For much of the season you could argue that Robert Snodgrass has been an unsung hero. Admittedly I was surprised to see him return to the club in the Summer. Wasn’t too enamoured of the player, either, and expected him to play a bit part when injuries, inevitably, kicked in. How glad I am now that he’s making me eat my words. All it took was a manager to play him in his favoured position and show sufficient confidence in him to give him a run of games and he’s repaying that faith by the truck-load.
With three goals and seven assists the Glaswegian winger has set up or scored more than any other player in the team including ‘Peepay’, a nickname that caught after his baby sister used to call him it, Anderson. The ten million invested in the Scottish international is now paying dividends bigtime.
It’s not often that a player is loaned out, returns, and makes a big, successful impact when they come back to the club. You could probably count those players with the fingers of one hand. The fact that Rob Snodgrass has achieved this is testament to his strength of character. Did that quality help him stand out to the gaffer and get him a run of games to prove himself I wonder? It would seem that Pellegrini likes players who show the attitude and aptitude to apply themselves properly. In hindsight it should be stated that Snodders acted with the utmost professionalism during the tough period of time he endured in his first stint at West Ham.
In truth we all knew, even us ‘barely speaking English’ peyps who grew up in Cheshire ( ;) ), that we’d signed a good player when RS arrived from Hull. At the time his transfer may have been viewed as no more than a good bit of business from a relegated club. It was something of a mystery who signed the player being either the manager or David Sullivan. It certainly would have seemed a bit of a weird one for Slaven to have sought out considering how he utilised the Snodgrass in the team. Whatever the reality of that unknown all that really matters now is how the Scot is playing for us. On that score it’s safe to say that he’s putting in tremendous effort, having a massively positive effect and enjoying his football as much as any other time in his career. Long may it continue as I’m made up for the fella.
Arsenal are gaining plaudits from all quarters at the moment but, with thirteen points from the last six games, our beloved Hammers sit in fourth place in the form table, one point and one place above the Gunners having scored the same number of goals as Liverpool and the Spuds in the process. Impressive stat even if five of those fixtures included teams in the current bottom seven in the Premier League. I’m not so sure the West Ham of yesteryear would have claimed thirteen points from a possible fifteen against those sides. Having played the, aforementioned, five teams in the bottom seven we face the other two over the next four games away at Fulham and Southampton. Watford at home and another away game against Burnley make up the next four providing good opportunities to put further points on the board and, hopefully, propel us further up the league.
With attitudes like those of Snoddy, Nobes, Rice, Balbuena, Diop, Fabianski and Antonio, to name but a few, you would have to surmise that Manuel Pellegrini is keeping the squad highly motivated. The confidence is visible. Never, at any stage, did MP seem to lose belief in what he was trying to get the team doing. When all those around, in the press, social media and, in some instances, stadium, were losing their heads our Chilean manager ‘kept calm and carried on’.
Overall confidence is beginning to flow through the team. But rather than the flaky and fragile confidence, that we’re used to, it’s a confidence that has been achieved by strong belief in the system of play and clear direction passed down to the players by the manager. Even when the team are not looking particularly impressive, and things are not going our way, the style of play is adhered to rigidly. The manager makes changes if they’re needed during half times of matches. The boys didn’t play well in the first halves of many games recently however changes were successfully made indicating proficient in-game management by the manager. The Man City, Cardiff and Palace games are great examples of this. Like Snodgrass’ form – long may it continue.
COYI! West Ham 4 The Cup!