As the Premier League resumes, Sunderland make a day-trip to Upton Park.
Sam Allardyce left Upton Park at the end of last season under amicable circumstances. As happy-clappy as that sounds, what it means is: the fans were entirely content his contract was allowed to expire. By the end, the West Ham support had had their fill of the Allardici oeuvre, a lumpen, pragmatic meal of gristle and grit. Certainly, these sort of tactical tendencies have come in handy at his next gig.
Sunderland, previously in utter, pitiful freefall, have steadied themselves under Allardyce – although they still remain in the relegation zone. The Black Cats have lost only three of their last eight games, a run that included ties against Manchester United, Manchester City, Spurs, Arsenal and Liverpool. They have beaten relegation rivals Aston Villa, Swansea and Bournemouth over the last month and a half, and in Jermaine Defoe have a striker whose pedigree needs no further proving in the English top flight.
The Hammers, fresh off a raucous 5-1 victory over Blackburn in the FA Cup, are hoping to reignite their league form. Their last league contest, a fortunate 2-2 draw with Norwich, was a result earned by a strong finish making up for a bloodless start. Norwich were by far the better team for the opening portion of that match, and their two-goal lead should have been enough for the Canaries to see out the game. Norwich’s ability to collapse at the death is something West Ham will not enjoy against Sunderland; Allardyce’s team showed off their steel in their last league outing, seeing out a 2-1 win over Manchester United.
Key Battle: Yann M’Vila v Cheikhou Kouyate
West Ham were relieved in the extreme to see Cheikhou Kouyate’s red card, earned erroneously during the win over Blackburn, rescinded. His presence in the midfield is vital to West Ham’s functionality; for periods, Mark Noble and Alex Song’s medium-range passing can dry up, with inaccuracy and a lack of invention leading to stale periods.
At this point, the supreme athleticism of Kouyate is required, and is usually delivered. Noble and Song can refocus their crosshairs to a nearer target, as Kouyate drops deep and looks to run. Once the Senegalese opens the throttle, he is as hard to stop as any midfielder in the league. With Dimitri Payet and Manuel Lazini waiting for the ball to make its way to them, Kouyate’s surging runs deliver it with gusto, when other methods have failed. Slaven Bilic has tried Pedro Obiang in a similar role; it didn’t work, and West Ham’s midfield was sedentary in the extreme.
Yann M’Vila, the captivating, enigmatic Frenchman, will be there to meet Kouyate. M’Vila is a forceful character, unafraid to compete in a physical battle. He will have his hands full, dealing with Payet buzzing around his area of attention, but his ability to deal with the physicality of Kouyate will be as important. A surging run, a hot decision made… these moments are critical, and M’Vila – not known for his restraint – will be tested. Discipline is essential when resisting the drop, and Allardyce is nothing if not able to whip an undisciplined team into line. M’Vila’s performance will be a testament to those abilities.
Team News and Expected Lineups
West Ham are shorn of James Tomkins, Joey O’Brien and Enner Valencia. Emmanuel Emenike, following on from his two-goal FA Cup performance, will likely start up front. And then, with much excitement, Bilic welcomes back Manuel Lanzini to contention. After appearing sharp and fresh in his cameo against Blackburn, he will probably make an impact off the bench.
Jeremain Lens and Duncan Watmore are Sunderland’s only long term absentees, with the rest in contention to play some part in this match. Naturally, Allardyce will aim to play on the break, and so will be relying on John O’Shea’s organisational abilities in defence, as well as Jermaine Defoe’s chance-taking instincts. Patrick van Aanholt will provide pace and energy from the left back position, and Lee Cattermole will help try and contain West Ham’s attacking talents.
Head-to-Head and Previous Meeting
West Ham have won only barely more matches than they’ve lost to the Black Cats, with 34 wins, 24 draws and 31 losses. Their last meeting was back in October last year, a 2-2 draw that eerily resembles West Ham’s last league game against Norwich. Sunderland flew out to a 2-0 lead, and were dominating the contest, until West Ham clawed back twice, snatching a point from the jaws of defeat. This draw came at the end of Dick Advocaat’s tenure, and so Allardyce will hope to do a better job than his predecessor protecting any lead they might gain here.
Prediction
This is a difficult one to predict; one assumes the revenge factor will be flowing thick through Big Sam, and he will funnel it into his players. West Ham have made a bad habit of slow starts against lesser opponents, and Sunderland will be sure to hit them in the teeth from the outset. But, quality will show through, and West Ham will win 3-1.
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