Pellegrini’s new-look Hammers have resolve and backbone
“YOU’RE not West Ham any more!” sang the raucous Birmingham away support.
They were right too. The old West Ham would have found a way to stuff this up. Just like last season’s vintage did in the fourth round at Wigan.
The old West Ham relied heavily on the fitness of Andy Carroll. These days the London Stadium bulldozer seems merely a squad player.
The old West Ham often had to choose between a cup run and Premier League survival – remember Nottingham Forest 5 West Ham 0?
This lot have players either coming back or coming in who should see them move up the table and into the latter stages of this competition.
They include Samir Nasri, who impressed on his Hammers debut, his first start since November 2017. His 58 minutes suggested he could yet defy those who say he is past it at 31.
“I felt good,” said the Frenchman (below). “I thought I would struggle with the rhythm as my last game was 13 months ago.
“I’m just relieved that everything is now behind me and happy about those first 58 minutes. It was good and I’m just looking forward to the next game. I’ve trained with the squad for a few weeks and that has helped. That manager says that once you know how to play football you never forget it. The only things we were a little concerned with were match-fitness and rhythm.”
Carroll scored his first goal since April after coming on as a 19th-minute substitute for Marko Arnautovic. Arnautovic, who had put Hammers into an early lead (below), appeared angry at being taken off.
But Pellegrini insisted the decision had been taken as a precaution after the Austrian striker complained of pain in his back.
Former Arsenal star Nasri has six months, on an incentivised deal, to earn himself a longer contract at West Ham. Pellegrini – who worked with him at Manchester City – has always insisted that, when fit, the two-time Premier League winner would be at the heart of his plans.
The Chilean boss said: “He is a player who gives you time with the ball. He has such good technique that the ball is always around him.”
And the way Nasri linked play suggested he is ready to justify that faith. A home derby against Arsenal next weekend is exactly the kind of game to keep his motivation high.
“My team-mates helped me with everything,” Nasri, in competitive action for the first time since a doping ban, told whufc.com, the club’s official website.
“Every time I was on the ball I had one or two solutions and it’s always easier like that. We are blessed and lucky to be able to play every game with 50,000-plus people there.
“The support of the fans is really important if we want to achieve things this year and I think we have to potential to do it.
“I’m looking forward to the next game against Arsenal. I’m sure the atmosphere will be even more crazy.”