Concentrating on the league as injuries mount

Aston Villa 2 West Ham 1 (FA Cup)

Its over to Matt's gaff for this one where we're joined by another north London Iron in DC and offered beer, tea, crisps and fudge. The Hammers start off excellently under Potter's new reign. Wan-Bissaka and Summerville feed Paqueta who fires a great long distance shot just wide of the post. Nine minutes in and Fullkrug and Kudus set free Summerville on the right. His low cross is tucked away by Paqueta. Lucas does a guitar strumming celebration for some reason.

Villa look disjointed and West Ham seem to be holding on quite comfortably. Interestingly Potter is playing Summerville as a kind of right wing-back and has given Ollie Scarles a game at left back in the absence of Emerson. Scarles gets in some fine tackles and combines well with Paqueta. But then Fullkrug goes down with a tweaked hamstring as DC tells us that Fullkrug had missed more than 100 games with injury in his career before we signed him. It gets worse as Summerville also has to go off injured at the interval.

Villa step it up in the second half and are helped by subs Onana, Buendia and Ramsey. Fabianski has to make a fine low save from Maatsen. But the equaliser cones from a corner that should never have been given after Villa shoot wide without touching any West Ham players. From the corner the ball ricochets around the box and although Fabianski saves one effort but the ball rebounds off Soucek and Onana taps home.

Four minutes later Villa score again. Wan-Bissaka is too far upfield and Mavropanos can't close down Watkins as the Villa man crosse for Rogers to get across Kilman and fire home.

Rogers hits the angle but West Ham do show some spirit to threaten at the end. Cresswell has a shot blocked and sub Danny Ings has one scuffed shot blocked and then shoots wide when he fails to wrap his foot around the ball in a good position.

Still the evening hasn't been entirely wasted, Matt has been reading Inside The Academy: The Hopes Highs and Heartbreaks of West Ham's Youth and his discovered that the son of Culture Club's Mikey Craig once played for the Academy. DC then produces a picture of himself with Mikey Craig and Boy George at an exhibition of Boy George's paintings in Manchester in a pop trivia overload.

So it's concentrating on the league as another cup final breakfast at Nigel's gaff in Kew Gardens is postponed. And at the latest count we now have injuries to Bowen, Antonio, Fullkrug, Summerville, Areola, Emerson, Todibo and Mavropanos. Still, there was some evidence of a new manager bounce and the side seemed to put in more of a shift and show more tactical discipline than under Loppy. Though it's now going to be a struggle to field a decent side against Fulham on Tuesday.

It's Potterball

So Graham Potter — Harry was unavailable — has finally been confirmed as West Ham's new manager. There were rumours he'd been offered an initial six-month contract but Potter was right to play hardball and hold out for a two and a half year deal.

It's a move that suits both Potter and the club. Like David Moyes Potter has something to prove after only lasting eight months at Chelsea — though with a 50-man squad of scattergun signings the Blues were hardly manageable. Already in his first interview Potter has seemed more inspiriing than half a season of Lopetegui.

He's a progressive coach who was a journeyman player, which is normally a good sign. In Sweden Potter took Ostersund from division four to the first division and a trophy, he had a mid-table season re-booting Swansea City and then stabalised Brighton from defensive relegation strugglers to an established Premier League club playing fluent football. Yes, he benefitted from Brighton's recruitment system, but also established the team that De Zerbi went on to take into Europe.

It's good that he's a bit different. Much of the modern game is about psychology and Potter has an MA in leadership and emotional intelligence, so should be able to understand both very angry geezers from Benfleet in the Bobby Moore Stand and the foibles of our modern superstars. Lopetegui had rows with Kudus and Todibo while other players apparently complained to Mark Noble, so Potter will have to employ all his man management skills.

In Sweden he once got his squad to put on a play in order to increase team bonding, so he might yet find a role for my fellow season ticket holder Michael the Playwright. Though any West Ham play would presumably be A Comedy of Errors. He's also had players trying ballet and rapping so it should be interesting. His former players speak highly of him so let's see what Graham can do with our lot. Encouragingly he likes to promote young players, which is good news for the Academy.

Praising the fans is always a good start, as Potter has just done, but he will face big challenges with the current squad. Initially the most important thing is that his arrival will lift the crowd as the London Stadium was drowning in apathy. It's a new start for both fans and players. Come on you Irons!

Sacked in the morning?

So it seems Julen Lopetegui might finally have gone. Once the news leaked that he was going to be sacked on Monday the board should have acted decisively. Whatever his flaws as a manager Lopetegui deserved to be treated with more dignity than left taking training while approaches were made to other managers. It seems likely that Graham Potter will come in though West Ham could yet be gazumped by Everton and the whole affair is reminiscent of the bungled Moyes exit and Avram Grant almost being replaced by Martin O'Neill.

It was never going to be easy for Loppy following David Moyes and implementing a more expansive style of play. But he has never convinced and part of the problem has been the language barrier. Fair play to him for learning English, but he wasn't as fluent as say Slot, Guardiola or Arteta and he struggled to convey the sense of passion that West Ham fans demand. He must have struggled to get his ideas across to the players too.

We never had a clear idea of what Loppy's playing style was and the side lacked identity. He never seemed to know his best side or what to do with the £27m Summerville. Keeping possession just seemed to make the attacks ponderous and we don't have good enough players to pass it out from the back. He was certainly unlucky with the injuries to Fullkrug and Antonio but having spent £100m it just hasn't been good enough, while the rebuilt defence has been leakier than last season. We'e lost by three goals or more to Liverpool (twice), Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs and Nottingham Forest.

Tim Steidten must also take a lot of blame for the misfiring signings. He's overseen expenditure of £240 million in his one and a half seasons, partly offset by £105 million for Declan Rice. Kilman has looked ok at times but also struggled against the big teams, Todibo is promising but keeps getting injured, Rodriguez looks average and Soler hasn't really got going. Paying £23 million for the untried potential of Guilherme was way too expensive and Fullkrug, though a quality striker, is 31 years old. Wan-Bissaka has been the best of the the new recruits, but Loppy seemed to have him going all over the pitch rather than sticking to right-back. WHU only have three centre backs and there's also been a discipline problem with Kudus and Alvarez picking up needless red cards. Apart from that it's been quite good.

I'm not one to normally advocate sacking managers, but there's been no sign of things improving after 22 games and just six wins and Lopetegui surely had to go. But David Sullivan, Karren Brady and the board must also ask themselves how they have managed to repeat the Pellegrini mistake of sacking Moyes, the most successful manager since John Lyall, for a manager with a glamorous CV promising to play attacking football, only to see it all implode. How has Steidten managed to get banned from the training ground by both Moyes and Lopetegui? They should also ask themselves why smaller clubs like Brentford, Bournemouth, Brighton and Fulham are much better run than West Ham.

Now let's see who the new gaffer is and hope things improve.

More hard times at the Etihad

Manchester City 4 West Ham 1 

We're at the Dickens Museum in Doughty Street while this is played, without any Great Expectations of a result and fearing more Hard Times. It's been A Tale of Two Cities for Pep Guardiola this season, but West Ham are currently a good side to regain your confidence against. 

At least a forward line with Summerville on the left, Fullkrug in the middle and Kudus on the right looks better balanced. Watching the highlights on Match of the Day West Ham have two great early chances. A neat back heel from Fullkrug frees Summerville who plays in Kudus for a sight of goal. His first touch is slightly heavy and Mo ends up hitting the side netting instead of scoring. Next a neat passing move sees Kudus cross for Soucek to scuff a great chance.

It all goes wrong after ten minutes though as Savinho's cross takes a rather lucky deflection off Vladimir Coufal into Areola's net. West Ham still have their chances at 1-0 down. Summerville tackles a dawdling Akanji and would be clear, only for the ref to spot a mystery foul. Kudus has another good break but shoots rather than passes, while Areola has to save well from Rico Lewis.

But as ever the Irons concede at a bad time, just before the break. Savinhio bamboozles Coufal and his fine cross sees Areola race into no-man's land and the ball go over his head to Haaland for a simple headed goal.

Todibo goes off injured to be replaced by the Greek Bloke and West Ham are 3-0 down soon after the break. Savinho is given too much space to play in Our Mutual Friend Erling Haaland, who slaloms past Kilman and scores with a brilliant chipped finish over Areola. It's 4-0 after 58 minutes. The Irons try to play it out from the back and Kudus's loose ball to Alvarez is gathered by De Bruyne, who sets up Foden for an easy goal. 

At least the Irons keep going. We pull one back when Soucek's low cross is turned in by the left foot of Fullkrug. The big German then chests the ball to Summerville only for Crysencio to slip as he volleys. Late on Paqueta's snap shot grazes the post. 

Looking at the stats West Ham have had 17 shots to City's ten but still ended up losing 4-1. There's been some signs of promise, such as the influence of Fullkrug and the times we got behind the City defence, but the defence has still looked porous and the bottom line is Lopetegui isn't winning matches. It's a Bleak House at the moment and we can't even call on A Christmas Carroll as he's in France. We really need to get a result in the FA Cup at Villa to save the season as Loppy is left hoping in Micawber-esque style that something will turn up.

Oi! Big Boy! What's your name?

The West Ham family is united in support of Ludek Miklosko, who sadly has terminal cancer, but hopefully has a few good years left yet. I've been lucky enough to meet the Big Boy twice. The first time was in 2006 on a trip with Philosophy Football and the British Council where we watched Tony Carr's West Ham kids - including James Tomkins - play against the youngsters of Sparta Prague in a giant communist-era training ground in Prague. Ludo was watching his wife and proved a real gentleman, reminiscing about that Ludo song and Tomas Repka. 

The next time was at the Europa Conference League Final in Prague in 2023. Spotting Ludo in the posh seats my pal Denis grabbed him for a selfie or two after the final whistle, as did numerous other Hammers' fans. He was a happy man that night, though strangely seemed to think he didn't come from near Moscow. Here's the photographic evidence of Ludo with some happy Hammers. Best of luck Ludo, you'll always be a legend at West Ham.

Another year over and a new one just begun

Well it's the end of 2024 and some unwanted records for the Irons. West Ham conceded 87 goals in the calendar year, the most of any Premier League club and the most goals the Hammers have conceded since 1967 (when we had Bobby Moore, strangely enough). 

The year began with West Ham sixth in the league and going well under David Moyes. But form has been poor since and you do wonder what might have happened if West Ham hadn't employed a technical director and alienated Moyes, who has just received a OBE. Could Moyes have turned it round with his own signings rather than Tim Steidten's? Though the defensive malaise definitely started under Moyes last season as Zouma's knees creaked and WHU let in six against Arsenal and five at Palace, Fulham, Liverpool and Chelsea.This time round under Lopetegui we've also let Liverpool score five twice and Arsenal beat us 5-2.

But there were some highlights of 2024 most notably a run to the quarter-finals of the Europa League and the epic 5-0 demolition of Freiburg and running unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen very close in the 1-1 draw at the London Stadium. Plus there was Bowen's hat-trick at home to Brentford and a 2-2 draw with Liverpool and George Earthy's goal against Luton, though there's not been too much to enjoy this season. 

On a personal note it was also the year we lost our fellow season-ticket holder Fraser Massey, so thanks to Sinead and all at the Saint Francis Hospice in Havering for their great care of him in his final weeks. Fraser is hopefully now telling Ron Greenwood to play a few more forwards.

Let's hope 2025 is a better year for the Hammers — and at least we're (hopefully) not going down like Man United. Happy New Year!

The quality of Mersey is not restrained

West Ham 0 Liverpool 5

His name is Ludek Miklosko, he comes from near Moscow. There's a moving, if geographically incorrect, ovation for the former Hammers keeper before kick-off.On the day of the match it's been announced that Ludo has inoperable cancer and is making the best of his final years. Thanks for the memories, big man and we're with you all the way.

In the London Stadium there's Nigel in Christmas jumper, CQ, Gavin wearing his 1970s Admiral West Ham shirt and referees' friend Mystic Matt for the Twixmas 5.15 kick-off. With Soucek and Rodriguez suspended options are limited, but it's another strange formation from Lopetegui, with Wan-Bissaka at left back and Emerson seemingly playing left midfield.

The Hammers have an early chance as Kudus pounces on a Robertson mistake, Bowen crosses and Paqueta slips as he shoots, slicing his effort well wide. But it's all Liverpool after that. Gakpo dissects the West Ham defence to find Salah, who draws a great save from Areola. The keeper has to tip over Diaz's effort after Soler gives the ball away. It's soon apparent Wan-Bissaka is having a lot of trouble tracking the elusive Salah.

But it's goalless after half an hour which gives us some hope, at least until Mavropanos's clearance unluckily deflects off Coufal into the path of Diaz, who fires home. West Ham very nearly equalise when first Paqueta heads into the keeper's arms and then Kudus wins the ball, plays a give and go with Paqueta, and fires against the base of Alisson's post from 25 yards out.

SALAH DAZE

That moment is crucial as Liverpool immediately get a second. A long ball oven the WHU high-line sees Salah flick the ball through the Greek Bloke's legs with a magnificent bit of skill and set up Gakpo for a tap-in. We're saying that West Ham need to keep it down to two and regroup at half time. But on 44 minutes West Ham decide to play it out from the back. Soler gets tackled and Jones sets up Salah on the edge of the box. He scores with a low shot that Areola should save. As Matt points out, we too often concede goals in bunches. At 3-0 down Nigel breaks precedent and eats his not-so-lucky mandarin before half-time.

At the break the crowd are in a stunned stupor after this defensive disaster-class. But there's some better news as Gavin gives Nigel his copy of The Supporters Guide to Welsh Football Grounds 2006. Nigel is not in any way related to Uncle Bryn.

Loppy makes another formation change at half-time, taking off Coufal and moving Wan-Bissaka to right-back and Emerson to left back, bringing on Fullkrug and strangely benching Alvarez, leaving a central midfield of Paqueta and Soler against Liverpool's powerhouses. Within the first minute Salah is forcing another save from Areola. It's four when Alexander-Arnold is given the freedom of Stratford to fire home a long range effort that deflects off Kilman's head, wrong-footing the keeper. At least West Ham hit the bar at 4-0 down. Mystery man sub Andy Irvine curls in a lovely cross and Kudus heads against the woodwork. 

The fifth goal arrives when Fullkrug loses possession and Salah runs from his own half, gliding through challenges to set up Jota who curls home a quality finish. Bowen gets crocked by a late tackle to round off a dismal day. At least sub Luis Guilherme has a go and his shot from the edge of the box is deflected on to the outside of the post by Dick Van Dijk's heel. We're not going to score 'til a' the seas gang dry, as Robert Burns might say. There's been an alarming lack of fight and the fact there are no yellow cards for West Ham says a lot. Liverpool are a great side and surely Champions elect, but this was far too easy. 

Gavin suggests that we try the Cow, which proves as elusive as Mo Salah, and involves negotiating security barriers and the bowels of John Lewis and Westfield. At least there's Ghost Ship and Young's Winter Warmer to dull the pain. Nigel reveals that West Ham have not beaten a team in the top half this calendar year. More optimistic is the fact he's received an Angel Witch CD from Father Christmas. 

We reflect that the only real winners of this have been Lisa, who has at least put in more of a shift elsewhere than our lads, and Michael, absent possibly auditioning to replace Sigourney Weaver as Prospero in The Tempest.

West Ham have been hammered by Liverpool (twice), Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs already, and Lopetegui's brief was to be at least giving these sides a game and he's currently a downgrade on David Moyes, while Tim Steidten also has to get some blame for misfiring signings. 

The changes of tactics are confusing, playing out from the back isn't working, the players look disheartened and there's an air of apathy about the crowd. Defeats at Man City and Aston Villa will surely spell the end of his reign. We've only played really well in a couple of games this season and that's not good enough. As the Stranglers might say, Something Better Change.

PLAYER RATINGS: Areola 6; Coufal 5 (Todibo 4), Mavropanos 4, Kilman 5, Wan-Bissaka 4; Alvarez 4 (Fullkrug 4), Paqueta 4, Soler 4 (Irving 5); Emerson 5; Bowen 6 (Summerville 5), Kudus 7 (Guilherme 6).