By Kris Gonzo | Senior West Ham Columnist (Follow on X)
Surely Joël Veltman has to start against Watford this weekend.
I’ve got a huge amount of sympathy for Kyle Walker-Peters because he’s the man I think Veltman should replace, but KWP hasn’t enjoyed the best start to the Championship season and the squad is there for a reason.
That’s particularly frustrating because Walker-Peters was excellent against Portsmouth earlier this month. Unfortunately, he hasn’t maintained that level in the league.
Veltman, meanwhile, absolutely oozed class during West Ham’s 4-1 win at Southampton.
Nuno had already given Veltman the nod ahead of Walker-Peters at St Mary’s, and the Dutchman grabbed his opportunity with both hands.
In a team packed with youngsters, the 34-year-old provided leadership and helped coach those around him through what could have been a difficult away cup tie.
His positioning and defending were excellent, but it was his reading of the game that really stood out.
At times he looked a class above anybody else on the pitch.
Walker Peters has a fight on his hands
Veltman Showed Everything
There was a real quality to his performance because we saw pretty much everything.
Veltman defended incredibly well, got stuck in when required and showed he’s more than capable of the darker, dirtier side of the game.
But he also demonstrated there’s absolutely nothing wrong with his fitness.
For West Ham’s third goal, Veltman outmanoeuvred his marker following Airidas Golambeckis’ ball down the line, drove into the Southampton penalty area and cut the ball back perfectly for Taty Castellanos to score.
That’s impressive energy from somebody supposedly in the twilight years of his career.
It’s also exactly the sort of experience West Ham hoped they were getting when Nuno moved for Veltman on a free transfer this summer. His ability to play both right-back and centre-back was part of the attraction, but his leadership could prove every bit as valuable.
Places Have To Be Earned
Walker-Peters will undoubtedly have better games for West Ham, but places have to be earned and retained on merit.
There is competition for his position now and that’s precisely how a squad should work.
For me, he’s earned earned the shirt.
I’d start Veltman against Watford.
I don’t rate KWP that highly, he is a good team player but I see him as a reserve fullback, he doesn’t create much and lacks pace.
Now that Diouf will be on his way we should find a super quick fullback to replace him.
We need a CDM too, Golembeckis has shown he can play central defence so we can spare that position and we need more pace on the right wing presuming Ajala is reserve left wing.
I hope we don’t sign Reiss Nelson he is not pl quality we should try and sign Ostbo or someone with potential to light up the pl and give us options.
Can’t he just replace Kilman ! We know Dino plays much better without Kilman. I mean which is the better defender Kilman or a lamppost ? A lamppost as it doesn’t duck out of the way!
If there is one player Nino should replace it has to be Kilman. If we want to get automatic promotion we need to aim for 100 points (remember Leeds and Burnley tied on a 100 pts) so Watford is a must win game, as that target requires 2.25 points per game. If Nuno is targetting less than a 100 points he isn’t taking us back up. Playing Kilman at any point againts Waford will not get us 3 points.
Veltman may well be in the team but not replacing walker-peters it will either be mavro as hes not fit or walker-peters will play as a left back replacing Scarles and Veltman as right back then Golembekis will replace Mavro
The only thing we do know is that Nuno WONT do anything that seems blooming obvious to everybody else.
Come on Gonzo get a grip man.
You say that KWP was excellent in a match literally 2 weeks ago and now you want him dropped because someone played excellent more recently.
You’d lose a dressing room in about a day if you carried on like this every week. Stop panic reporting every single aspect of West Ham for clicks.
I would play Veltman at CB against Watford, his leadership is exactly what Killman or Mavro need beside them, someone barking at them leading the line.
The whole back line could benefit from his leadership
A blind man in the dark could see Scarles isn’t cutting it. KWP at LB and we need to sign an alternative FB as soon as Diouf is out the door. We also need another ball carrier or 2. Makasa in the middle of the pitch doing just that was a breath of fresh air. We have been at the mercy of those kinds of players for the past few seasons, it’s time we get more of our own.
I would be tempted to keep the same line up apart from swapping Bowen for Lamadrid. Solomon and Tati would then be 2 decent subs in the 2nd half.
Veltman was class. Brought some much needed control, calmness and most importantly leadership to the side. But can I call out Mayers at left back too? Solid and looked to carry the confidence with Scarles is sadly lacking. I’d start them both in the League. And as much as I’m not a fan at all of Kilman, he looked far better playing alongside Golambeckis than Mav. Interesting?
If Veltman is picked as right back against Watford, then why not move KWP to left back and give Scarles a break from all the negative press he is getting?
So would I along with mukasa golam and orford
My team v Watford
Hermansson
Veltman mavrapanos golambeckis scarles
Bowen mukasa Orford soloman
Taty
Piroe
KWP in at left back then
Play KWP Left Back at Watford with Veltman RB!
Veltman was brilliant as was Piroe. Those two have already shown themselves to be great signings.
I’m thinking perhaps in the middle of Dino and Kilman, he seem to have that natural calmness and authority to sort out our struggling back line.