Slav off hold and into the fast lane

Slaven Bilic had looked to me as if he’d been on hold for the first three games of the season.

Watching his dug-out body language against Arsenal, Leicester City and Bournemouth was telling. The full passion, fury, whatever you want to call it, looked to be held in check.

It was as though he hadn’t quite let his emotions and managerial position off the hook . There was almost – and it’s hard to find the right words – a slight nervousness, a realisation that certain things had to happen for him to be seen as Numero Uno.

It may simply have been that he was feeling his way into the job, determined not to impose himself too fast, that maybe there were some old school players who were still wrapped into a time warp of the last four years.

There were plenty pointing the finger and groaning about the striker position. Then came this afternoon!

We were sensational and as CandH’s associate editor Sean Whetstone wrote this morning this proved not to be a time to scream “We’re all doomed” and start panicking.

For on the touchline today was a boss who was finally showing his total authority – more and more passion was pouring from him.

He and captain Mark Noble stood discussing things , arms locked around each other, Matt Jarvis met him with a smile of pure affection as he waited to come on near the end.

Slav had finally emerged from what looked like a self imposed shell as his team followed his game plan to perfection, defending narrow and deep and pushing Liverpool ineffectively wide as they attempted shots from as far out as 30 yards.

The Hammers then broke with pace, purpose and pinpoint passing and we saw a manager at the end who had his fingerprints  all over West Ham 2015/16 and for whom I reckon things are going to get considerably better.

This was great and it really is time for the small minority of moaners and groaners to shut up and give the man a break.

Actually though I don’t think he would care – this bloke is business.