Having recovered from an injury sustained in pre-season, new loan signing Carl Jenkinson has been used as a substitute during the last three matches for West Ham. On each occasion, he has replaced Guy Demel in the right back slot in or around the 60th minute, making a useful contribution every time.
Against Hull City and Liverpool, Jenkinson wasn’t able to be overly adventurous in joining in with the attacks, with the Hammers unwilling to risk losing points in those matches. But against Manchester United at the weekend, the Arsenal man had licence to roam forward, with West Ham requiring a goal against the 10 man Red Devils, and produced an eye-catching display.
Whilst an equaliser remained elusive, Jenkinson was a constant threat to the Manchester United goal in the final half an hour of that match, frequently getting into good crossing positions which should have brought some reward. Indeed there were two specific occasions where Jenkinsons overlapping runs and subsequent crosses were only denied certain goals by an unbelievable piece of defending and the disputed offside ‘goal’ by Kevin Nolan.
He looks to be the archetypal modern full back, who is more comfortable going forward than tracking back and defending. So on the back of his performance at Old Trafford, should Jenkinson actually start the next match against QPR for the first time this season?
Demel has certainly been a very reliable right back for West Ham, and is probably the trustworthiest out of the two in performing his defensive duties. So against stronger teams, it is understandable that Sam Allardyce may prefer the stability of Demel over the exuberance of Jenkinson. It can also be seen as a good plan to bring on a fresh Jenkinson in place of Demel later in the match to run at a tiring opposition.
That being said, I would like to see Jenkinson be given the full 90 minutes against QPR this coming Sunday. This is a match in which the Hammers should be looking to exert their dominance and claim all three points over the West Londoners (despite the terrible record West Ham have playing Harry Redknapp teams), and a second attacking full back, along with Aaron Cresswell, would send out a strong signal of intent as to the attacking ambitions of West Ham.
It will be a very tough game, of that there is no question, but I would really like to see West Ham try and take the initiative and seek to push QPR back from the off. We have the players to do that now and Jenkinson at right back would only add to the Hammers attacking options.
What do you think? Should Carl Jenkinson play from the off on Sunday? Or should Allardyce stick with what has worked relatively well over the past couple of matches, and bring him on in place of Demel later in the contest?
In the final 30 minutes of every West Ham game I’d to see Demel, Kouyaté, Morrison, Amalfitano, Song, Sakho & Valencia all finishing the game to a barn storming finish. There is extreme African power there, now blo*dy well use it along with Reid, Collins & Noble, absolutely awesome COYI!!!
In fact there used to be an old saying, in that “when a horse is heading for home, let it have it’s head” Let these lads have their heads Sam, because if we don’t, we could be losing them, just as we lost Diame, and almost lost Morrison!