Hammer returns from injury – but will he make the first XI. It has been a pretty grim introduction to West Ham United for Graham Potter: each outing has required changes to his makeshift eleven starters as half the team at one time another have been injured. One of the perils of having the oldest squad in the Premier League.
Several first team players are closing on a return to fitness now: Lucas Paquetá is expected back for the Brentford game, Jarrod Bowen is back and firing on all cylinders. Jean-Clair Todibo is believed to be a few weeks away.
What of Edson Alvarez? Sean’s article on C and H yesterday confirmed that el Machin was recovering from a minor knock and was expected back in time for the game on 15th: But will he get selected? Alvarez has been something of a liability. His yellow and red card collection is the worst in the team and he seems to be walking a fine line every game between brilliance and losing the plot.
With debutant Andy Irving performing so effectively in his stead – and with James Ward-Prowse returning to the Hammers squad, Edson Alvarez will find Potter far less forgiving of his transgressions and pointless, mistimed fouls. Instead of his headless chicken mode whereby you sense Alvarez is about to lose his cool and cost his team, he needs to engage his brain or risk losing out to the two very capable Hammers now lined up and ready to take his place in the starting eleven.
Fortunately for the player, his last game before injury was probably his best of the season: Creating one goal with a delicate cross from Emerson to head in and displaying controlled aggression in defensive duties at last: That more mature Alvarez is the one which Potter will need to see week in week out or he risks warming the bench himself.
