A few thoughts...

Last few weeks have been disappointing to say the least, below par against Burnley, and a quite frankly embarrassing away performance last weekend, it was almost as if we were back to our previous selves: un-able to defend, demotivated and a lack of harmony within the squad. However, these past results have been exactly what we've needed - a reality check. Many fans, including myself started to think "Yeah we'll easily get promoted" but even I said to my Dad before the game against Burnley, "this is the sort of game we lost last season, don't fancy a win today" and low and behold we lost. If anything, it's highlighted how poor we are upfront when Baldock is injured. Cole, who isn't a lone striker is totally ineffective when played as one and needs the likes of Baldock and even Sears to play off him for him to get involved with the game. Our squad is injury hit and there's no way I can deny that whatsoever, but you'd imagine that those being given a chance in the absence of Taylor, Lansbury, Reid and co would be chomping at the bit to impress however, it looked as if at times last week at Reading that they'd just met each other for the first time before the game.

January will be a big month for us, and perhaps our biggest and most important transfer market in a long time. Allardyce has supposedly drawn up a 25 man short-list and with it rumoured that G&S have given him a £10m transfer kitty, we may well see some 'big' names. However, with Green refusing to sign a new deal and Faubert suggesting that he wants a move to France, we may well see departures as well as arrivals. Names such as Zamora, Andy Johnson, Wilfred Zaha and Liam Ridgewell have been thrown around Twitter this week as potential transfer targets and all would undoubtedly improve our squad however I feel that we're missing a trick and need to target - even if it be on a 6 month loan - a CM. Now, with him apparently seeking a loan move away from Arsenal to gain match time, need we look further than said Emmanuel Frimpong? Yes he'd be a liability as his attitude in previous games has shown, but he'd offer tenacity, desire and with the intention to impress Mr Wenger, why not? Worth a shot surely?

With Collison and O'Brien suspended, and Winston Reid, Sam Baldock, Matt Taylor, Guy Demel, Henri Lansbury, Ruud Boffin and Gary O'Neil all still out injured, it will be interesting to see what kind of a side Allardyce puts out this afternoon. Who knows, we may even see some youth! If we loose today, it's understandable, we're in the middle of an injury crisis and looking at the squad list, I can't begin to think what our starting line up will look like this afternoon. But what ever happens, do not start calling for Allardyce's head, you can't do anything about injuries and I for one am certainly excited as to what he gets up to in Jan. Come on you Irons and let's hope for a resounding win this afternoon. 

Ooo get us...

Four wins on the trot, seven games unbeaten, this is more like it. Sound performance away at Middlesbrough is certainly something I didn't expect to see so soon in the Allardyce reign. Our away form at the moment is spectacular to say the least, let's hope it continues until the end of the season! Piquionne scored doing what he does best and although I've criticised him in the past he more than justified his selection tonight. Cole's time out injured appears to of rejuvenated him and he's returned as the player he should of been last season. Judging by 5Live's commentary it was a tidy finish too. Bring on Burnley is all I can say, and let's hope we see those pretty bubbles continue to fly.

King Kevin

Sure it's taken him longer than we'd of liked for him to get his first goal at Upton Park but boy he didn't half do it by measures? A cracking left foot volley that even Matty Taylor would be proud of set us on our way to victory on Saturday but again, like I've said before, the growing animosity towards the man is unsettling. Not just for Nolan himself but for other fans who knew he was capable of scoring goals like he did on Saturday. Nolan is industrial, he's strong and he scores goals and it'd sure be a shame if he turned around and asked for a move because he didn't feel welcome. You only need to look at his goalscoring record a couple of seasons back when Newcastle were in the Championship to see just how valuable the guy is.  More importantly, I don't think Allardyce has found the right role for him yet. Some will say that he's too slow to be playing in the middle of the park and I for one agree with that especially as on the counter we leave ourselves vulnerable it'd be wrong to play him there arguably he could be deemed too slow to play in behind Cole to support him. I say let the captain find his feet and in time, he'll more than justify his price-tag and wages. With the likes of Taylor and co recovering from injury I'm sure his game will improve. Just a thought to consider, if he does go 'missing' in a game as some have pointed out, sing and cheer for him rather than abusing him, might just gee him up.

It's growing...

In a footballing world where more and more fans are jumping on the bandwagon and support top clubs such as Barca, Real, United, City it’s intriguing to see growing levels of support for the lower English leagues.

Take Hartlepool United for example, a League One club currently 12^th and filling on average 75% of its ground every week, impressive huh? A club that is Geographically close to Sunderland, Middlesbrough and Doncaster and only twenty or so miles south from the high-flying Newcastle United, why is it that they are attracting big crowds every week?  Now I say big, and I mean big for Hartlepool’s standards. Hartlepool’s capacity in 7229 and with an average attendance 5491 turning up every week, it’s safe to say it’s not that far off a full house. Affordable prices without a doubt are one of the reasons League teams are attracting large numbers week in week out and with kids willing to sing their hearts out to support their team, the clubs benefits from it in more ways than one. Rousing support without a doubt boosts atmosphere and with people singing for the players rather than clapping them on and off the pitch at the beginning and end of the game it's bound to have a positive effect on player morale too. I experienced this first hand in January when Newcastle came to Stevenage for a 3rd round FA Cup tie and to this day I am convinced the atmosphere unsettled the Newcastle side. Barton as you can imagine took a lot of stick and when Newcastle showed signs of "uncomfortableness" it showed and the crowd picked up on it. What I'm trying to say is when the crowd get's going at any club let alone the Premier League's elite it really is a moment to behold and savour.

However, as I breifly touched upon earlier, money and affordability does play a large part. A season ticket for an adult at Hartlepool is on average £376.50 compare this to Middlesbrough who are a Championship club and that figure rises to £420-595. Therein lays one of the fundamental reasons lower league football in England has seen a rise in support - Premier League and Championship football is just too expensive to watch. The Championship, full to the brim of Premier League talent have their prices high simply for “financial reasons”. David Gold, chairman of  West Ham stated in the summer that he “can't justify paying huge wages to players and passing on the cost to fans however a financial reality”.  An idea that Adrian Durham of Talksport was totally against and in turn, many other football fans. It’s not just Premier League football that’s excluding a large percentage of it’s fans, but the Championship is also resorting to high-ticket prices to help fund their astronomical wage bills in the hope that the players they have signed will guarantee them promotion. Gold's quote without a doubt highlights the increasing problem in Championship football. Clubs are willing to take a risk on ex-Premier League players in the hope that it will fire them back up this (and I know it's still early days) has not been the case at Leicester City where as I'm sure you are all aware, spent big in the summer in the hope they'd run away with the Championship, which is not the case. Currently 9th in the Championship and 13 points of the leaders Southampton they've got a bit of work to do yet. A change in manger surely doesn't help but when you've spent big and the fans are paying for it in more ways than one, it doesn't bode well. 

But let’s step away from finance and get serious; lower league football is becoming much more attractive.  Let’s take League One again for example; Charlton and Sheffield United (ex premier league), Sheffield Wednesday (ex Champions League winners), Huddersfield and even the once mighty MK Dons are all playing their trade there. With these big names, comes ex big name players; Clinton Morrison, Bradley Wright-Phillips, Lee Hughes and Richard Cresswell to name but a few and slowly but surely ex Premier League players are re-ignighting themselves down the footballing ladder. These players, albeit not single-handedly, do still however attract fans to watch their team play, for example I can remember earlier on in the season at Stevenage when Notts County came to town a lot of the home fans were talking about Lee Hughes albeit negatively but it highlights the point that big time players playing in the lower leagues are getting fans talking and more importantly, getting them paying. Not to mention the League's are breaking the typical stereo-type. Traditionally when you think of lower League football you think of the dreaded away trip to Carlisle/Plymouth in the pouring rain where you'll witness 90mins of hoofing the ball forward to the well-built striker in the attempt he'll get a lucky header that floats in, well I can tell you that is no longer the case. Having been to four Stevenage home games this season and seen them beat Charlton, Sheffields United and Wednesday and lose to Notts Country it's evident that this is no longer the case. In every game, both sides kept the ball on the ground and looked to play it and with the way the English game is evolving it's nice to see this is spreading down the Leagues. I say the word evolve because I personally believe that that is what's happening to the modern game.  I have got to look at this with open eyes and I cannot categorically deny that there are times where the football becomes ugly and it turns into a game of who can head the ball the furthest however as the game evolves and the footballing ethos is further developed eventually I can see the "Footballing Divide" between the Leagues to the Premier League gradually becoming smaller and smaller. 

League’s 1 and 2 are also providing a platform for some very interesting managers to show off their capabilities. Take Chris Powell for example, took over at Charlton last season, pulled them through to a below-par 13^th place finish in League one and in his second season he’s got them currently 5 points clear and only losing once (1-0 away to Stevenage). The fans adore Powell from his tenure at the club as a player and this was undoubtedly what saved his job, without his previous reputation his shot at the big time could of been over before it'd even begun. Graham Westley currently in charge of my local team Stevenage FC has not seen his success go un-noticed in recent years. Having led them to back to back promotions it was inevitable he would be linked with a job in the big time and the Media speculated that it'd be Westley who would take over as Watford manager in the summer it was however not to be and Sean Dyche got the job but it's certainly interesting to see these accomplishments being noticed. Westley's style has undoubtedly changed over his 2nd spell at the club however the mentality "witness the fitness" remains and it's easy to see why they are so successfully. Without a doubt one of the smallest clubs in the Football League and with roughly the same squad that saw them promoted from the Conference it's evident to see that Westley has something about him - I mean, you don't beat Newcastle 3-1 at home if you're not up to scratch do you? A further example would be Paolo Di Canio at Swindon. Lets face it, all of us including Hammers fans were sceptical if Paolo would be able to cut it as a manager however 18 games in Swindon are sitting in 7th in League 2 on 30points eleven off the pace, not bad for a rookie eh? If the League position doesn't impress you then maybe the fact that he led Swindon to a 4-1 win over League 1 high-flyers Huddersfield who at the time of writing are 44 league games unbeaten. If that's not enough to get chins wagging then I don't know what is. 


I don't doubt for one second that there's a large percentage of you that won't agree with the above and I welcome that and you're more than welcome to leave comments at the bottom of the page. If you want to have a moan at me on Twitter you can find me @MusingsofMoore. Praise is welcome also. Cheers for reading. 

My Top 5 PL Goals

A hot topic of debate for many a football fan – what is the greatest goal of all time? A “great” goal can consist of a piece of skill, a forty yard thunderbolt or a match-winning overhead kick or even a simple tap in after a beautifully knitted thread of thirty passes. Below I’m going to list my Top 5 Premier League goals of all time. Ready?

5) Dennis Bergkamp v Newcastle

Not only was it a sublime piece of skill from the Dutch master followed by an even better finish it was a fantastic team move as-well. Recently voted the 7^thbest goal in Premier League history it’s easy to see why he gained legendary status at Highbury. The move started deep in Arsenal’s own half and within three passes the ball found itself in the back of the net. Not to mention the ball into Bergkamp’s feet from Pires was a beauty too.  This goal just about pipped another Gooner, Robin Van Persie into my Top 5. His thunderbolt against Charlton will live long in the memory of many a football fan.

4) Matt Le Tissier v Newcastle

What a special bit of skill this is. Again a move started inside their own half Southampton hoofed a long ball forward into the Newcastle half, a header down to the holy feet of Le Tissier who flicks the ball over his head, over the head of an oncoming defender and another and then a cool finish into the corner of the net.  In my opinion one of the single greatest pieces of skill of all time it’s easy to see why Le Tiss was idolised by Southampton fans.

3) Alan Shearer v Everton

In my opinion the second best volley of all time after Paolo Di Canio – an absolute rocket from the ex-England man.  The ball perfectly headed so it dropped onto his right foot and then at what appears to be 100mph+, absolutely flies into the net.  Cue wild celebrations from Shearer and his team mates as they struggle to believe what just happened. As I say only just beaten by Di Canio to the greatest Premier League volley of all time it’s easy to see why Shearer was considered one of the best strikers around.

2) Cameron Jerome v Liverpool

In what is going to be considered a surprise admission by many, in at number two is Cameron Jerome.  When you hear and think of Jerome you wouldn’t have thought he was a player capable of unleashing a rocket from 30+ yards but believe me he is as Reina found out in the 2009/2010 season.  Jerome, using his upper body strength powered past a couple of Liverpool defenders and unleashed a beauty which sailed into the top corner of the net.  Jerome who hasn’t repeated this undoubted skill since might just be a one hit wonder nonetheless what a way to be remembered. (Goal at 1min 28sec)

1) Paolo Di Canio vs Wimbledon

The one, the only Paolo Di Canio.  You know what goal I’m talking about the absolute beauty of a volley commonly known around the world as “The Di Canio”. A fantastic team move that shall I say, ripped apart a Wimbledon side that ended up in what I believe to be the Greatest Goal of all time.  Yes as a West Ham fan you could consider me biased but tell me, have you seen anything like it since?  A brilliant ball from the late Foe to Sinclair who bettered Foe’s ball to him to Di Canio who timed his leap perfectly and beautifully finished.  Those immortal words uttered by Martin Tyler “Di Canio oh, I do not believe that, that is sensational” will certainly live in my memory forever.  Long hail the king.

Guest writers wanted!

With my contributions slowly getting less and less I'm looking for fellow Hammers to write for the site. Drop me a mention on Twitter @Daniel_Speller and I'll email you with details. Look forward to hearing from you.

Captain Kev

This afternoon I've read, heard and seen some totally ridiculous suggestions that Nolan's gone downhill, not the player he was and that we've been 'ripped off'. Are you having a laugh? These are the same people that were praising him and Allardyce a couple of months back when he signed on the dotted line. How fickle do you want to get? He's our captain, arguably our most accomplished player and like every other player needs time to settle in and find his place etc. He'll find his shooting boots and goal scoring form from a couple of seasons back when he led Newcastle straight back up. In fact, I think i've hit the nail on the head, Nolan isn't a midfield player he's more of a striker and maybe that's where we should play him, upfront with Cole rather than alongside Noble/Collison. Give him time rather than slagging him off after 6 games, he'll prove you wrong, I know it. 

Follow me on Twitter @MusingsofMoore

Now, am I being a bit greedy?

Having just had a look at the fixture list, our next four games are: Peterborough (H), Ipswich (H), Palace (A) and Blackpool (H). Now, being the forever optimistic fan that I am, I'm quitely confident that we can nick a minimum ten points from these three games. Infact, if we are to be Champions at the end of the season then we should be looking to win all four. I like the majority of Hammers fans am happy with the 0-0 draw against Millwall and am 'proud' so to speak of the fans for not causing a riot. And what with our very impressive away record (who'd of thought it) in tact I have every reason to be confident for the Palace game. If anything it's our home form I've got to be worried about but after eventually beating Pompey last weekend things are looking on the up.

In other news, Allardyce has announced that the club aren't looking to re-sign Wayne Bridge on loan which is news I'm personally happy about. A left-back is not what we need and even after Faye's impressive performance against Millwall on Saturday I do still think it's a CB we need to look at. Onouha at City even after Cook resigned can't be happy and I think is the player we need to be looking at and Baldock wants to make his Boleyn debut against Peterborough at the weekend.

Don't forget you can follow me on Twitter @MusingsofMoore

Montano Watch

Having been at the Stevenage v Notts County game where the impressive Montano came on after 60mins, I thought I'd write up what I thought of him. Having never seen him play before in a West Ham shirt or for anyone else for that matter the following is totally unbiased ...

Having read rave reviews about his recent performances for Notts I thought I was in for a real treat when he came on for Notts (already 2-0 up) but safe to say, I didn't get one. In fact maybe it's harsh of me to say that but my expectations following recent reviews were much higher than they probably shouldn't of been. His passing was very good, linked up well with his team-mates and had a couple of decent efforts on goal but apart from that he was pretty quiet. Many Notts and WHUFC fans have got high hopes for Montano and after this encouraging half an hour I've seen of him, I do too.

Brand spanking new...

Looking forward to Millwall? I certainly am. After a lot of thought and consideration I've decided to change the blog name and set up a new Twitter for it which you can find here. Will follow all West Ham fans, which if you're reading this then I guess you are. I'll be back tomorrow with a preview of Millwall, until then my fellow Hammers.

Attack, attack, attack...

With A-Levels comes a sudden influx on Homework which I certainly didn't anticipate and on my night off from writing about Macro-Economics I thought I'd return to what I do best: rambling on about my beloved West Ham. An interesting to say at the least win against Portsmouth at the weekend left a lot to the imagination, defensively we were the weakest we've been for a long time however going forward was a totally different matter. Much like Stevenage's attitude at the Lamex last night our mentality seems to be attack, attack, attack and if you score, we'll score too. Yes it worked on Saturday but will it work against the likes of Man Utd, Man City and Chelsea if we get promoted? I don't think so. Lansbury was impressive and if he keeps that up will certainly be pushing for a place in Arsenal's team next season and if I'm to be totally honest, I'm surprised we've managed to get a hold of him after an excellent season for Norwich at the same level last season. I would of thought that Premier League clubs would of come knocking for sure however, to our advantage they didn't and we've got one of England's promising talents for the rest of the season. Our signings on deadline day impressed me to say the least: Demel an international, Bentley with a point to prove, Lansbury looking to push into the Arsenal team I think it's fair to say we've signed players who've been there and done that. Allardyce knows what he's doing and if it all comes together - we're going to have one hell of a squad next season.

Millwall at the weekend, and I'm sure this doesn't need to be said, is a massive game. Win it and that'll be three games we've won on the trot loose and well ... we've got a problem. Not to mention we'd of lost to our biggest rivals which will be of large detrimental effect to the teams confidence but it will also ruin our rather tasty looking away record. I won't write a preview for the game as it's only Wednesday, so in true Arnie style, I'll be back - nearer to the weekend with a preview.

Twitter: @Daniel_Speller

With much regret...

Sadly now that I'm back at School and studying for my A-Levels; school work now takes precedence. I will still write articles for this site in my spare time however I won't be anywhere near as prolific as I was in the summer. I am however very much up for publishing contributions for the blog so if you're interested contact me on Twitter: @Daniel_Speller . So, until next time, COYI.

Super, Super Scott!

Contrary to belief Parker handing in a transfer request has saved us a lot of money. Like most players nowadays Parker would of had a loyalty bonus in his contract if he was sold and by handing in his transfer request he's forgone that, not to mention his £70,000 a week wages are now off our books. The abuse aimed at Scott this evening is quite frankly embarrassing and has to stop. People seem to be forgetting he almost single-handedly with help from Greeno saved us from a pathetic points total last season. I'll remember him for a lot of things, his work-rate, his clever passes, tackling and ability to score great goals at key times (Wigan a couple of seasons back and Liverpool last season). Drop the hatred and remember what he's done for the club, we've had him for his best years and made a profit on him. With him gone the likes of Collison will flourish and get maximum game time he is the future and with a bit of luck we've got a lot to look forward too. He's moved on and we need too, just make sure you sing his name loud and proud when he returns. I certainly will be. 

You can find me on Twitter: @Daniel_Speller

We are Premier League?

It's been thrown around left right and centre that our squad is of Premier League standard and "too good" for the Championship. Are you having a bubble? It's a matter of time before Parker leaves to join Spurs and then our squad will be down to 17 players - one above the bare minimum. With fans calling for Illunga's head he looks like he might well be out of the door before the window closes leaving us with - the bare minimum. Doesn't sound like a Premier League squad does it? Allardyce insisted that we are looking at bringing in more players before Wednesdays deadline with Glenn Whelan thought to be Parker's replacement. With Barerra having gone out on loan midweek to Zaragoza for a season. Our midfield despite all of the current signings, is looking thin. An injury to one of our key men: Nolan, Collison, Green, Tomkins lets face it, is inevitable given our track record and what will we do then? Play an unproven teenager? Supposed interest in Joe Lewis has dissapeared into thin dust so it would seem and Max Gradel sees himself playing at a higher level than the Championship before the end of the season and so doesn't want to make the move to Upton Park.

Anyway, back to the pitch: 3 away wins on the bounce is unheard of nowadays and in my opinion is quite impressive. Allardyce seems to appear to have the away set-up spot on and with the next game not this weekend but the week after against Pompey at home - he's got time to set himself up and get the home record looking positive. The midfield for the first time this season didn't look too 'crowded' and despite Parker not playing still had the creative and defensive edge that he brings to the side. However Papa Diop formerly of Fulham and Portsmouth is reported to be close to signing a deal at Upton Park and in my opinion he is exactly the player we need - strong, athletic and not frightened to get involved in the tackle not to mention he fits exactly into Big Sam's mould. Our youngest chairman tweeted this morning that we are close to signing Brian Montenegro - I for one know sweet nothing about the player as does Youtube as I couldn't even find a highlights video on the chap. Have we taken a gamble on this lad? I think so. Still with two days left, plenty more business to be done. I've said it before and I'll say it again with limited opportunities for him at Old Trafford we should make a loan move for Federico Macheda. Yes we've got lots of options up-front with Carew, Cole, Baldock & Piquionne but Macheda would offer something else and the thought of he and Baldock together is ... interesting. Having said all of that, looking back at the teams we've struggled against Cardiff and Leeds had we managed to keep a hold of Ba and Hitz we would of won those games comfortably. Whereas last season we couldn't even string a couple of passes together away we've looked impressive and like we know what we're doing unlike when we're playing at home. You'll notice that up until now I've not mention the mid-week humiliation at the hands of Aldershot and that's because I'm quite frankly embarrassed to do so. With an important game coming up at the weekend (Forest) it's easy to see why he didn't put a full strength side out but the performance was appalling. Even if we'd of won the team performance still would of been shocking and quite frankly we didn't deserve to win. Still, let's not judge the rest of the squad on a Wednesday night at Upton Park, they like the fans watching were probably nervous and McNaughton's red highlighted that. Still I, like many others would rather we focused on "Project Promotion" rather than a day out at Wembley heck, we might even have one if we don't win the league!

Anyway, I'll leave you be to enjoy the bank holiday and the transfer speculation until 5pm Wednesday afternoon when the window shuts. Until then fellow Hammers.

You can find me on Twitter here.

Keep it up!

In what has been an unusually good week for us Hammers it could yet get even better with a win over Leeds this afternoon. However Leeds are considered, by many, to be our real bogey team rather than Bolton. We haven't won in any of the last seven encounters between the two sides and we have only beaten them once in the last twelve meetings between the side, not looking good eh? As ever though I'm remaining optimistic, two away wins on the trot and two clean sheets is certainly positive and with the home support on our side this weekend I'm confident we can get a result. Leeds will have Howson (a player I earmarked as a potential signing way back) and Gradel another player who earlier on in the window was linked with a move to Upton Park back from suspension. On the other hand we have John Carew looking to make his Hammers debut after joining on a free from Aston Villa. More importantly it will be interesting to see what kind of line-up we use this afternoon. Allardyce came under a lot of stick after the 1-0 defeat to Cardiff at home on the opening day for using the defensive looking 4-5-1 however a tweak to the formation later and we've beaten Doncaster and Watford so who knows? Maybe we'll see 4-4-2 or with a bit of luck, I know it's a long shot, my favoured 4-1-2-1-2.

How do I think we'll line up?

Green

O'Brien Tomkins Reid Illunga

Collison Parker Noble Taylor

Nolan

Cole

That being said it's possible Big Sam won't want to risk Illunga at left back against Leeds's danger men of Snodgrass, Gradel and Howson and so might move Taylor to left back, Collison over to the left and bring in Barerra to fill the void at right mid. But hey, that's what I'd do and I'm sure many others will have different opinions including Big Sam himself. I fully expect Carew to come off the bench and make his debut with about 20mins to go. Prediction? I'm going for 3-1 West Ham but it won't be easy we'll need our big name players en song. Come on You Irons!

Twitter: @Daniel_Speller

Jog on Fernandes

So Tony "West Ham fan" Fernandes has bought into QPR and wants to make Scott Parker his priority signing - is he having a laugh? A quite insulting offer of £4million was immediately rejected and it's thought they will come back in at our £8million valuation. After their 4-0 drubbing at home to Bolton and our fantastic 4-0 away win at Watford on Tuesday night I certainly know what team I'd rather be a part of this season. It's thought that 'Arry is set to come in for Parker this week but I honestly cannot see where he would fit in at Spurs. They already have Sandro and Huddlestone both who are of a very similar mould to Parker. With time running out and Parker, Cole and Green all still at the club and looking very much set to stay and the squad having been improved on from last season it begs the question: how would we of fared in the Premier League this season? In my opinion certainly a lot better than last but who knows. With two wins out of three and a home game against Leeds on Sunday we could be looking at three wins from four and I think if you ask any West Ham fan they'll tell you it's either equal to or better than they expected. With Allardyce ruling out making anymore signings but the papers linking us to Barton, Maynard & Beckford it's hard to determine who's telling the truth. Still, with just under two weeks to go until the deadline I'm sure we'll see some more ins and outs. Who it will be though I don't have a clue, to Sundays game and hopefully another 3 points!

Twitter: @Daniel_Speller

Six from nine? Yes please!

After a solid team win on Saturday against an albeit injury ravaged Doncaster side, it's fair to say I'm optimistic about tonight's game against Watford. A side who again in theory we should have too much for will find it difficult to penetrate our solid looking defence. It is believed that Illunga has been dropped for tonight's clash with the impressive Matt Taylor dropping back to left back with either Stanislas or Collison taking his place on the left wing. Cole looks set to make his first start of the season in favour of Piquionne who has failed to impress in the last two games. It's important we get a winning run going and to win two consecutive away games (something which we haven't done in years) would install confidence and build on the winning mentality. How do I think we'll line up tonight?

Something a little like this:

Green

O'Brien Reid Tomkins Taylor

Collison Parker Noble Stanislas

Nolan

Cole

Personally i'd be tempted to give Barerra a start on the right and move Collison over to the left but for now Big Sam seems to view Barerra as an impact sub and I safely expect to see him making an appearance at some point during the game. For the time being the formation works and I for one am certainly interested to see how we line up against Leeds at Upton Park on Saturday. Following the dissapointing defeat to Cardiff on the opening day it'll be interesting to see if Allardyce sticks with the 4-4-1-1 or switches to a slightly more attacking formation such as the 4-3-3 or possibly the 4-1-2-1-2. Although the latter has little width it'd allow us to protect the back four with a holding midfield player be it Parker or Faye, have two in the middle (Noble & Collison) and then have an attacking midfielder (Nolan) to support the front two. Another thing that the formation allows for is roaming full backs to provide width, something that would suit Taylor and McCartney to a tee on the left along with Faubert on the right it certainly makes an interesting proposition. Not to mention it would allow us to start playing "The West Ham way". A formation that in therory works like a dream however in a real game would it be as effective? I think so, it just depends if Allardyce is willing to try new things. 

In other news, Hines looks set to leave the club with Burnley thought to be after his signature. A player who impressed me a couple of seasons back when he took on Liverpool single handedly but has been injury plagued since and has failed to leave his mark. Reports a few weeks back suggested that he had signed a new contract with the club however that doesn't seem to be the case. Confident about tonight? Yes, I'm going for a 3-0 win. Come on You Irons!

Twitter: Daniel_Speller

Same old, same old...

From was a promising first twenty minutes we quickly reverted back to our sluggish former self and I think it's fair to say that the last ten minutes encapsulated the whole of last season. However, despite all of the negatives there are positives we can take out of the game. Reid and Tomkins shone as a pairing throughout and right up until the end dealt with the ever present threat of Earnshaw and Miller not to mention any ball that was pumped into the half was met with their heads. Illunga impressed me and seems to have come on leaps and bounds from last season where he thought he was playing basketball rather than football however I feel he is more suited to a left winger rather than a left back. It's evident that after today's performance the left back area needs strengthening.Taylor was our best player by a mile and seemed to be the only player willing to take a shot from distance. Infact it was a good overall team performance however as per usual we just lacked that cutting edge. Parker was absent and not his usual self throughout and Nolan seemed to go quiet for periods of the game. 4-5-1 was arguably the wrong formation to use - Piquionne and then Cole looked isolated in the lone striker role and with the arrival of Carew yesterday it seems difficult to imagine us lining up any other way against Doncaster next Saturday. The need for a smaller, pacey and proven goalscorer was evident as neither Cole or Piquionne looked like scoring our outpacing the Cardiff back four.

What we have to remember however that this was as much as experiment for Allardyce more than anything as it was his first competitive game in charge. Admittedly he got the formation wrong but if we keep a hold of Parker how else is he going to incorporate he, Nolan, Noble and Collison into a four man midfield? The arrival of Carew in my opinion is necessary and will only develop the team and not hinder it as other fans are seeming to suggest and also as I've said before he's a perfect replacement for the possible outward bound Cole and not to mention he's a Premier League quality striker it makes it even more of a coup. There is obvious room for improvement and I think these areas need to be attended to before the end of the transfer window otherwise come the end of the season when legs start to tire even more we will see even more of the same. What many of us are failing to remember is that this was the first game of forty six which means that there is plenty of time for improvement and fine-tuning, it's if this result happened mid-season there would be cause for concern. Still, I'm remaining optimistic and looking forward to Aldershot on Tuesday. Come on You Irons!

West Ham v Cardiff Preview

I think it's safe to say that I'm delighted that the season is finally underway. It goes without saying that I'm excited for what this season might bring and I don't doubt for one second that there are thousands of Hammers fans that feel the same way. Journalists, pundits and season previewers have tipped us for the title let alone promotion so yet again the weight of the world is on our shoulders. Talk about pressure! It's fair to say that Big Sam's had a pretty hefty clear out and I very much doubt that it's totally over with Barerra, Parker, Cole and Green all being linked to moves elsewhere. He's brought in experience and talent and not taken any gambles, something who he who must not be named did last season with Barerra and Reid, with one paying off and looking set to play a pivotal role this season and the other being linked to a move elsewhere.

It's been suggested that Allardyce will use the 4-5-1 formation and this is how I think we'll line up:

With the club announcing that Faubert is likely to be out for two weeks with an injury I decided to leave him out and put O'Brien in his place and the same goes for Faye at centre back replacing him with Reid. It's a huge season for the club and it's re-assuring to see that Allardyce doesn't appear to of taken any risks with big money signings or offering contracts to injury prone players. As I said earlier on in the week, he realises the amount of pressure that is on his shoulders and knows that failure to win promotion will see him sacked and quite possibly leave any chance of him managing a Top 4 club at virtually zero. Prediction? Cardiff are a strong side and know the Championship off the back of their hand, they'll prove a difficult opposition but I think we'll prove too much for them and end up eventual 2-0 winners. Goalscorers? I'm feeling lucky and going for Nolan and Taylor - talk about sticking my neck on the line. All I can say to the fans that are there is sing your hearts out, get behind the team and make sure you rattle the roof with I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles. Come On You Irons!

In other news, Allardyce announced today that the club are in talks with John Carew and have decided not to offer Forsell a contract at the end of his trial. It is understood that at the end of his trial Jlloyd Samuel as also not been offered a contract as-well. Bids for Maynard and Monloungui have also both been rejected however it is thought that we are talking to a defender thought to be from Sunderland. Upton Park reunion for McCartney or Ferdinand anyone?

Oh, I do not believe that, that is sensational...

It's safe to say we've seen some pretty spectacular goals scored by West Ham players over the years; Di Canio v Wimbledon, Arsenal & Chelsea, Parker v Liverpool and Wigan, Cole v Spurs, Brooking v Arsenal, Ashton v Man City or even Di Canio v United, let's all do the Barthez anyone? After taking them all into consideration I've decided to list my Top 5 West Ham goals, enjoy.

5) Purely for comedic value and the fact that I predicted the score and the goalscorer right before the game I've had to include Di Canio's goal v Man United. You'll most probably remember it as the "Let's all do the Barthez" and others will remember it as the day we beat United at Old Trafford. However you want to look at it, it was that man Di Canio who popped up again and scored when it mattered. I think it's safe to say it's the first and certainly not the last appearance he will be making on the countdown.

4) In what was a thrilling and at the time vital victory at Upton Park last season was eventually in vain as we were relegated but it didn't stop our man marvel, Scott Parker, opening the scoring in such outstanding fashion. Parker burst in from the right played a one-two with Hitzlsperger and 'flicked' an absolute beauty of a finish past the diving Reina. Upton Park erupted and Parker roared, a definite contender for goal of the season and in my mind was only beaten by that Wayne Rooney goal.

3) In what was a quite frankly sublime piece of skill by Deano and matched by a equally sublime finish with his weaker left foot, he won himself a place in West Ham hearts forever. A knack for scoring brilliant goals against Manchester teams (overhead kick against United) it was evident he was enjoying his football. Injury eventually claimed the best striker we'd seen since Di Canio but what a way to be remembered. In what was an intricate passing move Ashton still had a lot of work to do himself. Flicking the ball with the back of his right foot into the path of his left on the edge of the box, he bombed forward before slotting a beautiful finish past the Man City goalkeeper. Like I said, not a bad way to be remembered eh?

2) Here he pops up again Paolo Di Canio. In what appeared to be something out of nothing he unleashed another moment of magic to fire the ball into the roof of the Chelsea net. Out wide the move seemed effectively over Di Canio tried to flick it over his head but the ball ricochet of a Chelsea defender and bounced favorably back into his path, what followed was magic. Paolo flicked the ball up with his right foot and then released an unstoppable volley into the roof of the net. This was what he was good at, creating something out of nothing and to contradict the commentator on the video, I'm not even sure it would make Paolo's top 3.

1) Without doubt one of the greatest goals of all time scored by one of our greatest players of all time, you guessed it Paolo Di Canio v Wimbledon. It really couldn't be anyone else? 'Arry reckoned that Di Canio used to do it all the time in training and that certainly wouldn't surprise me. When Foe lost the ball in the middle of the park it looked as if the move was over, using his athleticism he won the ball back and sprayed a simply wonderful ball across the field to Sinclair who was bombing down the right as per usual. Sinclair stopped looked up and player what is in my mind one of the best balls ever into the path of the leaping Di Canio who unleashed a simply unstoppable sissor-kick past the diving Sullivan into the corner of the net. Di Canio himself I don't think could quite believe what he'd just done. I'll tell you what you did Paolo, you scored the best goal by a West Ham player ever.

Hope you've enjoyed the goals, leave comments as to what your Top 5 WHUFC goals would be!

Under Pressure

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live's Sportsweek Allardyce announced that: ”It’s my responsibility to get them there [to the Premier League] and if I don’t I’ll be sacked…” A statement made before even a single competitive game has been played its obvious, Allardyce realises how heavy the weight of expectation is on his shoulders. It's obvious the board took far too act last season and hopefully this season if results aren't going our way for a prolonged period of time they won't make the same mistake. I'm all for Allardyce and I hope he's given a fair chance to put his master plan into action, he's signed the players he wants and will need time and I'm certainly prepared to give him it. However if we don't get off to a good start and aren't towards the top end of the table after the first ten games I can see many fans jumping on the Anti-Allardyce bandwagon. The man needs time, we need to give him it. So here's to Big Fat Sam and his Claret and Blue army. 

Pressure, pushing down on me. 

A mixed bag...

As you all know I'm sure, Joey Barton was told by Newcastle today that he could leave the club for nothing, zilch, sweet fa. One clubs loss in this case is certainly another clubs gain and I'm sure there will be many clubs hunting for Barton's signature. Inevitably we have been linked  with Barton countless times since 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon when Barton confirmed via his Twitter account that he would be leaving the club this summer. Could Barton add something to the West Ham side? Of course the answer to that is yes but in my opinion he is too similar a player to Parker who now Barton is available will find it difficult to engineer a move out of Upton Park as 'Arry has already shown interest in Barton. No-one is going to want to pay £6million for a player if there is another who can do exactly the same job and they could pick him up for free. However as Newcastle haven't released Barton they still effectively have ultimate power as to where Barton ends up. With Allardyce and Nolan having both worked with Barton before I can certainly see why he might be tempted to join the 'revolution' at Upton Park. However as he and Parker are too similar I believe we should only have one or the other as the arrival of Barton would keep players such as Noble and Collison out of the side therefore making them restless which is certainly not what we want with Collison as he is most definitely one for the future.

Would we be taking a gamble on Barton? No, a very impressive disciplinary record last season caught the eye of many with Barton not receiving a red card all season. However as always he still carries his "bad boy image" although I feel under the guidance of Allardyce and being re-united with Nolan he'd remain stable so to speak. Nonetheless if someone came up to me and asked me Parker or Barton i'd say Parker any day of the week. Why? Parker knows West Ham inside out, wears his heart on his sleeve week in week out and in my view kept West Ham's point score looking respectable at the end of last season, performance against Liverpool anyone? In fact I see it as an insult that Parker has not been offered the captaincy, what does a man have to do to get the armband nowadays? If it's true that it was Parker who inspired the turnaround at the Hawthorns towards the end of last season then what better audition for the job can a man give? Many touted Parker as an average player in a poor team but it's evident following his recent performances with England that he is so much more than that. I've got nothing against Nolan I just feel that a player who has put heart and soul into the club over the last two seasons deserves to be rewarded.

It was a big day for West Ham yesterday as Luis Boa Morte left the club and returned to Portugal to see out his playing career and former Chelsea and Birmingham man Mikael Forsell has joined the club on a trial period. If whipped into shape and fit then Forsell could most certainly do a job for us next season - I'd rather have Carew (who wouldn't?) but I feel that with his wage demands likely to be sky high,  Forsell is a fantastic alternative. With time running out and Parker, Green and Cole still at the club we're edging closer to happy days at Upton Park next season.

Moving up a Gera

A player who's played at the top level with Fulham for three seasons making 117 appearances and scoring 17 goals in the process; Zoltan Gera is still a free agent having been released by Fulham at the end of the season. Having been in England since 2004 previously playing with West Brom for four seasons before joining Fulham, it's safe to say he knows the English game well. He certainly wouldn't command large wages and the fact that he can play as a winger or an attacking midfielder it certainly makes an interesting proposition. So what are we waiting for? There aren't many players around with seven PL season's worth of experience for nothing, experience that could prove invaluable in helping the development of our youngsters.

Is it all a little pre-mature?

We've had a pretty decent pre-season, no doubt about it but is it all a little pre-mature? Yeah we beat Real Zaragoza who finished 13th in La Liga last season but that was the first time they have played since May meaning that they were rusty and rough around the edges. Four clean sheets in a row however is impressive and it would appear that Allardyce and the team have made huge strides since the end of last season. Faubert again looked solid and it would appear he has changed his mind and now wants to stay at the club following his outburst last season demanding that could leave in the summer - all positives as I believe he's a good winger and even though it's not his preferred position he has also proved he can play at right-back when required. However I'm not totally convinced and I believe that Cardiff next weekend will be a real test for us and in doing so will set the benchmark for the rest of the season. It's looking increasingly likely that we will keep a hold of Parker, Cole and Green for the curtain-raiser which can only be good - reports suggesting this week that Cole has rejected a move to Stoke to stay at Upton Park next season. Big Sam left the Zaragoza game at half-time to scout a striker - I wonder who that may be? There have been glimpses of promise and hope during pre-season but I won't believe it until I see it and we're a whole week away from that. Plenty time for further improvement.

Carew - a direct replacement for Cole?

Reports today linking us to Carew placed a smile on my face. A man-made replacement for Cole if he leaves with Stoke readying another offer for the England international. Tall, physical and a powerful finisher, Carew in my mind is built for the Championship not to mention he'd feel right at home in claret and blue. He was released by Aston Villa at the end of the season therefore he would cost nothing in the form of a transfer fee however I can imagine his wages being relatively high. Even IF Cole leaves and Carew replaces him I still think we need to sign another striker. Who that will be however, I have no idea. A rather interesting recommendation put forward to me a couple of weeks a go in a comment on one on my previous blogs was Federico Macheda - a player who would thrive alongside a big man such as Carew and also who would be interested in joining our club as first team opportunities might be scarce at Old Trafford this season. A deal that would work for both teams on a season-long loan basis it's hard to see why this deal couldnt happen.  

Like for like?

I've been thinking...

I was asked to write an article for another site where I would be guest posting (an achievement which I'm proud of as I though it'd never happen) and I was told I could write the article on absolutely anything. An sudden flow of ideas rushed to my head but the one that stood out the most was - What are the Top 5 Premier League Greatest Goals of all time. Goals throughout the years sprang to mind: Xabi Alonso from inside his own half, Beckham against Wimbledon, Henry against United and even Figueroa's free-kick from inside his own half - the list is quite frankly endless however one goal stood out and that was Di Canio's volley against Wimbledon, which in my view is easily the greatest goal in Premier League history. A string of beautifully orchestrated passes which led to the 9th minute opener are as equally impressive as the goal. Di Canio's timed his leap impeccably and unleashed an unstoppable volley past the hapless Sullivan into the corner of the net. Di Canio seemed impressed with himself and the celebration showed it but it got me thinking - will we ever see a better goal at Upton Park? A moment of magic, genius or just plain showboating whatever you want to call it, it has not been matched since and has left me pondering. No-one expected Di Canio to do it infact I'm not sure many people knew he had it in him yet on the 26th March 2000 he set Upton Park alight with a moment of individual brilliance. No pressure then ...

Take a bow son, take a bow.

Anyone remember this beauty?

Yeah he can be clumsy, yeah he might not be the best finisher but when he can score goals like this who cares? The goal against Birmingham earlier on in the season was a cracker as well. Cole needs time and games and I'm prepared to give him a chance - given the right balls and striking partner he'll be the Championship's top goalscorer next season. Okay, I'm being a tad optimistic but given a bit of luck it'll happen. Still time for him to be England's No 9 ...

In Carlton we trust.

Scotty Parker

The man who once looked certain to leave Upton Park seems to have for now parked himself in the side. Interest in Parker has cooled dramatically since the start of the transfer window and with Aston Villa now looking like they have pulled out of the race to sign him along with Chelsea it is looking more and more promising that Parker will be in claret and blue next season. As I've said before, the thought of he, Nolan and Collison in a midfield trio is certainly interesting and should in hindsight be the best in the league. Allardyce has thankfully ruled out selling Parker on deadline day and urges any teams that wish to make a bid for the England international to do so before then. News that will rattle 'Arry who's renown for making high profile deadline day transfers such as Van der Vaart last season. I'm going to live on in hope that Parker will be with us next season as I truly believe (dare I say it) that if we keep Parker we will return to the Premier League at the first time of trying. Although, now I've said that we'll probably miss out on promotion thanks to a 90th minute Millwall equaliser.

More of the same please Sir.

A bit of a Long shot...

We've submitted and seen rejected a £8million bid for Long this morning a deal in which I believe shows fantastic attacking intent not only in the transfer market but in the challenge for promotion. Long is fast, clever and proven goalscorer at Championship level and would fit in well to the side alongside either Cole or Piquionne in the classic 4-4-2 (similar to Crouch/Defoe at Spurs). £8million seems a bit steep but if that's the price of promotion then it is well and truly worth it. Having seen Long in action against Stevenage in the FA Cup I've became a fan ever since and in a previous post listed him as a recommended signing this summer. However as we aren't the only club interested in Long with West Brom supposedly willing to put in a matching bid for him it'll be interesting to see where he ends up.

Upton Park bound?

Three down, four to go...

In one of the quickest transfer sagas of the summer we've got our man. The fee undisclosed but I believe it to be in the region of £2million. Taylor will offer something else to the side weather he plays at left back or on the left hand side of the midfield and with a cracking left foot that can be seen at its finest here , I'm personally looking forward to watching Taylor strutting his stuff at Upton Park next season. Another player who I'm looking forward to watching provided that he stays fit next season is Gary O'Neil who showed glimpses of decent attacking intent before he got injured towards the end of last season. A good crosser of the ball and I can certainly see him providing many assists for Cole (provided that he stays). 

As I stated in my last post, I believe that there are four maybe even five areas of the team that still need improving. Provided that Green stays I think that are goalkeeping options in reserve are fine, Stech deserves a chance to prove himself and we've also got Kurucz. However if Green leaves then I think we need to target Joe Lewis. A good shot-stopper who proved his worth with Peterborough last season who I believe would be the end to all our problems. Lewis is tall and therefore commanding in the air which would hopefully put an end to our poor defending at corners - something which I hope Allardyce has been working hard on in training. With the departure of Upson, Da Costa and Jacobsen our back four is looking thin, the arrival of Faye has strengthened it somewhat however we are still a centre back away from being as strong as we should be. Having seen him in action a couple of times last season and impressing me somewhat I feel that Alex Bruce (son of Steve Bruce) would not only strengthen the squad but improve the back four. A fee in the region of £2-3 million would be required to snap him up from Leeds but he certainly looks an interesting prospect. If Taylor hasn't been signed to play in the left back role then I think we need to sign someone to cover Illunga, now for me this was a pretty easy role to research and if it's experience we need then it has to be Ian Harte - a player who has also been there and done that who currently plays his trade at Reading wouldn't command a large fee at all and his wages would be relatively small in comparison to Nolan and co. In my opinion the right back role is fine Jordan Spence who played in that position for the last couple of games at the end of last season deserves to be given the chance to prove himself and we've got cover in the form of Reid (our World Cup star) so I'm not too worried bar an injury crisis. 

Our midfield is shaping up to be looking quite promising. Nolan, Parker (for now), Noble and Collison battling for at most three central midfield places could be quite exciting. As I stated earlier the return of O'Neil on the right, Barerra/Taylor on the left and Sears/Hines coming off the bench to replace tired legs our midfield is going to be fast and industrial. The thought of Nolan and Parker playing together for a season is shall we say ... mouth watering. Apart from the defence the area that worries me the most is up top. There is no point of having a very decent midfield if there is not sufficient talent to finish moves off. I'm a fan of Cole and provided that he finds his shooting boots early on in the season I can see him ending up top goal scorer and winning back the majority of fans. Piquionne should get amongst the goals this season as there were times last season where he looked lethal amongst looking clumsy. I'll admit we need a proven goal scorer but who? I can't see us signing Gradel unless Barerra leaves and with him performing incredibly well at the Copa America I can see him being given another chance to prove himself, which I'm all for. The Championships top goal scorer last season was Danny Graham (Watford) followed by Grant Holt and Shane Long (Norwich and Reading respectively). Long is well and truly out of our price range as reports suggest that West Brom are ready to make an £8million bid for him some point next week however I feel that Holt and Graham are possible and wouldn't command a large fee and wage demands would be smallish too. Still, that's what I believe should happen, whether it will or not is a totally different matter entirely. 

New look back four?

Super Matty Taylor?

With the signing of Taylor from Bolton looking imminent, I thought I'd weigh up the deal. For £2.2M we are getting what I believe to be a bargain. A cracking left foot and a good work ethic, Taylor will definitely fit into our side but where? With 4-3-3 reportedly being our formation of choice next season I imagine Allardyce views Taylor as our No1 left back as he is not a centre midfielder and in my opinion would struggle to fit into that role. If Taylor signs it will be interesting to see if our supposed interest in Max Gradel comes to an end or if it carries on will we line up in a 4-4-2 with Barerra right mid and Gradel operating on the left? With us missing out on Gudjohnsen and Cole announcing that he wants to stay in London and looking more and more likely that he will stay our attacking options are looking more or less the same as they were last season - weak. With Hines yet to renew his contract they could be further weakened still. In my opinion we are still three or four players away from being Championship contenders we need a new right back, an attacking midfielder, centre back and a general striker. I honestly think we missed a trick when Bowyer was released by Birmingham as I feel he could of seriously done a job for us next season in a three man midfield - experience and a proven track record in the Championship. Still with just over a month to go and only two players signed - I'm becoming increasingly worried about next season and what it may hold.

Anyone else see the Gud in Gudjohnsen?

A man that's been here, there and just about everywhere Eidur Gudjohnsen has inevitably been linked with us. A player who in my opinion could certainly do a job for us next season is also wanted by Premier League new boys Swansea. An impressive record (54 goals in 196 appearances) for Chelsea saw him make a move to Barcelona where he made little impact scoring 19 goals in 109 appearances over three years. After falling out of favour at Barca he made a switch to French side Monaco where he failed to impress and was eventually loaned out to Spurs before ending up at Stoke and more recently at Fulham, where he was released at the end of the season.

Although Eidur appears to be on the decline as a footballer I feel that after a little pre-season training and a few games he could soon be finding the net again. A player who would command no fee and presumably relatively small wages compared to the likes of Nolan and Parker may well become Allardyce's third signing. With Cole looking like he's well on his way to Stoke for a reported £4.5mill fee plus a further £1.5mill based on appearances our strike force is looking increasingly thin. Having worked with Allardyce at Bolton I can see him preferring us to Swansea but who knows. An experienced head to help develop the youngsters also I'm all for Gudjohnsen and would love to see him in a West Ham shirt next season, now all we need is the powers that be to make it happen. Here's to hoping.

It's all gone quiet on the Western Front

It would seemingly appear that after last week's disappointment of missing out on Craig Mackail-Smith we've gone into hiding. Still the rumour mill turns and low and behold we have once again been linked with Joe Cole, a player who I personally would love to see back at Upton Park however, it is well documented that his wages are ridiculously high and therefore in my opinion putting us immediately out of the race to sign him. I fully believe that for a couple of seasons at least we have got to forget about making any further big name signings before we put the financial future of the club at serious risk. Parker, Green and Cole all remain for now however Cole looks increasingly likely to leave with QPR and Stoke reportedly tabling £6m bids to secure his signature. Parker once again linked with Spurs however with them having to sell before they buy it too is looking likely that they are set to miss out on Parker with Aston Villa showing a keen interest in our captain. With a £10m bid by Fenerbahce accepted (which Parker rejected as he doesn't want to uproot his young family) it would appear to be unlikely that we will let him leave for anything less than that. As I stated last week even though there is just under two months to go until the end of the transfer window I'm becoming frustrated at the lack of movement within the market. We have let eleven first team players leave and so far signed two replacements - that fact alone shows that progress is slow.

Allardyce has handed trials to former Bolton player Joey O'Brien and Polish defender Hernani da Rosa, both in their mid-twenties I feel that they would bolster the squad and therefore both be good signings. O'Brien having worked with Allardyce before I should imagine will be keen to link up with his former manager. However in the way of transfer news that just so happens to be about that. Dissapointed and frustrated at the lack of movement in the market is many a West Ham fan however I am sure things will soon pick up and Allardyce's vision for Upton Park will soon become clear. Until then we can only imagine, speculate and guess as to who will be wearing Claret and Blue next season. Names such as Cole, Bellamy and Davies will fly around all summer and as per usual I feel none of those will sign on the dotted line. I hope I am proved wrong, COYI!

Just a little update ...

It's the second of July and with just under two months to go until the transfer window ends and yet I still end up finding myself a little frustrated. After a cracking start to the summer which saw us capture Nolan and Faye our efforts in signing  players appear to be dwindling. I can't help but feel the Cole/Green/Parker saga will drag out over the whole summer with the three of them eventually leaving on deadline day or agreeing with the club that they will stay until January and then be allowed to leave if the club is not meeting it's high expectations. I'd of thought Big Sam would of wanted his targets signed, sealed and delivered by pre-season so he had the whole summer to work with the squad but that does not appear to be the case.

Players such as Faubert who are on the way out of the club will raise transfer funds which we need to spend appropriately. Gone are the days of Dyer, Bellamy and co which is why I'm happy to see that a player such as Max Gradel has been targeted - a proven Championship player voted Leeds' Player of The Season 2011 he has displayed that he has the qualities to survive in the Championship. Sadly it would appear that we have missed out on the signing of Craig Mackail Smith which is a real shame in my eyes. Fantastic goal scoring record in League One caught the eyes of many clubs and it looks like he will sign for Leicester next week. What have they got that we haven't? Reports linking us to Matty Taylor have died down along with rumours of Kevin Davies strutting his stuff at Upton Park, both in my opinion would be very good signings offering us experience and quality upfront and in midfield. However especially the latter I cannot see them signing, they both have a few years left in the tank and both have what it takes to play at Premier League level and I'm sure they both would be wanted by other clubs and not just West Ham.

Pablo "World Cup Wonder" Barerra has had another fantastic tournament shining in the Gold Cup for Mexico. I just hope he can continue this form and take it into next season when we will need it the most. Promising youngsters Tombides and Turgott have been in good form for their countries indicating that we are still producing fantastic Youth talent which bodes well for the future of the club. I'm looking forward to the remaining two months of the transfer window because potentially it could be a good time for the club. Replacements for Parker and Co need to be signed before they are sold otherwise I have bad visions of us scrambling on deadline day paying over the odds for players we could of signed weeks before. Still as always I remain optimistic and convinced that there are good times to be had at Upton Park next season.