, many observers noted that he seems to be suffering from a dip in confidence - with a series of poor touches, followed by a tame one on one miss, and then  getting in the way of a certain Song goal evidence from the first half that things have not been working out for him of late. That said, his goal was well taken and who can forget his stunning strike in the 2-2 clash at the KC stadium earlier this season which serves as evidence of what the lad is capable of. Today should be a chance for him to kick on.

Reid remains unavailable due to an ankle injury. How many times have players holding out until the end of contracts picked up injuries along the way and suddenly found themselves much less desirable to would-be wooers? The conspiracy theorists will undoubtedly wonder if he is being rested prior to a January exit which, given that European football is looking less likely after our recent run of results, may now be inevitable as Winston seeks a new challenge.

In other news, Ricky Vaz Te has departed to Turkey in a mutually agreed termination of his contract. Ricky never quite delivered in the Premiership, but there can be no doubting his contribution to our presence in the top league as his arrival three years ago during the January transfer window kick started a Hammers side who after a good start to their promotion campaign, found themselves unable to win games and were sliding down the Championship. Maybe his departure will allow a new face to come in who can similarly reignite our push for Europe this season? Either way, it seems such a waste that he has spent so much of his recent career not playing - just think of the job he might have done for any of the Championship promotion wannabes this season?

Hull arrive in poor shape - a poor away record, currently languishing in the relegation zone, and with both Hernandez and Jelavic crocked. They will surely struggle to score goals and would almost certainly be happy with a point, so we better brace ourselves for a conservative approach from Steve Bruce's men. Let's hope big Sam doesn't play it too conservative as this is a game where Amalfitano should definitely start ahead of Nolan. If we can get an early goal it should be an enjoyable encounter. If not, Hull can expect a Carlton-Andy bludgeoning for the last 20 minutes as this is one we simply MUST win. 

Rory Nostradamus predicts a 2-0 home win.

Sullivan: "What kind of a fool am I? "

In May 1970, folks tuning into the popular Ed Sullivan show were treated to a pair of muppets singing the romantic classic "what kind of a fool am I? ". The performance brought the house down and launched the careers of Kermit the frog, Sam the Eagle and a host of other comical puppets.

Two grown ups and a puny little muppet!

In other news, spoilt brat son of Hammers co-owner David Sullivan has issued an apology for ill-advised and petulant criticisms of Hammers stars Kev Nolan and Andy Carroll. Big Sam has yet to follow suit after essentially blaming Enner Valencia for not winning last night's FA cup tie, even though the Hammers entered stoppage time a goal to the good!!!

Sam: unrepentant

Andy Carroll Desperately Needs to Score

Get those shooting boots on lad!

The recent return of Andy Carroll from his unfortunate injury problems has been a real blessing for West Ham - especially with the absence of the prolific pairing of Diafra Sakho and Enner Valencia. Moreover, it has given Carroll the chance to remind us all how much his presence impacts upon the flow of games. Carroll is so much more than a mere striker as his aerial prowess is a massive asset both in attack and, importantly in defending set pieces, where unlike many top strikers, Andy is more than happy to contribute to the defensive effort of the team.

Waheyyyy

However, with the news that Enner Valencia is back in training and that Sakho may be available again soon, Big Sam is likely to be faced with a selection conundrum as to whether the returning strikers should immediately displace Carroll. Of note, although Andy has made important contributions in the three games since returning, he still has not scored and remains stuck in single figures for goals scored for West Ham with a mere 9 goals in 43 appearances - only slightly better than the 11 he amassed during his 58 appearances for Liverpool and well short of the 33 goals in 91 appearances for Newcastle. With six in six, Diafra Sakho could go to sleep for season of appearances and still be well up there with Carroll in his strike rate. 

Champion!

One alternative is for Sam to pair Carroll with either Sakho or Valencia - both of whom bring added pace as well as a physical presence to their goal scoring efforts. The thoughts of either feeding off the opportunities provided by Andy's mayhem is certainly an attractive idea indeed. Moreover, the availability of such exciting attacking options is likely to steer Big Sam away from the lone striker formation that underpins much of Carroll's modest strike rate as his main influence has been to create rather than feed off opportunities, and is thus frequently double marked by opposition defences.

Whatever the case, Carroll clearly needs to start to add some goals to his tally if he is to avoid being reduced to the status of mere impact substitute - a role that would surely precipitate his departure from the club to new pastures where he would serve as principal forward. Let's hope tomorrow night will signal the start of a run of goals for the big man.  

Hammers Can Take Goodison by Storm

Wanna piece of this or what?

Goodison Park. Hmmm. Not a happy hunting ground for our beloved Hammers. With the departure of Miserable Moyes, we might have expected an improvement in our fortunes against Liverpool’s second club, but alas Martinez’s troops have continued the woe. We have even managed to add an annoying habit of throwing away winning positions against possibly our biggest bogey team over the past decade.

HOWEVER, today represents a fantastic opportunity to finally get one over on the sticky Toffees. In many ways, we are the new Everton, including in terms of our Premiership position, but mostly because we are tight at the back aligned with pace up front, especially on the counter attack. We go to Goodison with more confidence than at any time over the past decade, and maybe it can be lucky 13 for us as we have not won now in 12 consecutive meetings with Everton.

More than a few scores to settle

Much will hinge upon which side is more fortunate in terms of players returning from niggles – Everton have a host of ‘half’injured players who may or may not figure, while the Hammer’s main concerns are up front with both Sakho and Valencia possibly missing. Andy Carroll waits in the wings - a pretty decent replacement to have on hand!

Stewart Downing is back from his pointless midweek adventure during which Mr Hodgson again demonstrated how ill-attuned he is to what’s going on by playing Downing in his old role rather than the more central position wherein he as been in scintillating form all season. Inevitably, England got the old Downing in terms of match performance. Even worse, it appears that he picked up an injury to add to the annoyance. Tssssssss.

Today’s game offers a wonderful opportunity to examine just how good our current side is. In particular, our full backs have been a revelation – both slotting in seamlessly and providing solid competitive defensive duties along with a level of attacking guile that we have not had from our full backs for many years. HOWEVER, Baines and Coleman both provide a benchmark for our youngsters to aspire towards.

Aaron Cresswell will hopefully have watched Scotland versus the Republic of Ireland last week where Seamus Coleman was given a torrid time by Hull City’s Andrew Robertson who kept the young Irishman on his back foot. Meanwhile Carl Jenkinson will be hoping to put a stop to Satan Baines’ habit of scoring against West Ham. Avoiding conceding silly free kicks around the box will undoubtedly help in that regard.

Elsewhere, let’s see how well Everton can engage their short passing game in a midfield that will likely be populated by a highly mobile Hammers trio of Mark Noble, Cheikidh Kouyate and Alex Song. Rory Nostradamus says a draw is a good bet as these sides look evenly matched on paper, but bearing in mind that what goes around comes around, we are undoubtedly overdue a little luck at Goodison and could pinch it 2-1.

Finally, let's spare a thought for Pat Partridge who passed away earlier this week. Hammers fans will recall his stewardship of the 1975 FA Cup Final with fond memories. Pat was one of those referees who made sure to let the players know who was in charge and would not have tolerated some of the guff the current lot endure. Rest in Peace.