West Ham’s “pre-pre-season match” training video – released by the club ahead of the Southend Visit – is not really a true reflection of the side that will step out against Burnley when the Championship kicks off in a month, but one thing is immediately noticeable.
The sheer youthfulness of the squad – with the prominence of so many early players in their early 20’s or even teens – means Nuno’s resources have a more youthful look than of recent pre-seasons.
Youthfulness and energy of squad is clear
Of course, several of the ‘seniors’ haven’t yet returned from the World Cup, nor does Tomas Soucek trundle round the practice piitches for the time being – but there is an energy created by players like Golambeckis, Scarles, Kanté, Orford and Marshall that offers something genuinely exciting for the new season. Take a look for yourself, the link is here:
There is no doubt that the relegation from the Premier League has given these young squad members huge opportunity that they’d not have encountered it the club had stayed in the top tier. Something about their training demeanour seems to suggest that several have high hopes of a break through this season.
Likewise, players who were unseen from the last video – Mads Hermansen and James Ward Prowse, appear within the short video, laying to rest any theories of injury – or permanent freezing out in JWP’s case. Look to see if the midfielder gets any game time tomorrow as advance warning of an improbable healing of the rift between the Manager and player.
The main absentee is still £37 million Todibo who looks a West Ham basket case now having refused to play for Nuno again. No healing of rifts there, I suspect.
Todibo is clearly in the video around the 1:05 mark and again later on. So guess that rift has been mended…
IsTodibo not in shot about 1.04 in the video? May not have been, but thought it was a glimpse of him training?