The January transfer window is finally opened and for West Ham, it is pretty good timing! With our
threadbare squad decimated by injuries, there is a serious need for reinforcements. Perhaps Zola's
desire to work with a smaller squad is backfiring on him and unfortunately, the young 'uns are not
ready to pick up the slack.
Team selection was never really an issue when we were banging them in left, right and centre and
the side picked itself, but times are a-changing. While annus horribilis is probably a bit
strong, our form since the turn of the year has been worrying, reflected not only by poor results
and sloppy performances but now scrutiny of the line-up.
A penny for ‘Arry's thoughts, ahead of the Third Round of the Cup. Not the predictable dross
with which he closes his little team-news spiel on the club's official website – "Hopefully we'll
turn in another terrific performance" – but rather his sentiments regarding a successful Cup run
and, say, a Quarter-Final replay, or Semi-Final date in April, adding a spot of fixture congestion
at a time when we, presumably, will be making a final push for the top four.
(Apologies for the tardiness – deadline week on the book Spurs' Cult Heroes)
The FA Cup? Why not? The only team that ever seems to beat us in knock-out competitions has itself
been knocked out, and for our part we look capable of despatching anyone on our day. This is not a
reaction to our win on Saturday, far from it, but rather a reaction to the exit of Man Utd.
