Attention moves onto the pitch today as the final pre-season game gets underway at a ‘sold out’ London Stadium. West Ham welcome LOSC Lille along with some very familiar names, Olivier Giroud amongst them. Still doing it at 38 – no more talk of a Hammers’ aging squad. Callum Wilson is positively spring chicken-like compared with the former Arsenal , Chelsea and Milan striker who has, so far, netted fifteen times against West Ham.
Away from the team sheet and still to be revealed, West Ham’s latest signing-designate Mads Hermansen sits in the limbo between medical and reveal, during which fans fret and media companies polish their press releases whilst the number one jersey still sits invitingly absent from West Ham’s released squad numbers list.
One former legend has made up his mind on the Hermansen deal : Former striker and club legend Tony Cottee knows a thing or two about goalkeepers and is quite clear about Hermansen’s arrival:
“Excellent signing for the Hammers with Hermansen -the GK we’ve needed for quite a while now! Hoping for a few more signings… COYI”
Hopefully the signing will be revealed this weekend and the obvious if unimaginative headline ‘Hermansen is a Hammer’ can ensure West Ham fans relax whilst Potter gets down to work with his new keeper for a week. Just four sessions for Hermansen and the coaching squad to work together ahead of the Sunderland game at the Stadium of Light next Saturday may well mean Areola gets the nod for the first fixture: However it won’t be long before West Ham fans can get a chance to see for themselves what many of us have been raving about for months.
” A ball player at last-perfect for Potter’s system” was the Claret and Hugh headline back in June. Before too long, we will get to see the wisdom of Macaulay and Potter’s signing for ourselves.
Excellent. Don’t you just love it when a plan comes together? After signing the goal keeping coach, the Hammers get the keeper to match. Impressive. Credit where it is due and at a reported £18 million- a Wan-Bissaka like bargain. You read it here first.
It always amuses me when I read about tony cottees beloved west ham when Everton came calling he couldn’t get away from us fast enough.
You couldn’t blame him tbf he was on much better wages that we couldn’t compete with as usual.
If only he could play this afternoon. Just too late.
Just a Lille too late! 😂