West Ham’s Nuno- divided squad was rallied midweek by new manager Scott Parker with his declaration that the slate had been wiped clean and that everyone had a chance to impress. Indeed as if to prove the point his first match day squad included Soungoutou Magassa, one of the summer want-aways who didn’t get his way.
Although the French midfielder was understandably rusty and hooked at half time, Parker had proved his point. Images of the head coach in training alongside-even- Maxi Cornet showed nobody is beyond redemption in the Coach’s search for the right eleven.
However, anxious voices across the Atlantic continue to berate West Ham for ruining the career of Mexico’s national team captain Edson Alvarez.
Few in Central America seem able to understand el Machin’s fall from grace, despite both injury and scandal dogging the midfielder during the summer. Rather than accepting that the West Ham management simply don’t rate their skipper, the understandably patriotic local media indulge themselves in all manner of excuses for their star’s waning in east London.
Edson Alvarez pictured back in training in Parker’s pre-Blackburn session.
As futnsoccer.com report, the Mexican football sites are claiming he’s been rendered virtually invisible by successive managers:
“91 days in oblivion, with Alvarez still erased from West Ham.
Hispanic Post went further, arguing in an opinion piece that the exclusion points to a deep fracture between the player and the London club’s project.”
I’d suggest after yesterday’s desperate effort without Edson anywhere near the squad, there might be one or two who started the game against Blackburn who might find their positions coming under scrutiny in the next two weeks as Parker gets to grips with the challenge he faces implanting some spine into his chosen line up.
Whereas the first two sides picked may well have been a ‘committee’ selection involving his coaching team, since the new manager only rocked up on Wednesday, two weeks with virtually his whole squad including the likes of Magassa and Alvarez will allow Parker to judge for himself who has the cojones to give his West Ham line up some much-needed moral fibre.
Should Alvarez still not feature, then the Mexican media will simply have to drop the conspiracy theories and face the fact that successive West Ham managers just don’t think he’s good enough for second tier English football.
Wonder if he is any good in goal???
Claret and Hugh and many others have always been quick to label Todibo a trouble maker
Perhaps Alvarez should be looked at similarly – he seemed to fall out with Moyes towards the end of Moyes time, he definitely fell out with Potter and failed to re-establish himself with Nuno
I also seem to him falling out with a previous Mexico National Manager
It would be interesting to know what the current set up think of him
I might be tempted to play this team with 2 defensive midfielders, which is a pity, but we need some solidity.
Alvarez & Soucek both international captains are good at organising players around them. They each do it automatically, looking around themselves pulling players into position. Pair Alvarez with Magassa, Engels, perhaps Orford (he is a puzzle to me). Alvarez is not attack minded like Soucek and hits good long passes and he could sit in front of midfield and he knows the role of CB if he needs to drop into a hole in defence.
Against Cardiff, Magassa played quite well, full of energy, covering left & right but unsure sometimes whether to step up, or cover a runner and he had no help… just my impression. With a player like Alvarez or Soucek to work with him, tell him what to do, you might form a bit of a rock in central midfield.
Team looks fit for purpose on paper, but combinations in play are needed. Bowen-Piroe are combining well already, Mayers-Austbo as well (better than Veltman-Bowen), but Mukasa-Engels looks static, no quick1-2s and that is the core of midfield. Perhaps a solid defensive midfield duo will help.
We seem to be a bit of a paper tiger. Perhaps midfield’s inexperience is having a hidden effect on the team. Look at how clinical Soucek is, while Engels shots were wild after he did well to get into an attacking. Maybe that is why a good team on paper is not translating so well on a pitch?
Think Parker needs to review his starting XI in defensive midfield as well as, obviously in defence.
Well I think that Alvarez must surely be good enough for the championship as a defensive midfielder or centre half , if Engels is our best set piece man surely he should be further forward delivering balls into the penalty area from open play . Hermansen should be completely dropped from the squad ,Areola and herric as the 2 keepers . Now killman is suspended Golambeckis hopefully will keep killman out . What about Ajala his enthusiastic energy is something we lack , give him a chance the others are floundering. Soloman is another who’s gone backwards ,I thought when he was moved inside late in a game he looked more dangerous. Think Jarrod is wasted playing as an out an out winger maybe move him more centrally . Disappointed so far but believe Parker might be able to salvage something . Thank goodness for a 2 week reset.
Hes simply far to good for us way above our present levels Should have been our captain with some balls in my opinion