In principle, the omens for tomorrow’s clash with Crystal Palace are good. Forget last season’s 5-2 rout, West Ham had just been beaten in the Europa League and our thin, creaking squad was cream – crackered with nothing to play for. And, as all good financial services advertisements state, ‘past performance is no guarantee of future returns’.
Palace manager Oliver Glasner has provided an update on the availability of his Crystal Palace squad, ahead of their first home game of the season : Both sides lost 1-2 last weekend but the difference is clear : West Ham have players coming in to boost and reinforce the side whereas Palace are weakened.
As Glasner states in his interview for the official Crystal Palace web site:
Joachim Andersen won’t be available. Jordan Ayew is the same.” (Hooray, nothing like an ex-Hammer’s bro’s ability to pop up and shin the winner in against us, during injury time! MT)
“Matheus França is unavailable after his rib fracture, and questionable since today is Will Hughes. He got sick yesterday evening.
“He was here today, but after 20 minutes he stopped with training, so now we have to wait for what happens in the afternoon and especially in the night – then we’ll see if he’s available.”
That would be a real boost for the Irons. Surprisingly, transfer-rumoured Marc Guéhi will be playing and will wear the captains’ arm band. So, look forward to a tussle between him and our wingers. If Crysencio Summerville is fit and ready to go ( there were rumours that he had a knock in training but I have been unable to get an update this afternoon) I would expect him to be a real threat if Bowen and Kudus don’t bag a couple.
Everywhere I look sees pundits like Jamie Carragher being down on The Irons or backing a draw: Claret and Hugh readers may be surprised at my optimism after last weeks’ dour reporting but I expect The Hammers’ defence to cope much better if new recruits Wan-Bissaka and Todibo get full debuts. At that point I will relax and expect us to be too strong. All of the forecasts are based on statistics from the ‘old’ West Ham from last season – and I see us growing into our new style and squad.
If however we rely on Coufal and Mavropanos again at the back, I shall be watching warily waiting for the dodgy, clumsy penalty decision to go against us this week. Karma for Soucek falling over in the ‘Villa box. If however we seen AWB and JCT on the team sheet, I see us coming away with three points.
Expect more higher pressing from West Ham, when out of possession chasing the ball down as a group rather than individuals. Kilman’s long diagonal ball will feed Bowen more this week – again something we’ve seen every pre-season game as West Ham try to get up the pitch in a more direct method. The news from Gonzo earlier this evening that Edson Alvarez is in the squad is massive – Let’s all hope that J’Lo now has the prospect of combining Rodriguez and Alvarez to block off those attacks through a gaping hole in our midfield (as was the case last weekend) and push Palace attacks wide. That’s his style. Fingers crossed for El Machin tomorrow!
Jordan Ayew has never played for West Ham. I think you mean Andre.
Yes, thanks guys. Andre it was, bought from Swansea, went back to Swansea. £20 mill each way I think. At least one deal we didn’t lose money on.The word ‘bro’ missing from my report. I am castigated. Will go and stand in the corner.
Funny in the article I just read it clearly says ex hammers bro!
Yes Michael, I edited it. But didn’t try and hide the cock up… glad to see you paying attention
It was me who played for West Ham and not my brother
Andre is correct. Andre is the likeable one whearas I am typically running around with a face like a smacked arse.
Yes wrong Ayew! The reporting gets worse and worse on here
Jordan Ayew never played for West Ham, however he did play in claret and blue for Villa. His brother Andre Ayew did play for us but never for Palace. Have you been reading too many articles MT lol?
Jordan Ayew always scores against us so thats a bonus. Shame about Guehi playing. You just know he’ll put in a MOTM performance for his final send off.
1-1 draw I reckon.
Damn! I was desperate for Ayew pedantry, but several others got there first.
The most obvious error is Jordan Ayew has never played for West Ham and if that image is meant to be showing him playing for West Ham in a claret and blue shirt with “Villans” under the collar then that’s hilarious.
But as for the ” Forget last season’s 5-2 rout, West Ham had just been beaten in the Europa League and our thin, creaking squad was cream – crackered with nothing to play for…” comment then were you watching a Football Manager or FIFA season? Including the Palace game, West Ham had a maximum 15 points to play for. Had they achieved all of those, they’d have finished 5th in the league for an automatic Europa League group stage spot. But “nothing to play for” there, huh?
Expert reporting once again!
Don’t think Jordan Ayew ever played for us. His brother Andre wore the shirt, but didn’t really play for us much either.
But embarrassing this.
Especially when I can’t even spell ‘Bit’!
Who cares about which Ayew, it’s not easy writing articles, try it.
Fullkrug, Todibo and AWB in please, and time for Summerville if the rumours about an injury in training allow it. Probably too early for Alvarez but some minutes to get him underway.
The backdrop to this is that we should be able to field a stronger eleven than against Villa while Palace will have a weaker team than against Brentford. On that basis I’m optimistic.