Tomkins set for bench role?

With the first game of the Premier League against Aston Villa been and gone, there are many positives West Ham United can take from the game, despite the score line only being 1-0. The stand out aspect of the team’s performance, was surprisingly the fact that we now look solid at the back, the question is, with Winston Reid and James Collins now dictating from the back, how can the prospering star in James Tomkins break back into the side?

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After watching us struggle in the first half with the driving force from Fabian Delph and Co, I really thought it was only a matter of time before our shields would crumble and the death defying blow would be dealt, much to my surprise however this wasn’t the case. Despite how lack of intuition and craft in the attacking third of the pitch, we seemed to not put a single foot wrong at the back, much of this is without question because of the presence of “Ginge” being back in the side after we clinched him back from Villa.

Although Collins is bound to get great reviews for his 2nd debut for us, and rightly so, the praise should be shared equally between him and Reid, whom after a year in the Npower Campionship really seems to have come on leaps and bounds, no doubt the Hammers faithful will start to get behind him, rather than suggest he is not good enough for the Premier League.

 

The truth is although Collins and Reid both played outstanding at the back, I have to say George McCartney and even Guy Demel performed very well and both looked solid, possibly McCartney more so than Demel, but even so it certainly looks like we are taking a step forward in the work on the back four is starting to pay off.

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With the back four playing so well, especially Collins and Reid you can’t help but wonder how on earth is Tomko going to get back in the team, I mean if you were a manager would you risk changing a winning formula, if so who would you take out? It’s just something you shouldn’t and wouldn’t do.

I am a very big fan or Tomkins and he will without question be a potential England centre back for the future, as he has shown such a vast improvement to his game over the last couple of seasons. Fans will be eager to make sure he still gets game time and so his development is not hindered, but It’s just so hard to predict when he will return. I mean you don’t want our form to drop so that he gets back into the side, but at the same time you don’t want him to just rot in on the bench. I honestly would hate to be in Big Sam’s shoes choosing who starts and who doesn’t…who am I kidding I would take that chance in a heartbeat!

Something that does work in Tomkins favour is the fact he has experience in the defensive midfield role, however with the likes of Alou Diarra, Momahed Diame and Gary O’Neil, I can’t see him pinching that position from anyone.

With the defence clearly playing a large part in keeping Villa at bay and not allowing them to get even close to scoring, I have to praise defensive midfielder Momo Diame for his performance. Not only did he look composed and in control when he was on the ball, also off the ball he seemed to just pick up everything. It is really starting to look like teams need that one central midfield player capable of changing a game, just look at Everton with Fellaini, Man City and nearly every midfielder they have, Manchester United and Paul Scholes, I could go on forever. Momo, certainly helped the defence out a lot with his performance and I just can’t see us getting destroyed by clubs this season.

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So with a few players hitting form in positions that James Tomkins plays in, I can’t see him getting another chance for first team action until the cups start. I know it is harsh on him as he is a great talent, but we just look too solid to go changing things at this moment in time. Sorry Tomkins fans, you will just have to wait to see him walk out in the starting line-up for some time yet.

Let me know if you believe he will be given a chance, or if you too think he will have to wait for his chance. COYI!