da bwin： West Ham have crafted themselves a stylish squad, perfect for all you footballing hipsters out there. Dimitri Payet is proving to be the jewel in the crown, aided by the signings of Victor Moses and Alex Song on loan.
da spicy bet： They’re entering a new era, with a new manager and a switch to the Olympic Park on the horizon. Though Sam Allardyce should be lauded for the job he did in East London, the progression to Slaven Bilic has looked natural and a good fit.
As Bilic was taking over, the importance of retaining the club’s Premier League status was talked up. What a disaster it would be if the Hammers were to be relegated with a move to a huge stadium just around the corner.
Now, less than ten games into the season, it looks like a matter of wondering how high the club will finish. With wins over Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City – all away from home – the burgeoning Bilic regime is off to a flyer.
However, some growing pains are clear with disappointing losses to Leicester and Bournemouth at home, so perhaps the club would be wise to shift on some squad players to aid further squad development.
Here are four Hammers to be axed in January…
JOEY O’BRIEN
The Irishman is out of contract at the end of the season, and should be moved on if at all possible. He’s been a good servant to the club, having linked up with Allardyce when the Hammers were in the Championship after previously playing for him at Bolton.
However, the club have simply moved in the quality of player now in the squad, with the likes of Aaron Cresswell and Carl Jenkinson available at full-back.
REECE OXFORD
Now, hold on. Reece Oxford looked simply fantastic against Arsenal, pocketing World Cup winning playmaker Mesut Ozil with ease. However, it is important to remember the youngster is not yet 17 years of age.
Rather than be ‘axed’, perhaps ‘shelved’ is a better phrase. Alex Song, Pedro Obiang, Mark Noble and Cheikhou Kouyate offer strong options in the middle of the park.
After his integration into first-team proceedings, perhaps a short-term loan deal would be a wise option in the New Year, further aiding his development.
MAURO ZARATE
Now Andy Carroll is back from injury, the disposal of Zarate is not too big a deal. Though he scored against Arsenal on the opening day, he has rarely convinced since arriving in London last year, and was shipped out to QPR from January onwards.
Compatriot Manuel Lanzini has already offered more since he arrived during the summer, and the return of Carroll coupled with the signing of Nikica Jelavic has pushed Zarate even further down the pecking order.
LUKA BELIC
The young Serbian striker joined West Ham just after deadline day, as the 19-year old completed a free transfer from OFK Beograd in his homeland.
Clearly a highly rated talent, he is the youngest player to score in the Serbian senior league and is widely tipped to break the national side soon. Perhaps a loan deal to another London club, a division or two down, would be a wise move as he settles in to his new surroundings.