With the opening of the season less than three weeks away, interestingly enough for a team who were looking to expand from Upton Park to the Olympic stadium, yesterday West Ham United felt the need to take a full-page advert out in the London Evening Standard (not cheap) to advertise tickets for the season opener with Aston Villa. You’d think that the opening home fixture of the new season back in the Premiership, wouldn’t need such a push to get Hammer supporters to go?
Also, you’ll notice a call out to neutrals to come along: ‘In London for the Olympics? Come and watch Premier League Football’.
Isn’t that a bit desperate? Still, if Villa put on a show and dazzle, they might pick up the very same new international supporters the Hammers were hoping to grab!
The James Collins Factor for the Hammers’ Game
I don’t know if anybody else has had this thought, but with Collins returning back to the Hammers, won’t he be taking with him the knowledge of Lambert’s new tactics and Villa ethos? Corner set-ups, formations etc. In football, it seems a common occurrence for player’s first games for their new clubs to be against their old one, but with Villa a totally unknown quantity under Lambert, big Sam will have access to at least some insight. Hopefully though, Lambert has thrown a few red herrings Collins’ way during the US Tour. More likely is an upgrade of tactics , as I’m sure Vlaar can do things Collins can only dream about! UTV
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West Ham’s kit looks a bit familiar…