The legend that is Darren Harry has returned with The Flying Physio Room…Ep LXXI
Monday 5 September….12:56….overcast yet muggy…a challenging wardrobe day…
The clouds of dust from the gravelled car park finally evaporated…the comings and goings of the morning dissipating…
No No No is the answer, if you need to know the question then you must have been asleep for the last 18 hours! There is being robbed which is bad enough, but being mugged by an unseen face many many miles away is as bad as it gets! Losing at newly promoted Nottingham Forest due to a dubious VSAR ruling was bad enough, but yesterday's shocker at Stamford Bridge takes the biscuit and the whole of the tin it was in.
Chelsea: Mendy, Fofana, Silva ©, Koulibaly, James, Kovačić, Gallagher, Cucurella, Loftus-Cheek, Pulisic, Sterling Subs: Arrizabalaga (GK), Chalobah, Chilwell, Azpilicueta, Jorginho, Mount, Ziyech, Havertz, Broja
West Ham: Fabiański, Coufal, Kehrer, Zouma, Emerson, Rice ©, Souček, Fornals, Lucas Paquetá, Bowen, Antonio Subs: Areola (GK), Randolph (GK), Benrahma, Cornet, Coventry, Downes, Lanzini, Ogbonna
Football's a funny old game full of weird anomalies and co-incidences, none more so than at West Ham United! Having spent big on centre back Nayef Aguerd, Hammers boss David Moyes was forced into a rethink following Aguerd's long term injury picked up on his debut against Rangers in a pre-season friendly. Just when Moyes thought things couldn't get any worse, stalwart Craig Dawson not only picked up an injury but also requested a transfer to the north east due to family reasons.
West Ham: Fabianski, Coufal, Zouma, Kehrer, Cresswell, Rice (c), Soucek, Fornals, Bowen, Benrahma, Antonio Subs: Areola, Randolph, Lanzini, Downes, Cornet, Ogbonna, Coventry, Paqueta, Emerson
Tottenham: Lloris, Sanchez, Dier, Davies, Royal, Bissouma, Hojbjerg, Perisic, Kulusevski, Son, Kane (c) Subs: Forster, Doherty, Richarlison, Tanganga, Sessegnon, Lenglet, Spence, Sarr, Skipp
West Ham have confirmed the "club record signing" of Brazil midfielder Lucas Paqueta from Lyon on a five year contract. The 25 year old Brazilian is expected to be part of the National squad at this year's World Cup.
The initial £36.5 Million deal for Paqueta could rise to more than £50 Million with add-ons, potentially £5 Million more the £45 Million paid for striker Sebastien Haller from Eintracht Frankfurt in 2019. Paqueta joined Lyon for €20 Million (£17m) in 2020 after 18 months at AC Milan.
Villa: Martinez, Cash, Chambers, Konsa, Digne, Kamara, Luiz, McGinn ©, Coutinho, Watkins, Ings Subs: Olsen (GK), Augustinsson, Young, Nakamba, Buendía, Bailey, Ramsey, Archer, Iroegbunam
West Ham: Fabiański, Johnson, Kehrer, Zouma, Cresswell, Emerson, Rice ©, Souček, Bowen, Fornals, Scamacca Subs: Areola (GK), Coufal, Ogbonna, Coventry, Downes, Lanzini, Cornet, Benrahma, Antonio
Hot on the heels of the club's most recent signing, news is emerging from all over the place of yet more signings, possibly as many as FOUR! Of course the head line grabber is Lucas Paqueta.
As we publish this article, the Paqueta deal is pretty much done and dusted, whilst deals for Adnan Januzaj, Conor Gallagher and Armando Broja could be in the pipeline as well.
Viborg: Lund, Gaaei, Zaletel, Bürgy, Sørensen, Grønning ©, Leemans, Bonde, Grot, Lonwijk, Subs: Killerich (GK), Lauritsen, Søndergaard, Mortimer, Jatta, Thorsen, Žambůrek, Berger
West Ham: Areola, Johnson, Kehrer, Ogbonna, Cresswell ©, Fornals, Souček, Benrahma, Lanzini, Cornet, Scamacca Subs: Randolph (GK), Hegyi (GK), Zouma, Ekwah, Coventry, Downes, Swyer, Bowen, Antonio, Okoflex, Mubama
West Ham United have delved heavily into the European market for new signings, consequently the Italian and French connections at the club continue to grow and hopefully develop.
There could be a distinctly 'Euro' back line soon if the proposed move for reported David Moyes target Borna Sosa has any legs to it, if Aaron Cresswell had any doubts as to how the Hammers boss views his left back options before, he will most definitely be feeling them now!