There’s a game to be won on Saturday and West Ham will be without ‘Red Card’ Edson Alvarez in the crucial tie at home to Everton. The second red of this season for the Mexican shows a woeful lack of discipline and regard for his coach and team – mates.
Worse still it means there is a large gap to be filled in midfield.
Bad enough we have ‘only’ the out of form Lucas Paquetá who is so far away from his former self that he cries out to be dropped: Guido Rodriguez who trundles around without creativity and Tomas Soucek – if he’s better – who has the commitment to the cause but has well – documented shortcomings.
Footballfancast.com makes a case for radical surgery ands bringing in teenager Lewis Orford – which is both a pretty sad indictment of Rodriguez and Paqueta, along with an enticing opportunity for young Lewis to perform on the big stage.
Lewis Orford – time to shine?
The teenager should certainly make the bench- a toss up whether Andy Irving or Orford would be the better call but this can be a chance for Orford to show what he’s got.
West Ham certainly need the ‘Carrick / Rice hybrid’ style which he brings – just at present our defence needs a good tackler and reader of the game to sit defensively: Summed up by footballfancast.com “Orford could be the perfect hybrid of a progressive passer from deep, who is technically astute on the ball but can also protect the back line with high-quality defensive actions.”
