It might be early in the season, but sitting in nineteenth position in the league is not how West Ham United fans, players or management would have envisioned the start to the ‘push for promotion’.
However, yesterday there was a big positive, overshadowed by the drab draw and more points lost.
On the face of fit, losing our best defender from last season, the Hammer of the Year 2025/6, no less, after he failed a late fitness test would normally have been bad enough to send tremors through supporters even if the Irons still had Axel Disasi on the books.
But since the centre-back cupboard was bare yesterday once Mavropanos failed to recover from his dead leg, Nuno gave a debut to eighteen year old Airidas Golambeckis.
The fact that the teenager performed so well and took to Championship football like a duck to water was evident from the fact that his workmanlike, efficient defending went largely un-noticed on the pitch. The young debutant simply didn’t put a foot wrong all afternoon.
Brilliant debutant Golambeckis
He’s been preparing for that day for a long, long time: Thirteen years at West Ham, to be exact, since the age of five.
““It’s everything I dreamed of. I’m just really happy, to be honest. What more can a player who came from five years old to now say? I’m really, really happy.
“Obviously, it’s a bit of a surprise [to be starting], but I think I’ve worked really hard and my time has come and I’ll take the chance when the gaffer gives it” (whufc.com)
For a teenager his composure looked remarkable. Whether or not West Ham manage to bring in another senior centre back, knowing that the assured, capable Golambeckis is ready and able to deputise if needed is certainly one less thing to worry about in this stressful season.
Too many youngsters have been lauded and then discarded – the Freddie Potts effect– for us to get too excited about his career just yet: But let us just say the early signs are incredibly encouraging.
Well played, young man.
Just joining the crowd in praise, but he is definitely the best player to come out of the academy. Looks very assured and always has time, because he is constantly aware of players around him and he reads the game so well. Never loses his concentration. I like that he is not a CB that constantly looks for a physical confrontation (without ever shying away from one) but wins the ball instead, just like some of the very best have always done.
I hope he is one of those players WHU build their defence around and never let go of. No money spinning intervention by a DOF, but building a team for success over coming seasons looking very long term.
Question- can he play on left side of Defence if not who does? I’d Rather see him and Mav, but does that work? if not he did more than enough to keep Mav out but I really don’t want Kilman- we need some pace on both full backs, I am hoping that we get to a stage of having 3 decent CB’s and playing 5 in midfield but we need pace for that to work. Defending against a break works better when the entire team is not racing back to help- we need at least 2 staying forward to ensure the opponents have to act carefully. Currently we get so deep and everyone is behind the ball there is no easy out
Golambekis is the best thing to come out of the academy since Rice. I’ve watched him for the 18’s and the 21’s. He was captain of the U21’s part of last season and he’s only 18. Not saying he’s the next Bobby Moore (no one ever will be) but this lad is so composed on the ball, his positioning is superb he reads the game so well. He certainly could be the next Reo! Fantastic player, if he’s good enough – play him, I think he is ⚒️⚒️⚒️⚒️
Why are you only suggesting that he might deputise for Mavropanos ? If he is really as good as you suggest, surely he should replace Mav’, or Kilman !
Absolutely agree. The performance of Golambeckis was a massive positive.
We’ll known fact Nuno should use academy players more often.
Southampton. Southampton. Southampton.
Give them license to express themselves and take the shackles off.
They’re the one which will give you pace something Nuno shys away from.
Declan rice on his debut looked like he had always been there and I saw his first game for ireland he was outstanding and was MOTM.
You can see golambeckis has the same composure i think we have a gem.