Friday, September 16

Reasons to be cheerful?

After a testing week perhaps it's time to be positive. Slowly West Ham are getting their strongest side on the pitch and for 40 minutes we played some great stuff against Watford. Payet and Lanzini will be getting fitter and Zaza is a quality striker who will improve once he's bedded in. Though that's only of use if we can get our hunger back. 

The capitulation against Watford reminded me of the way the side fell apart against Swansea at the end of last season. We forgot to do the basics, or as Slaven says in tonight's Evening Standard, we forgot about "playing all the time like it is the last minute of the final game of your life."

It's surely time to bring Ogbonna back into defence, while Byram's confidence looks shot at right-back. He's backing off attackers and making basic errors, though he hasn't been helped by the more experienced players around him. Arbeloa is earmarked to make his debut against Accrington Stanley and when fit will surely get a run at right-back, though Byram is still one for the future.

Ironically, what we need at West Brom tomorrow is a Big Sam-style performance, winning the percentages against Pulis's men and sneaking a 0-0 or 1-0. Bilic expects a "big-time" response and let's hope we get one. 

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