Of all the lame straplines that have been bounded about since victory at Wembley in May, there is one that stands out for its sheer crapness: ‘Back Where We Belong’. In a post-Tevez saga world, this misguided sense of entitlement is why many struggle to warm to the modern West Ham. When Sam Allardyce is your manager, generating new reasons for others to dislike you really isn’t necessary. The idea that any one team belongs in the Premier League implies that there are teams who do not belong, which – with the exception of Wigan – is nonsense.
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| Is Modibo Maiga the new Freddie Kanoute? Is Freddie Kanoute the old Modibo Maiga? |
The top flight is not where we belong; it’s where we want to be – and merit will dictate whether we stay there or not. For all last season’s drama, thinking back to points accrued through uninspiring one-goal wins during the cold winter months (games against Coventry, Barnsley and Portsmouth spring to mind), it is hard not to rejoice at the prospect of Chelsea, Arsenal and Spurs, opposition that will be hard to beat, but who guarantee an entertaining contest.
Many fans have been underwhelmed by the preseason transfer activity, but a glance back to the 2005/06 season, when West Ham swiftly progressed from a 6th-place Championship team to ninth place in the Premier League, demonstrates that a host of big-name signings is not an imperative. The only new signings that lined up against Blackburn for the big kick off in August 2005 were Danny Gabbidon, Paul Konchesky and Yossi Benayoun. David Sullivan could make life easier for himself by ceasing to link the club with unrealistic transfer targets such as Fernando Torres and Carlos Tevez.
Key to avoiding getting sucked into the relegation scrap will be hitting the ground running by building on the momentum of the last few weeks of the previous season in which we were defeated just once in the final 21 games. The frustration of visiting teams parking the bus at Upton Park should be a thing of the past, so season-ticket holders will hope that the 11 home wins of last season is a realistic target against stronger, but less cautious opposition.
I am not even going to attempt to guess what the 2012/13 season will bring. While Everton are guaranteed to finish no higher than fifth and no lower than eighth, West Ham’s range would seem to stretch anywhere from eighth to bottom. No other team goes into this season with such immeasurable expectations.
The goalkeepers
I believe we have one of the division’s best reserve goalkeepers; I’m just not sure who he is: Jussi Jääskeläinen or Stephen Henderson? Preseason friendlies suggest that Jussi gets the nod as number one but, given that he spent the second half of last season as a substitute in a team heading towards the Championship, Henderson has reason for encouragement.
Over the last two or three decades, the number one spot has generally been an area of strength for West Ham: Rob Green, David James, Shaka Hislop, Ludek Miklosko, Phil Parkes, etc. It therefore feels strange to go into this season with two keepers who both spent most of last season warming the bench. Henderson’s time at Portsmouth suggests he is a good prospect who may be eased into the team over the next season or two, while Jussi is still an experienced, safe pair of hands, even if he is not exactly enjoying his heyday.
The defenders
For James Tomkins – who may or may not be used as a defender – the 2012/13 season is pivotal for his career. A brilliant season in the Championship led to rumours of interest from Tottenham and Newcastle. Fans take his presence in the starting 11 as a given, but those with slightly longer memories will remember just how much he struggled at this level, especially during the 2009/10 season under Gianfranco Zola. His half-time substitution during the disastrous 3-1 defeat to Wolves is a reminder of how strong he was to recover from that nadir, but also a warning against complacency.
The full-back positions remain the squad’s biggest weakness. Big Sam knows his stats better than I do, and perhaps this is just not a priority for him. By contrast, I remember only too well our last hapless season in the Premier League. I am loath to use Lars Jacobsen, Julien Faubert, Herita Ilunga, Wayne Bridge and Tal Ben Haim as scapegoats, but they weren’t the best, were they? Macca has performed well for us at this level before and deserves his chance, but I do worry about how he will fair against the top teams. Guy Demel, meanwhile, can be summed up in one word: liability.
With the exception of Julian Dicks and Tony Cottee, I have never been so happy at the return of a player as that of James Collins. Welcome home.
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| James Collins experiments with hair |
The midfielders
Kevin Nolan, Mark Noble, Gary O’Neil, Jack Collison, Alou Diarra, Mohamed Diame, not to mention James Tomkins. I don’t know about you, but I reckon we’re sorted for centre midfielders. Matt Taylor and RVT should provide the width. I think that covers it.
The forwards
We have the best forwards in this division by a country mile. What’s that? We’re not in the Championship anymore? Oh.
For many fans who spent last season watching poor Carlton chase lost causes and high balls launched from our penalty box, the prospect of a repeat this year may feel like too much to bear. Still, it worked. Just. And having reached double figures for the last four years, I for one believe Carlton – my favourite of all the Coles – is a big asset.
I’m not going to pretend to know the first thing about new recruit Modibo Maiga, aside from a five-minute YouTube clip I saw, in which he scored lots of Ligue 1 goals. Hopefully, he’ll be the next Freddie Kanoute – one that doesn’t piss off to Spurs.
Sam Baldock’s omission from the squad that travelled to Portugal this weekend suggests that his West Ham career is over. A 50% goal ratio belied the fact that he never really convinced. Nicky Maynard simply wasn’t given the chance. Like Baldock, he didn’t seem an obvious Allardycian signing (a ‘wardrobe’ he is not) and it remains to be seen exactly how Big Sam would incorporate him into his system.
And don’t write off Brian Montenegro. You already have? Oh, ok.
The gaffer
I love Big Sam. There – I’ve said it. I don’t like it when he uses the word ‘deluded’ to describe our supporters and sometimes his style of play makes my eyes bleed – but in a way that Alan Pardew and Alan Curbishley had prepared me for. But last season, for every goalless draw with Bristol City, there was a 4+ goal hiding of Watford, or Forest, or Blackpool, or Barnsley, or Brighton.
Most of Zola’s tenure and all of Avram Grant’s was nothing short of a humiliation. Zola used to laugh in post-match interviews when we had just lost. Allardyce has brought back pride to this club. I have no desire to become a Millwall-esqe no-one-likes-us club, but if this season we find ourselves on the end of negative comments from the opposition, it will mean one thing – we’re winning matches.
Irons.
At last, someone talking sense on the matters above - thanks. Much of this represents my thoughts precisely.
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