As fans we find ourselves in a strange position going into this most unwelcome international break (although I’m sure Gareth Southgate won’t see it that way). I always find this particular break in the season the most irritating, it follows a long hiatus from football and just as we are all getting ourselves back into a familiar routine it grinds to a halt again. I’m sure Malta are absolutely delighted to be hosting a prestigious international fixture but it always bores me senseless and leaves me desperate for the resumption of Premier League football.

For us at West Ham we want it to continue because we need to turn our fortunes around quickly rather than dwell and fester over our league position. The reverse of course is also true and I’m quite sure that the last thing Jose Mourinho wants is for his players to disappear to the four corners of the earth just as his team are gaining momentum.

Anyway, that is where we find ourselves and our manger now has much to ponder. It’s an open secret that he is on limited time and whilst there has been no official dreaded vote of confidence it does seem that there has been a stay of execution granted.  According to those in the know Slaven Bilic has been given four games to improve our league position which is not entirely surprising considering we can’t drop any lower (well not until May anyway).

I find that hard to believe though. I find it very difficult to see how he could survive defeat against a Huddersfield team who have started very brightly. The pressure on Slaven would be enormous and the atmosphere in the London Stadium were we to go a goal behind would be extremely toxic. It’s undeniable that starting the season without a home game for over a month is a huge hindrance but it could have gone either way.

I’m quite sure that had we gone into our first home fixture with four or five points in the bag then us fans would have looked forward to the Huddersfield match with excitement and anticipation. Instead we are nervous and anxious which added to the lack of confidence in the team will not allow for a losing run that stretches to the Swansea game at the end of September.

Personally I believe that if we lose our next fixture it will be all over for Slaven. We would be bottom of the league and pointless after four games with our next fixture being a nasty tip to the Hawrthorns where Tony Pulis would have the scent of blood in his nostrils. Follow that up with the visit of  Tottenham and it would be hard to see where a manager who is already low on confidence would get his points from.

Hopefully I’m wrong and we thrash David Wagner’s team but for that to happen Bilic will need to get Lanzini fit, find a tactical plan that works and somehow get his midfield and defence functioning correctly . . . . .  . . .with that workload maybe he’s happy it’s the international break after all.