Surprise omission from West Ham’s starting XI

We’re starting to get players back from injuries and suspensions, and as a result, we’ve gotten to enjoy being football fans again. We’re starting to see what a team we would have in the rare event that we’d have all our players available for selection, with no one injured, suspended, or having been loaned out to QPR (with the last one in particular happening at an alarming rate lately.)

We’re certainly not at full strength yet (we might only just have the one striker available against Southampton) but the results from the past four games have been amazing, and it’s provided a well-needed boost of confidence for the team. However, the best thing about having more players available is that suddenly starting positions aren’t guaranteed and we’ve got competition for first team places.

For some positions, you can tell who will be guaranteed to fill them, regardless of who else is available. Sam Allardyce has said that when Andy Carroll returns from his suspension, he isn’t guaranteed to come straight back into the side. While the world collectively rolled their eyes and chuckled, my thoughts drifted to another long-missed face– that of defender Winston Reid.

When Winston Reid was originally injured, I couldn’t help thinking that was our season done. He’s been outstanding at the back, and the one consistent and solid defender we seemed to posses. While everyone hoped and prayed for Andy Carroll to come back and save us, I believed the player that would save our season was Winston Reid.

I expected that as soon as Reid was physically able to stand up and kick a ball that he’d jump straight back into a starting position, and yet I’m shocked to find myself saying that given the latest performances of James Collins and James Tomkins, I’m not sure I’d disrupt a partnership that’s currently working out so well– even to put my favourite defender back in the side.

For both of the Jameses, their games in Reid’s absence certainly did not get off to a great start, but the past four games have been, quite frankly, outstanding. The 19th century defending in the Chelsea away game was excellent, and I have trouble thinking how I could drop either player after their recent performances in favour of Winston Reid.

However, the advantage that Reid has over Collins and Tomkins is consistency. Collins, in my eyes, swings from a player who blocks every possible ball by throwing his body in front of danger and leaves the field a hero with the blood of opposing players dripping from his mouth (slight exaggeration), but then in other games he spends most of the match aimlessly hoofing the ball up the field, getting beaten for pace, and miscommunicating with the keeper. He’s either my man of the match or my first sub. Tomkins is similar in my eyes – he’s either a rock at the back, or he’s giving away ridiculous fouls, where as Winston is just solid and consistent.

Regardless of who ends up starting out of the three, having options at the CB position is great news for a squad who, just a few weeks ago, didn’t have a single centre back available to us. The competition for places will hopefully only lead to a stronger performance from the team in the future, and provided we can keep a lid on our injuries and suspensions, the dream of a full strength squad might someday be a reality.

Who would you like to see starting if we had the full squad fit and available? Would you drop Tomkins or Collins for Reid, or should Reid wait his turn? Let us know below, or tweet me @makingthemarrow