West Ham United will look to continue their fine unbeaten run on Saturday as Stoke City roll into town looking for their first back to back wins under new boss Mark Hughes.
The Hammers were just a linesman’s flag away from picking up six points out of six last week at St James’ Park.
Having picked up two wins out of two at home this season, albeit one against League Two Cheltenham Town the Irons will be in confident mood.
West Ham United versus Stoke City in recent times hasn’t been a game for lovers of the beautiful game. But in Ravel Morrison, the Hammers have a player with all the flair and skill for fans of the purist form of the game.
He must now surely be firmly bashing at Sam Allardyce’s office door after yet another fine display on Tuesday. He picked up the Man of the Match award after scoring his competitive goal in claret and blue on his full debut.
With Ricardo Vaz Te handing in a transfer request, it means the Hammers are even lighter up front and it could lead to Morrison finding himself playing as a false number nine. But with just Modibo Maiga the only fit natural striker, I don’t think Mark Hughes will have to be a mind reader to work out who will start on Saturday afternoon.
Maiga received stick all over social media last week following his inability to stay on side in the dying minutes at St James Park on Saturday. But we have seen in glimpse signs of why Big Sam decided to spend around five million on him last summer. His goal against Southampton last season shows that he has the ability to cause defences all sorts problems on his day.
Romanian international Razvan Rat, who made his full debut alongside Morrison on Tuesday, has called on his new club to be more clinical on Saturday when Stoke arrive.
“”It’s true that we had a lot of chances and we could have scored six, maybe. But maybe it was not our day. Hopefully all the chances will come on Saturday and the ball will go in on Saturday!” he told Whufc.com.
Stoke City have made a bright start under Mark Hughes, winning two out of three games and were a whisker away from picking up a point at Anfield on the opening day of the season had Jonathan Waters penalty been slightly more to the left.
But they only had to wait a week to get the Hughes reign under way with a 2-1 win against Crystal Palace last Saturday. It remains to be seen if the famous aggressive style of play they adopted under Tony Pulis is still in existence under newly employed Mark Hughes.
With a team very similar to that last season it is hard to believe that the style could have changed that much. Under Pulis they became hard to beat, and were very technically drilled when it came to set pieces. If Mark Hughes could add a little bit of flair to that already effective approach they could have a decent season.
Stoke City’s Trinidadian forward Kenwyne Jones bagged a hat trick on Wednesday night in their Capital one cup win against Walsall and is now surely in line for a start on Saturday at the Boleyn Ground.
In his pre match presser, Mark Hughes told gathering journalists that Jones has thrown a spanner in proverbial works ahead of his side’s trip east.
He said, “Kenwyne was absolutely fantastic last night. He is enjoying the work he is doing at the moment, and he has certainly given me a headache ahead of Saturday’s game. He made a real claim for a starting spot.”
Whoever starts upfront for Stoke will have to do what no other Premier League side has done in the league this season and break the Hammers last line of defence and score past Jussi Jaaskelainen. For me Saturday will be West Ham’s toughest game of the season, it will be scrappy and at times feisty, the Hammers will have to take the game to the Potters and play on the floor if they are to come out victors.
Team News
West Ham: West Ham United only have one new fresh injury with midfielder Alou Diarra limping off during Tuesday night’s win over Cheltenham with a ligaments injury. He will join Andy Carroll on the injury table. Razvan Rat and Ravel Morrison will hope their performances on Tuesday night will have forced their way in Sam Allardyce’s reckoning.
Stoke City: New signing Oussama Assaidi will hope to start his first Premier League game for Stoke City on Saturday following his arrival from Liverpool. Meanwhile, Brek Shea is still on the sidelines with a knee injury whilst Wilson Palacios was a late absentee in the clash vs. Liverpool.
Last five:
- Mar 2, 2013 – Stoke 0 – West Ham 1
- Nov 19, 2012 – West Ham 1 – Stoke 1
- Mar 13, 2011 – Stoke 2 – West Ham 1
- Mar 5, 2011 – West Ham 3 – Stoke 0
- Oct 27, 2010 -West Ham 3 – Stoke 1
New faces:
West Ham United: Andy Carroll, Razvan Rat, Adrain, Danny Whitehead, Stewart Downing
Stoke City: Juan Agudelo (New England Revolution) Free [deal to go through on 1 January], Marc Muniesa (Barcelona) Free, Erik Pieters (PSV Eindhoven) £3m, Oussama Assaidi [season long loan from Liverpool]
Stoke fans where to drink?
• Denmark Arms – On the Barking road near East Ham town hall.
• Black Lion- My watering hole- Near Plaistow station.
Bowdenwhu Predicts- West Ham United 1 Stoke City 0
Tweet me @Bowdenwhu
Come on you Irons!
