IF there were expectations that West Ham were going to walk this division with free flowing, attractive attacking football, those have been well and truly extinguished after eleven games in the Championship this season.
It’s known as the second division for a reason.
West Ham’s eleven games have seen a couple of glorious free scoring routs, several gritty performances and a couple of wobbly comebacks after early disarray. But Nuno’s plan seems to be digging out results where necessary – if that’s what it takes.
Nine games unbeaten is the headline statistic – fans will show relief if that turns to ten after Southampton’s visit, even if the result is carved out in similar dour fashion to Saturday’s first half solid showing against Swansea.
As skipper Jarrod Bowen told whufc.com:
“It’s not going to be pretty every single week. It’s not going to be perfect.
A win is a win, regardless of how it is achieved. Three points in the back pocket and move on.
“There’s going to be times where we’re below our levels. We probably weren’t at our highest levels on Saturday, but we’ve come away with a 1-0 result. That’s all everyone’s going to remember.”
Fans are gradually realising that this squad, of course, lacks the artistry of a Paqueta or Fernandes, and for the Championship that kind of player would be an expensive luxury, most likely bundled off the ball or hacked off the park within a couple of games.
The sheer pace of the action in this division – aided and abetted by referees who show leniency to let the game flow despite the odd pile up of bodies – took Nuno’s men three or four games’ to deal with. The pointless rolling around after a foul still hoping to influence a VAR review – whilst the game had already moved to the other end of the pitch has now disappeared and players just get up, hobble away and carry on regardless.
Horses for courses. West Ham have assembled a bunch of players who have started displaying the fight to carve out gritty performances week in, week out to achieve the two points per game requirement.
Worry about ‘artistry’ or ‘creativity’ next season: Right now, as Bowen says, nobody will remember, or even care, if it means the Hammers can keep their hold on a top-two spot come May next year.
I think it what has always been known as winning dirty. Never wanted Mourinho as manger of WHU even though the wins leagues & trophies. Pundits can say what they want about WHU fans, but most recognize that we know our football. As for artistry, Paqueta is a bit of chicanery on your part and he never made the team tick nor be skillful.
We will remember and we do care, but we know you need to be physical as well.
With 2 mini wrecking balls of Kante & Pablo, NES beat Swansea who I bet pride themselves on playing skillfully – so it works. Playing dirty beat playing neat football. NES probably saw they played out from the back more than Millwall & Lincoln and came up with the right approach. Clever management. He learnt a few things from his last time in the Championship.
However, on the stylish side, which can be as simple as quick rapid passing, off the ball movement, quality in the opposition penalty area there is very little of this on display. Pretty sure you can do both. I would still like to see Ajala & Orford play because they are skillful (not making a point about missing academy players as I usually do). NES has worked hard for his chance to remain manager of WHU and if he is another Mourinho he’ll deserve his successes, but there will be plenty of critics and for good reason. By the way, the WHU goal came from one very rare instance of quick passing football, very good movement off the ball and a skillful finish. Remember that.
Well said, Martin. A pragmatic approach is needed to achieve our ambitions. So far, so good. It will only get better as we gain experience and familiarity.
We can all enjoy the ride. COYI
I agree with what you say, but. I am not convinced of this squad’s overall quality. It does look like it has adapted to the Championship & is now prepared to put in gritty performances – & that is certainly what it needs, but I don’t think that we have too much quality in this squad. Offhand, I can only think of Bowen & possibly Kante, Soucek, Orford, Veltman & Austbø. The rest are pretty much “run of the mill” as far as I am concerned. Nevertheless, we are going well, fighting & getting the points. Let’s hope that it continues – it may well do, but I have my doubts.
Disagree MT, we’ve drifted so far away from what our DNA is, it’s heartbreaking that a generation of Hammers has been starved of true West Ham way football entertainment.
Yet, our academy (coached by Hammers stalwarts from bygone eras)
continue to play ” the right way “.
My prayer every day is for us to play attractive, entertaining, winning football.
It’s why our fanbase is so huge,
not for the few trophies or titles, but for scintillating football, full of artistry and breathtaking skills that gets you out of your seats.
We must never forget about what we once stood for.
Because if we don’t, we’ll fall for anything!
Roeder, Pards, Curbs, Grant, BFS, Moyes, JLo, Potter, NES.
An entire quarter of a century of utter dross.
Enough of the pragmatic, negative anti football.
Well said DJ !
To be honest this should be the objective in the prem Winning grinding out results brings confidence and better football End result successful football club
Artistry of Paqueta?..
When he showed up!!
I don’t want our team to get lumbered with a character anything like the brazilian ever again. Over rated, unreliable and worse still undesirable morally.
As for young Fernandez I’m like all Hammer supporters I’d welcome him back in a heartbeat and throw a party. I expect if Fernandez returned the Hammers would average 2.5 points a game for this Championship.