Wilshere Can Succeed Mark Noble as Captain Claret

There can be no doubting that it's been an interesting transfer widow for West Ham so far and apparently with even more new blood to arrive. However, the most exciting signing to date is Jack Wilshere from Arsenal - undoubtedly talented, his injury issues have stymied a career that looked soar.

With a bit more luck he would have made the England squad for Russia and come tomorrow night if Modric and Rakitic are bossing midfield Gareth Southgate may well wish he had brought Wilshere along!

Whatever about that, Wilshere is a proper Hammer and at just 26 should have his best years ahead of him. While we all love Mark Noble, we are having to get our heads around the reality that he can't keep putting in those amazing Duracell performances that keep our midfield ticking over (for a potent example check out Leicester last season!).

So who will step into those massive Noble shoes? Arnautovic could be an interesting possibility but he isn't historically a Hammer. Winston Reid is a big player but maybe not quite the force he was previously (let's hope he can recover with an injury-free run next season), Declan Rice is still too young but may well take on the role at some point as he is a ringer for Billy Bonds.....so what about Wilshere - a leader, intelligent and a proper Hammer!

It's going to be interesting to see how Pellegrini lines up his midfield talents - especially when Lanzini returns in January 2019 (all going well). 

Even more intriguing is how West Ham will line out against Liverpool and then Bournemouth...Will Wilshere and Noble both get a starting place? Surely that would lack pace…Will he rotate the two to keep Noble fesh and Wilshere injury-free?  How will he use Rice, Kouyate and Obiang?

Hmmm…

Does Yarmolenko Arrival Signal the End for Antonio?

Michail Antonio is one of the few Hammers players that brings a sense of being able to change the pattern of games - having been our most potent attacking force during his first two seasons at the club (and receiving Hammer of the year in 2016/7), last season was blighted by a recurring hamstring problem and his playing time and goal tally dipped accordingly. 


That said, most observers would expect any incoming manager to include Antonio in their plans as he is a proven Premiership scoring talent. In addition to his impressive strike rate, he brings a formidable physicality that often causes chaos amongst opposition defence and, for a wide player, he is very strong in the air and can also play in a more central role if needed.

One of the biggest disappointments last season was that we really did not get to see the Lanzini-Arnautovic-Antonio-Hernandez combination that we had dreamed of at the start of the season!

However, with growing rumours that he may be Palace-bound, and the imminent arrival of Ukrainian Andriy Yarmolenko - a right sided attacking player, it looks like Antonio may be about to leave the club.

From where this observer is looking - this is surely Pellegrini's first big mistake at the club? Let’s hope that we can hold onto Michail as it would leave very exciting options up front!

COYI!!!


 

Hammers Look to Portia for Stunning Major Summer Signing!

Well, who would ever have imagined that West Ham would be faced with the dilemma of having to choose whether to allow Dimitri Payet to return to the club? Although you would have to be sceptical, reports suggest that the temperamental talent is considering a return to the Premiership, and even more unexpectedly, to West Ham United!!!

It's 18 months later and Payet is now 31 years old but his recent record at Marseille (15 goals in  46 games) has been as good as that during his time at West Ham (15 goals in 48 games) and in reality Payet's major asset is his close control and passing accuracy rather than his speed. Since his departure, Manny Lanzini has stepped up as the creative force in the hammers midfield but, with Lanzini likely to be out for most of next season, Payet would be the perfect footballing replacement! Marseille have apparently gotten into financial trouble again and selling Payet has been identified as a possible solution.

However, Hammers fans were united in their ire at the manner of Payet's departure that included the Frenchman refusing to play and forcing a cut price return to Marseille. Dubbed 'Le Snake' Payet joined a list of players deemed as traitors by the fans (Ince, Lampard, Defoe) but reports suggest that the Hammers are genuinely examing the possibility of re-signing Payet who was previously contracted until 2021. 

Whether fans can show the mercy that Portia pleaded for in the Merchant of Venice ('the quality of Mercy is not strained etc) remains to be seen but consider this: Apart from Paolo Di Canio, how many genuinely world class players have we had at the club in the last 25 years? Payet is out of the France squad due to injury but if fit would surely be a major attribute for the squad that is amongst the favourites to emerge victorious from the tournament. 

Let's test his commitment by signing him on a one year loan with a view to making that more permanent if we are happy that the relationship can work for both parties?

 

Hammers New Kit Falls Well Wide of the Mark

After all the strife of last season where the fading identity of West Ham United was called into question, all eyes are on a happier time next year with a new start and a chance for the board to reassure fans that we are moving forward.

With all the distractions of the World Cup many fans have been distracted from what is usually an exciting moment when our new kit is revealed. However a quick glance reveals that our new strip is possibly the least West Ham-like kit we have had in living memory! Where's all the sky blue gone? The home kit looks considerably more like a Burnley strip than a Hammers one!

Ironically, club legend Billy Bonds is one of our kit models but a quick look back to Bonzo's time demonstrates that in comparison to 1974, it looks more like something Leighton James and the lads up in Burnley would've been wearing!

The independent fans group voiced a variety of concerns last year but maybe one that was missing is where is our greatest ever kit disappeared to? The double claret stripe on sky blue is surely the most aesthetically pleasing kit of all time yet we seem to have discarded it....as our bland dark blue away kit for 2018/9 shows.

We are not impressed! The identity of a club is closely aligned to its colours - something that seems to be fading in 2018/9. Whatever fan forum exists for next season might raise this issue with our club management?

Just a thought.

Key Date Announced for Hammers fans

One of the frustrating aspects of being a paid up footie supporter these days is the grip that television companies have on the fixture list. For fans who need to make travel arrangements (and keep loved ones happy with their soccer obsession) the tendency for key games to be switched to accomodate tv is a real drag. With a cracking start scheduled for next season there is a strong likelihood that a host of Hammers games will be rescheduled and today Sky revealed that they will clarify their television plans on July 6th.

In the VERYWESTHAM camp, next season will see our first outing as fully fledged season ticket holders - something that despite all the unrest around the club since our move to the London Stadium is a positive that can be attributed to the Davids reign. However, trying to work attendance around the uncertainties of television (and Stansted airport) is a real challenge!

In September the home games against Chelsea (22nd) and Man Utd (29th) look likely to get bounced to different slots. At least come July 6th we'll have an idea about actual dates and times. They are games where the Pellegrini era can kick on. Returning to the Premiership from the riches of China can only be for footballing reasons and, in all honesty, so far the board seem to be finally delivering on resources. Keeping Arnie (and Antonio), sorting out Rice and giving Hernandez a system to believe in will be key tests ahead. With Manu out for the season we need creativity in midfield but there's a whole Summer ahead to sort that out.

Next season we can finally start to live the new dream!

COYI!!!

Revealed: The Readymade Striker who can Propel West Ham into the Top Six Next Season

Look, he's behind you!!!

As West ham up their pursuit of top attacking talent to spearhead the Pellegrini era, its worth noting the in Javier Hernandez the club already has one of the World's top strikers on their books. 

With a modest 8 goals in 28 appearances last season, Chicharito's return to the Premier League was somewhat underwhelming, with a strike rate well below his career average of approximately 0.5 goals per game. However, it must be remembered that his minutes-per-goal ratio during his time with Manchester United is among the most prolific in the history of the Premiership!

Despite that, Hernandez fell out of favour under the Moyes regime at Old Trafford as his lack of physicality did not fit in with Moyes' preferred set up of a single striker. With Moyes departing for the more offensively minded Pellegrini Hernandez' second campaign looks likely to be an improvement - an observation that is underlined by his World Cup performances to date where he has contributed 2 important goals towards Mexico's push into the last 16.

With two years to run on his contract, West ham are spared all the frustrating wheeling and dealing that capturing top talent entails these days. Consider this: if Hernandez had been at Leverkusen last year and waz only arriving at the London Stadium just now, imagine how excitex Hammers fans would be? Under Pellegrini we can finally get to see the real Chicharito in action and in a more attack minded set up my money is on him returning to his previous prolific strike rate.

COYI!!!

Surely the Image of the World Cup so far?

The weekend witnessed the world cup finally kicking into gear. For those of us attracted by the prospect of an early German exit, Tony Kroos' last gasp strike reminded us to never write off the Germans!

Meanwhile Engerland battered poor little Panama as Harry Kane grabbed surely the softest hat trick of all time with 2 penalties and a bizarre deflected goal. That Gareth Southgate's troops couldn't maintain a six goal spread to make a draw with Belgium enough to top the group served to emphasize the limitations of the side. Belgium will be a real test!

From a Hammers petspective, Chicarito reminded us how good he can be in a better system by claiming the crucial goal to send Mexico into the last 16 while Cheik Kouyate put in a decent shift as Senegal shared the spoils in a 2-2 thriller with Japan.

But undoubtedly the most uplifting image of the tournament to date was that of former Columbian players Rene 'scorpion kick' Higuita with Carlos Valderrama rejoicing in Colombia's sensational performance against Poland.

There's a lot of good footie to come!