Mark Noble absence explained

Club captain Mark Noble was missing from David Moyes’ match day squad yesterday at Anfield but according to the manager;s explanation it’s not a question of Mr Westham football being dropped from the 18.

The 33-year-old Hammer suffered a small knock in training and wasn’t deemed match fit enough to take his place on the bench.

Last week Moyes told reporters “Mark Noble has a massive part to play here. Tomáš Souček and Declan Rice have played ever-so-well, but Mark Noble was arguably our best player post-lockdown [at the end of last season]. He’s got plenty more games in him and will be involved in many games in the future.”

The Canning Town born player has been coming early for training at Rush Green to help with Academy training it has been reported.

The skipper’s contract with West Ham runs out next June and Noble have made it clear numerous times in interviews that he wants to stay at West Ham in some capacity when his football is over.

That’s pretty well been a given for a long while and we will all be very pleased to see Mark involved in a coaching role but whether we are truly going to see him as a regular forst team squad member may be a lot mre doubtful.

In 2018 he wrote in the London Standard “I would like to take my coaching badges at some point, but the way I’m looking at things, I would prefer a mentoring role, working with the academy and all the age groups. It is so important for young players going through the system to talk and listen to someone like me who has been there, done it and to say — Let me tell you, it’s not an easy ride. It’s a tough industry and if you’re not mentally strong enough or you don’t look after yourself, you will fall by the wayside.”