A big part of why I think we’ll do well this season is the quality of our overall squad. Barring one much talked about position there is competition for every place, to the extent where a player of the calibre of Jack Collison has had to go out on loan because he wasn’t even making the bench.
To be able to go to White Hart Lane and have players like Joe Cole and Matt Jarvis on the bench is a huge plus and will make the difference over a 38 game season.
Having Adrian breathing down his neck is part of the reason Jussi Jaaskelainen has been superb so far this season, when he was suspect at times last term. No more waking up in a cold sweat having just dreamt he’d skewed a goal kick straight to the opposition striker and we were 1-0 down, and that can partially be put down to having an able no. 2.
At fullback we have a selection of Razvan Rat, Joey O’Brien, Guy Demel and George McCartney with senior experience, (165 international caps between them at the time of writing) and young Leo Chambers who impressed me in the Capital One Cup against Cardiff City. You could ask 10 different West Ham fans who to start out of those and they’d probably give you 10 different combinations, a wonderful selection headache given that they are all capable of doing a job in the Premiership.
At centre back we have Winston Reid and one of either James Tomkins or James Collins, very little more needs to be said. Last season Tomkins struggled to get a game, but clearly has worked his socks off in training to put himself back in contention and was one of our best players against Spurs. Being able to bring on either of them to sure things up is another fantastic option to have.
In the middle of the park, Mark Noble, Kevin Nolan, Mohamed Diame, Ravel Morrison, the currently injured Alou Diarra, young George Moncur and the aforementioned Jack Collison are all vying for 3 places, with Joe Cole, Matty Taylor and even James Tomkins being able to play there if necessary.
And on the wings, Matt Jarvis, Stewart Downing, Ricardo Vaz Te, Joe Cole, and Matt Taylor have 2 places on the team to fight for between themselves. I am sure that having any of those fresh legs to bring on after 70 minutes to terrorise will win us games this season.
With this much depth, and so many good options pushing for places, the overall quality of the squad will continue to increase. And even if we were to be ravaged by injuries we will have enough about us to survive because of this.
And you never know, Carlton Cole could get fit, come in, bang in the goals and give Allardyce a real headache…….. Or not.
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You forgot Dan Potts in defence. Came on as a sub in pre-season at Bournemouth and was superb. Reads the game really well. Some touches of Mooro – knew where the opposition were going to go before they did. Never had to hurry – calm and assured.