West Ham Preview

So its here at last, the Hammers away and the first chance to see how we are going to perform post-Curbs. Its a complete new coaching set-up on stage with Dowie, Reed and Robson on the touchline but with the stability of the all-important Richard Murray behind them. Murray and Monica at their first press conference promised more entertaining football but perhaps that's too much to expect at the start of a very difficult 4 game spell. With Man. U, Bolton and Chelski to follow, I would hope that Monica sends out a team to get a result rather than entertain.

The History

If past history is your thing, and to lift your spirits a tad, we usually do well against the Hammers, at least in the League, where the Totals to date are: P30 W13 D10 L7, while the figures at Upton Park are P 15 W6 D3 L6. Last season saw us win 2-0 at the Valley and get a goalless draw in May at Upton Park. And it seems that Monica is unbeaten here in his three games as a manager against his old-team the Hammers and in fact enjoys a 100% record with the best being on the last occasion he played them in the Championship Play-offs at Cardiff in 2004, winning his ex-employers a place in the Premier no less.

What the Experts Said

In an article in the guardian on Wednesday, Dowie looking forward to the game says "It is very important to get it right at West Ham. There will be another 10%-15% more tired bodies after the first Premiership match than there would be after any pre-season game. That is just the nature of it. If I am going into a boxing ring to spar with someone and have a headguard on, then my adrenalin is probably 15% down on when I am going in there for real. When it is for real, there is always that extra edge."

Monica added yesterday "I want us to be an ultra-competitive side that plays with honesty, integrity and no mean amount of enjoyment by getting the ball down and playing. That is our minimum requirement, that we are competitive in every game and hopefully that will get us some results. This division is very, very tough. The top six are away and clear but it's about being a match for them on any given day. Where that leaves us we'll see. I don't think you should ever limit your ambitions because you have to aim high."

And if anyone cares lawro has either got up late or has thankfully stopped his game predictions but does instead give us his blessing on the BBC site with a "They'll be finishing in the middle to lower half of the table. It's the start of a transitional phase, but if they are struggling in the first half of the season, they'll be able to address that in January, because they're a very well-run club. They'll be finishing in the middle to lower half of the table." I think that's what they call damning praise.

And talking about good reports, an added boost was noticed this week when we apparently received some good comments from last weeks opponents FC Utrecht. Utrecht Manager Booy, who had also faced Wigan Athletic during the close season, suggested that the men from The Valley offered his side a sterner test, commenting: "I got a good impression from them."

The Opposition

For the Hammers out through injury are Dean Ashton, Matthew Etherington, Jonathan Spector, Robert Green and George McCartney, and out through other reasons our old favorite Shawn Newton. But they'll probably have Konchelsky at left-back and Ian Bowyer in midfield, two players who are incidentally 2 of 4 biggest transfer deals out. And they'll probably also be a place for old-boy Carlton Cole up front although surely the old war-horse Sheringham, now 40, wouldn't be around to bug us again.

The Team

With 5 new recruits having arrived so recently and without them having a real run in the team its hard to read Monica's intentions. However, it seems fair to assume that two of them, namely Djimi Traore and Amady Faye, can be expected to start after the improvement that they gave the team in the second half against Utrecht last Friday. He's also stuck to a 4-4-2 for almost every minute of the pre-season so it should mean seeing Jimmy-Floyd and Darren together.

Its so important these days to get off to a good start, so for the first game of the season I can't see too many surprises. I don't think he'll throw Carson in at the deep end and so I expect Myhre to be in goal, with a defence of Young, El Karkouri, Hreidarsson and Traore. With a 4-4-2 the forward line is also straight-forward: Hasselbaink and Darren Bent. The only real headache for Monica is his middle. Who to play at the heart of the team? Going on the pre-season games and with Bolanos still awaiting his Work Permit and with Reid needing more time to get match fit, it looks like a familar Rommedahl, Holland, Faye and Hughes.

Predictions

Can't find it now but I'm sure that frankievalley was dreaming of a 3-1 win on Thursday while pedro45 goes for a conservative 2-2. james down floyd rd also goes with a 3-1 win and cynicathletic has gone for the neutral 1-1.

So prediction via West Ham - Myrhe, Young, El Karkouri, Hreidarsson, Traore, Rommedahl, Faye, Holland, Hughes, Hasselbaink and Darren Bent.
Subs: Anderson, Ashton, Fortune, Ambrose, Marcus Bent

And the result : West Ham 2 Charlton 1