West Ham: The Season So Far

There can be no doubting that the vast majority of changes made in E13 in the summer transfer window have been complete successes thus far. Slaven Bilic looks composed and in control, unafraid to make attacking changes if the side is losing, as exhibited against Southampton on December 28^th. Dimitri Payet has been worth every last penny of his reported £10.4m transfer fee paid in the summer. Other purchases have made big impacts, too. Darren Randolph showed his class to keep 3 straight clean sheets after Adrian was sent off against Leicester in August. Victor Moses scored the opener in the win at the Etihad and has injected pace down the wings, and Michail Antonio has ensured that that productivity has not dropped off, even though Moses has now gone down with an injury. His impressive performances have rewarded him for his patience with 2 goals and an assist in his last two games against Southampton and Liverpool.

Looking back at the 2014/15 season under Big Sam (who did great things, but took the club as far as he could), who honestly would feel confident in him if we still had him at the helm? Sure, we sit 6^th in the Premier League, but our injury crisis has already hit, yet we’re still unbeaten in 8 games. Drawing 5 games in a row with Payet, Lanzini, and Sakho out is no mean feat, not to mention the absences of Reid and Moses during that spell as well. Since Carl Jenkinson was sent off against Bournemouth, James Tomkins has been by far the better of the two options at RB, giving James Collins an opportunity alongside Angelo Ogbonna in the middle, and he’s been rewarded with a new 2-year contract following MOTM performances against Swansea, Aston Villa, and now Liverpool. Even first-team players have been turning out impressive performances; Mark Noble and Cheikhou Kouyaté have kept Alex Song out of the side, and Aaron Cresswell looks to have stepped up and is playing more like the Hammer of the Year he is, after a shaky start to the season.

Upcoming games give the team a chance for revenge against a Bournemouth side who look surprisingly comfortable in this league, as well as the opportunity to do the double over Manchester City, with the home game coming on February 2^nd. The way Bilic has the squad playing is far more indicative of what all fans want to see. By all fans, I include neutrals, because the team are playing with a verve and electricity that I can’t remember seeing from a team in claret and blue for a long, long time. Hitting teams on the counter attack with pace from Antonio or Moses, creativity in abundance from Lanzini and Payet, and lethal finishing in the air from Andy Carroll if a cross is put in the right area. 

Even goals worked from open play seem more fluid and less Allardyce-y. For example, Payet’s first goal against Newcastle saw Mark Noble, Aaron Cresswell and Manuel Lanzini combining intricately on the left side of the Newcastle penalty area. When, in the last 4 years, would you have seen Noble turn on the corner of the box and play the ball square to someone who caressed the ball into the top corner? Rarely. The ball would either have been sent to the back post for a hopeful 50/50 header between Diafra Sakho or a half-fit Andy Carroll and a centre-back, or it would have been played across the box to a player like Gary O’Neil or Matty Taylor, who would have clattered it high into the Trevor Brooking Upper. 

Something about this team just gives me more confidence in the club. The squad oozes confidence, and the team spirit seems to be incredibly high. The game against Liverpool at the weekend showed this in a number of ways. At one point, the cameras cut to a shot of Dimitri Payet and Darren Randolph on the bench, sharing a joke and laughing with one another. One is a French international worth his weight in gold, and the other is our backup goalkeeper who has spent the vast majority of his career in the Championship, yet they are both clearly having a great time playing in the same team as one another. The spirit Bilic, and of course the results, has fostered is refreshing to see, and for once it would seem that the spirit isn’t one that comes about from there being cliques in the squad, as has felt like the case in previous years. Mark Noble was the first to celebrate with Payet when he scored against Newcastle, Adrian and Kouyaté always share a massive hug at the end of a game, and Tomkins and Jenkinson have appeared in numerous videos together despite vying for the starting right-back position.

Going deeper into 2016, it would be ridiculous of me to think that West Ham can keep up their form over the first half of the season, I’ve learnt too much from the last 4 years. However, if the board can make a couple of intelligent signings in January, and the team can finish 8^th or 9^th in the last season at Upton Park with an FA Cup semi-final under their belts, then the 2015/16 season could be considered a great success.

The 2015 Baltimore Ravens: A Review

At the start of the season, hopes were high in Baltimore. The team had drafted well and filled positions of need, and fans were promised a good look at Breshard Perriman within the week. Now here we are, 6 days into 2016, with the 6^th pick in the 2016 Draft. Where did it all go wrong?

                The obvious answer is injuries. Terrell Suggs, Steve Smith Sr., and Joe Flacco, the unquestioned leaders and poster boys of one of the most successful franchises of the past decade all went down with season-ending injuries. Sure Suggs is 33, and Smith is 37, but these are fearsome competitors, meanwhile Joe Flacco didn’t miss a snap in 7 and a half years before succumbing to a freak ACL/MCL tear. Even though these three injuries certainly contributed to the demise of the 2015 Baltimore Ravens, it was arguably the others who landed on Injured Reserve throughout the season who caused as much, if not more, disruption as the three figureheads of the franchise. Starting C Jeremy Zuttah, starting RB Justin Forsett, starting TEs Dennis Pitta and Crockett Gillmore all had two things in common. All ended the season on IR or the Physically Unable to Perform lists. All of them were also starters. Alongside them, impact names like Michael Campanaro, Darren Waller, Marlon Brown, and Matt Elam also ended on IR. In total there were 26 names on the list come the end of the season, the highest number in the entire league.

                Despite all injuries, the performance of the team was admirable. The first 12 games of the season were decided by 8 points or fewer, the longest such stretch to begin a season in NFL history. Some players also stepped up big time, continuing the Ravens’ log-held tradition of “next man up”. Punter Sam Koch had a Pro Bowl year, as did G Marshal Yanda, one of the best in the business since he was drafted in 2007. Outside of those two big performers, from whom fans at M+T Bank Stadium have come to expect greatness, there were also glimmers of light from less well-known names. 4^th round draft pick Za’Darius Smith gave fans déja vu. Wearing #90, and sporting dreadlocks, he looked just like recently departed OLB Pernell McPhee as he racked up 30 tackles, 5.5 sacks, and 1 PD in his rookie. Could he be the long-term option once Suggs and Dumervil leave Charm City? Another bright spot from this year was the play of Kamar Aiken, who was thrust into the no. 1 WR slot after Smith Sr. went down. Finishing the season with 75 receptions for 944 yards and 5 TDs, Aiken took hit after hit and just jumped back up, made plays, and caught touchdowns for 4 different QBs, an incredible feat for a 4th year veteran with only 14 starts in his NFL career.

                Moving forward, the Ravens’ front office personnel, widely considered one of the best in the league, must make big decisions about numerous players, as well as preparing for the Draft in April. Personally, I can forsee the team holding on to perpetually injured TE Dennis Pitta for financial reasons. Kelechi Osemele, who has played both LG and LT this season, is another player who needs a big decision to be made about his future on the team, as he could command big money in Free Agency if the Ravens’ don’t act fast. Meanwhile, Joe Flacco’s injury should make it easier for the Ravens to reduce his hit on the salary cap in their favour. With such a high draft pick, fans will expect and instant impact to be made by at least the first and second round picks.

                At the end of the day though, there is only one man who can really right the ship after this disastrous season, and as the old saying goes on that part of the East Coast; “In Ozzie We Trust”.

Panic Stations?

Three weeks ago, on the eve of the Ravens' first game of the 2015 NFL season, I was quietly confident. Joe Flacco is in his prime, Steve Smith Sr. is retiring at the end of the season and playing with an intensity rarely seen, even in the NFL. Yes, there were issues, such as the long-term injury to first round draft pick Breshad Perriman, and the loss of key players from last season in free agency. But excuses aren't the way the Ravens do things. It never has been, and it never will.

So with three weeks gone in the season, with the Ravens sitting at a paltry 0-3, what on earth has gone wrong? A first week loss at Denver, I can understand. A home game against Cincinatti (a team which has now won the last 4 meeting between the two) was always going to be tough. Losing to the Oakland Raiders in Week 2 was a real shock, however. Contrary to a quote from outside lineback Elvis Dumervil following last night's loss to the Bengals, I think the Ravens could easily be 3-0 instead of 0-3. Historically known for playing strong, physical defense, the Ravens squad of 2015 isn't quite performing to the level it has set for itself.

Defensive co-ordinator Dean Pees seems to be struggling to get the best out of his unit, which is missing Terrell Suggs for the season, but still has quality players on all three levels, such as Timmy

Jernigan, CJ Mosley, and Jimmy Smith. How this defense has yielded 28 points per game is quite staggering. Pees' 'bend-but-don't-break' philosophy seems to have been replaced this season by a "bend-then-snap-at-a-crucial-moment" policy. Against Denver, the defense gave up a 17-play, 11 minute drive, which gave the offense barely a minute on the field to pull out the victory. They couldn't manage it. Against Oakland, the offense scored 13 unanswered points in the 4th quarter, and all the defense had to do was stop the Raiders one time. Derek Carr threw a touchdown to Seth Roberts with 0:12 remaining. Against Cincinatti, the defense scored off an Andy Dalton fumble, then immediately yielded an 80-yard TD to AJ Green. The offense came back out and scored again through Steve Smith (seemingly the only man capable of catching a ball on this team), before the defense gave up another 80 yard drive, in only 1min 46secs, which condemned the squad to their third defeat of the season.

Ravens #3 WR

Last season, it took until Week 8 for the Ravens to lose 3 games. So what's the problem? For me, it's a combination of a lack of playmakers on offense, and a defense which isn't playing to its strengths. Joe Flacco is being forced to play from behind in football matches, and is throwing to a group of receivers that, outside of Steve Smith Sr and Crockett Gillmore, might as well be a bunch of rocks and troll dolls. The defense has two good cornerbacks in Jimmy Smith and Lardarius Webb, but they are best utilised in press man-to-man coverage, jamming their opposite number at the line of scrimmage and not allowing him to get into his route-running. Pees' defensive scheme isn't allowing them to play like this, and it's affecting the pass rush, which might not be as fearsome without Terrell Suggs, but still contains Elvis Dumervil, who has recorded 91 sacks so far in his 9 year career.

Essentially, as it stands, neither unit is helping the other, and as a result, the whole team is suffering. The offense starts slowly and picks up towards the end of games, and the defense sucks for 45 minutes, and then completely breaks down like a mediocre robot in the 4th quarter. Neither are  recipe for success, and if John Harbaugh wants his team to find the winning formula, he'll have to do it quickly. Playing Pittsburgh at Heinz Field on Thursday is just the kind of game which will either kick start the season, or send the Ravens into a catastrophic spiral, the likes of which have never been seen before in Baltimore.

Baltimore Ravens @ Denver Broncos

So, the NFL season is back. While some games kicked off with a bang (Marcus Mariota producing a near-perfect debut, for example), the Baltimore Ravens started their march towards Super Bowl 50 in a somewhat sluggish fashion, losing out narrowly to a strong Denver Broncos team in a defensive battle of wills. There were of course positives to take from the game, but at the end of the day, Baltimore sit 0-1 and already a game behind their AFC North rivals, the Steelers and the Bengals.

Let's start with what went well. The defence looked impressive, notching up 4 sacks and an interception against a notoriously strong O-Line and Peyton Manning, who doesn't usually turn the ball over much before November. Jimmy Smith's first career TD off the interception early in the second half looked to spark a change in fortunes for Dean Pees' "bend-but-don't-break" defence, who had been standing off the likes of Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, allowing Manning to complete shorter, faster passes. With Peyton Manning looking a shadow of his former self, future opponents may want to try and jam the receivers at the line, forcing him to throw further downfield, where he looked particularly vulnerable on Sunday afternoon.

Another impressive performance came from second year linebacker CJ Mosley, who had 5 total tackles, as well as two sacks, in a showing which seems to have continued his form from last season, when he finished second to Aaron Donald in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting. If he carries on as he has done for the first 19 games of his NFL career, Ravens fans may well start to make comparisons to a former MLB that once played in Baltimore. He did alright for himself, I think.

No matter how well a team plays, there is always room for improvement. Having lost yesterday, there are a number of facets of the team which have come under the microscope in the 14 hours following the result, and it doesn't make good reading for new Offensive Coordinator Marc Trestman. For one, he spells his name with a 'c', and for two, his O-Line could not handle the outside speed rushers DeMarcus Ware and Von Miller. Left Tackle Eugene Monroe left towards the end of the first quarter with a concussion and was replaced by James Hurst, who seemed to handle last year's limited responsibilities relatively well. However, when faced with one of the best pass-rushers of the last 15 years, and one of the best pass-rushers of the next 15 years in tandem. I've seen Hurst's performance from last night described as a 'turnstile' and a 'wet paper towel', suggesting that a sheet of Plenty would have done the same job and been paid far less to do it.

The woes of the offensive line meant that Joe Flacco was often left with little time to make a throw, hence why he finished the day 18/32 for 117 yards, 0TDs and 2INTs. He most certainly wasn't helped by a receiving corps limited to a 36-year old Steve Smith and a bunch of untried, untested receivers with fewer than 20TD catches between them IN THEIR CAREERS.

Of course, the worst news from the Ravens' weekend was not that they have begun the season with a loss against a team considered to be one of the best in the country. The worst of it was a season ending injury to key linebacker and team captain Terrell Suggs. For the second time in 3 seasons, Suggs has torn his Achilles tendon. This time, it's the left tendon. Last time, it was the right one. At 32 years of age, you have to start wondering whether that will be it for a player who has long been the bane of Ben Roethlisberger and Tom Brady in the NFL. A man who divides opinion, but who nobody can deny is surely one of the best all-round outside linebackers of the last 20 years.

Anyway, now that Suggs is gone, John Harbaugh's Ravens have to look forward. What better way to retaliate from Sunday's loss than to annihilate the Oakland Raiders in the hot California sun this weekend? I can't think of a nicer way to follow up a tough loss.

Predicting the 25-Man Squad: 09/07/15

Goalkeepers: Adrian, Darren Randolph
Adrian has been one of the best keepers in the league since taking over from Jussi Jaaskelainen in December 2013, and has quickly become a fan's favourite, not least for his penalty heroics in the FA

Heroics.

Cup 3rd round against Everton. Randolph, described rather optimistically by one of my mates as 'the best keeper in the Championship' joined early this summer on a free transfer from Birmingham, and will provide Adrian not only with competition for his place in the Premier League, but also with some rest during domestic and European cup competitions.



Defenders: Joey O'Brien, James Collins, James Tomkins, Winston Reid, Doniel Henry, Aaron Cresswell, Stephen Hendrie

Best LB in the league. Maybe I'm biased, though.

Much the same group as last season, with the addition of Hendrie as backup to Hammer of the Year Aaron Cresswell, Bilic will potentially be looking to add another right back to this group, with Carl Jenkinson being touted for another year-long spell at Upton Park. The centre-back group of Collins,
Reid, and Tomkins, alongside potentially Henry and Burke, with Reece Oxford as backup (should an injury crisis hit again), is a solid group to have. The rumoured addition of Angelo Ogbonna would bolster both centre-back and full-back positions as well. An extra CB and one more RB and this group could carry West Ham to a decent finish in the league.

Cheikhou Kouyaté v2.0

Midfielders: Mark Noble, Kevin Nolan, Cheikhou Kouyaté, Pedro Obiang, Diego Poyet, Stewart Downing, Dimitri Payet, Morgan Amalfitano, Matt Jarvis
The club have acknowledged a need to free up wages before being able to spend more money on new players, and it is widely agreed that the players we need to ship out from this group are Jarvis and
Nolan, with Downing drawing huge interest from Middlesbrough. Alex Song is a name being banded about as a potential new signing, although it seems that West Ham have lost out to London rivals Crystal Palace in the race for the services of Yohan Cabaye, which to me is a big shame. If Jarvis and Downing do indeed leave, Bilic will surely be looking for another winger or two, with only Payet and Amalfitano to call upon from this group.


Attackers: Mauro Zaraté, Diafra Sakho, Enner Valencia, Andy Carroll, Modibo Maïga

Destined to lead the line again.

In a similar fashion to the midfielders, I would be surprised if Gold and Sullivan weren't looking to move Modibo Maïga on after a relatively successful loan spell at FC Metz last season. I imagine that they would then go out and look for a relatively well-established striker with at least a little bit of Premier League experience. This could come in the form of Loïc Remy from Chelsea, although considering his wage demands, a loan move from January might be more realistic, especially if Mourinho manages to wrap up another signing to go alongside Costa and Falcao. Zaraté, Sakho and Valencia will certainly have their work cut out when they have to compensate for the inevitable loss of Andy Carroll to injury after only 8 games and 3 goals. With Bilic wanting to compete in all 4 competitions this season, it is of vital importance that West Ham's strike force is firing on all cyinders wherever possible this season.

Notable Players Eligible to Play, but Not Included: Raphael Spiegel, Reece Oxford, Reece Burke, Josh Cullen, Elliot Lee

The Future's Bright. The Future's Bilic.

Following the spring of discontent in E13, Davids Gold and Sullivan decided it was time to bring to a close the Big Sam era at Upton Park, and now the club are embarking on one of the biggest seasons in their 120-year history. Here are just a few things for the fans to get excited about:

1) Slaven Bilic

#WelcomeSlaven

Bilic, who played 48 games for West Ham in the late 90's had been a front runner for the job long before Allardyce left the club, having stated his interest in the position on a number of occasions. Coming from a 3rd place finish in the Turkish Superlig as manager of Besiktas (who, it should be noted, played every game away from home last season), Bilic brings with him tactical nous and relatively attacking football, especially considering the dross the fans dealt with after Christmas under Allardyce. Personally, I think he'll bring a tenacity to the job that will excite fans and players alike, and his personality will certainly make West Ham and interesting place for new players to ply their trade.

2) The Last Season

Having been called "home" for 112 years, this will be the final season that West Ham spend at the Boleyn Ground, and everyone involved with the club in any capacity is absolutely clamouring for a great season. Expect 35,000 people packed in every week, and almost certainly there will be tears when Swansea come knocking on May 7th 2016 and E13 9AZ closes its doors for the final time. There's so much more to look forward to beyond May, as well.

                                                    3) An Influx of Players

Bonjour Dimi!

Relatively quietly going about their business so far, the Hammers have already signed Darren Randolph from Birmingham, Pedro Obiang from Sampdoria, and most intriguingly, Dimitri Payet

from Marseille. Randolph will provide stricter competition for Adrian in goal, while Obiang and Payet are additions to a growing squad, which is vital for European competition this coming season. No doubt there will be a number of players to be signed between now and the close of the transfer window, which will strengthen the team in a number of positions.

4) Transfer Talk

With the addition of three new first team members by late June, the board will no doubt be looking to add more big names, and with the rise and rise of Twitter's ITK sources, fans have a greater connection with what's going on than ever before. @ExWHUEmployee is a really reliable source for West Ham transfers, and his sources have told him that interest in players like Alex Song and Yohan Cabaye is high, as well as wanting to add Carl Jenkinson and Mattia Destro on loan. Such signings would not only mean that the team can build on their 12th place finish last season, but also try to push on in domestic and continental competitions alike.

Thursday Nights on ITV4

5) The Return of European Football

Nine years since being dismantled by Palermo, and 15 years on from an Intertoto Cup win against the likes of SC Heerenveen and FC Jokerit, European nights are back at Upton Park. Beginning with a walk-in-the-park 3-0 victory over Lusitans of Andorra, West Ham will be hoping to progress through qualifying to the group stage, although they'll have to get past Lusitans and either Birkirkara (Malta) or Ulisses FC (Armenia) before they can even think about that. Thursday nights at the Boleyn are bound to be special, especially when you consider the magnitude of this season for the club. Hopefully the team do themselves proud, and continue the way they have begun in Europe.

6) More Exciting Football

Mentioned earlier, Bilic's tactical knowledge of the game brings with it an increased opportunity for West Ham to use their players to the best of their abilities. Attacking threats like Sakho, Valencia, Zaraté, Payet, Carroll, Downing, and even Jarvis and Amalfitano will be used to the best of their abilities. With a midfield boasting the likes of Noble, Kouyaté, Obiang, Poyet, and potentially Song, the defensive minded nature of the middle of the field will likely allow the forwards to pose a greater threat to opposition defences, and hopefully the goals will come crashing in.