There have been many theories attempting to explain why West Ham have had such a good start to the season. I’ve been tying to put my finger on exactly what it is that David Moyes has been changing about the team to provide the best chance of getting the results we deserve.
I’m sure that there isn’t one single contributing factor, like the ingredients of a good cake, that have changed the fortunes of our heroes recently. There’s certainly a ‘togetherness’ that been engendered and oft referred to by the players. Playing three at the back has also had a positive impact with the team looking much stronger defensively. The back line are so confident that they will cover each other that we saw the rare sight of two centre backs combining, in the opposition area, to create an opportunity that hit the post when Balbuena’s effort nearly put the game to bed against Leeds on Friday.
Before the game at Elland Road our boys scraped results against Sheffield United and Fulham while playing poorly. We’re winning games when playing badly which is always the sign of a good team.
There’s some debate about who coined the aphorism ‘The harder I practice the luckier I get.” It was always the South African golfer Gary Player who I grew up believing had come up with the phrase, and perhaps he popularised it, however Player credited Jerry Barber as the originator in his own book written in nineteen sixty-two. Many, however, point to dates way beforehand so it’s altogether likely that the maxim has been passed down from generation to generation.
As I’ve alluded to in other recent articles, the work-rate shown on the pitch is a reflection of all of the hard graft being put in behind the scenes and, especially, on the training pitch. Like an iceberg we see the tip but the real substance and majority of the total sits underneath the surface. There’s a confidence beginning to pervade, with one notable exception that I won’t discuss in today’s article, throughout the squad. This new West Ham is taking some getting used to however the, all too familiar, sense of matchday foreboding is beginning to disappear.
David Moyes has stamped his authority on the squad and the ethic that exists is down to his, and his management team’s, no nonsense approach. The, If you don’t run then you don’t play, modus operandi is the order of the day and is beginning to get results.
As we approach my favourite weekend of the football calendar, in the shape of the third round of the F.A. Cup, I am beginning to dream of glory again. “I’m dreaming of a Claret & Blue Wembley…just like the ones I used to know!” The cup is a hugely important competition to me and I would like to see a concerted effort to reach, at least, the Semi-Finals of it. I know I’m not alone and, come the fixture at Edgeley Park next month, I’ll be glued to the box with aspirations of a cup run to get the juices flowing. The oldest existing competition in the world still holds the magic for this Hammer and always will.
More happy tidings for the Women’s team as well this week. A convincing four-nil victory against Bristol City was secured with a confident performance from the ladies in Claret & Blue on Sunday. A scrappy own goal, following a goalmouth scramble that developed from a corner, opened the Ironesses account. Emily Van Egmund finished off some brilliant work from Martha Thomas very smartly. Thomas continued to terrorise the Bristol City defence, very much in the same style as Jarrod Bowen has been doing in matches for the men, before teeing up a Rachel Daly header with a brilliant, pinpoint cross. A great afternoon for the player from Wiltshire continued with another great ball in to the box for Alisha Lehman before capping the performance off with a smart, bottom corner, finish from the edge of the box to make it four-nil. Next up are second from bottom Aston Villa who visit the Chigwell Construction Stadium next Sunday. Hopefully the ladies can make it two consecutive wins to ease their relegation worries.
Despite a loss for the under twenty-threes there were lots of positives to come out of the game against Everton last night. Nathan Holland continued to progress his recovery from a nine month lay-off after injuring himself while on loan at Oxford United. Overall the performance at the Pure Stadium deserved more however the dominant display did not result in the goals needed to take any points. Individual errors resulted in Everton taking a two-nil lead before Keenan Forson netted from inside the box. Mistakes have been punished by the opposition so far this season so Dimi Halajko and his coaching team have work to do to eradicate them and start getting the points that the team’s efforts have deserved.
Due to the Tier three status there won’t, unfortunately, be any fans watching the Crystal Palace game tomorrow night. Things are not looking positive for the return of supporters to matches in the short term with the Christmas fixtures looking in jeopardy for the Hammers faithful to attend.
Have a great week all and enjoy the Palace game.
COYI!