West Ham regulars Olly Evans and Joe Thomas join us ahead of Saturday’s match to give us the latest on Sam Allardyce, and why their team has slipped down the table after Christmas.

A season that started amazingly has died away somewhat. What, if anything, has gone wrong, or did the team simply over perform and then return to its natural level?

Olly: I think on paper we have a top eight-standard first 11, and the team performed to that level up until the Boxing Day game at Chelsea. However the squad lacks real depth. The options off the bench and to cover injuries include players like Joey O’Brien and Kevin Nolan, who have very little impact and often cause more problems than they solve.

I think Sam Allardyce’s contract situation, despite what Mark Noble has come out and said this week, has almost definitely had a negative impact on the team. A lot of the players are people he has bought in like Cheikhou Kouyaté and they clearly respect him. Uncertainty about whether he will be there or not, no matter how professional the players are, will impact them. It must be difficult to keep the dressing room motivated.

Joe: Everybody forgets that the season actually started very badly. On the opening day we lost in the last minute to those from Shite Hart Lane, missing a penalty and playing against ten men for most of the game. Then there was the schooling by Southampton where we looked like the Brazilians against the Germans in that memorable semi-final (or horrific, if you are that way inclined).

Then deadline day passed and we actually had some players who can play. All of a sudden we changed the shape of the team and we saw huge results. It has to be said that we got a bit lucky as all the players we signed hit the ground running... This very rarely happens, especially not to the whole group of newcomers. We even started to see the best out of useless tossers like Stuart Downing.

But sure enough Christmas came, injures came and, as the song goes, like my dreams they fade and died. Do I think we overachieved? No not at all, we have talented players and they have proved it. What they are not, however, is in the elite band, hence why they have been unable to sustain performances for the duration.

That regression has brought the usual criticism for Sam Allardyce and he seems certain to leave in the summer. Is the stick fair? Is his time up?

Joe: No the stick is not fair, he came to do a job and he has done it. Task one was get promoted, and we did. Task two stay up, and we did. Task three was to consolidate and play more attractive football, which we have done (with the help of coach Teddy Sheringham).

It seems, however, the majority of fans will never take to “BFS” (Big Fat Sam) and this is the problem. He isn’t liked, his ethos isn’t liked. I would be very surprised if he was at the helm come August 8. Personally I want another two years for Sam and believe this way we will be established back in the Premier League and our lovely new home.

Olly: The criticism is unfair. He got West Ham promoted from a very difficult league and has established them as a mid-table club while making some very astute signings along the way. Sam has made some questionable calls, such as playing a reserve team against Nottingham Forest in that FA Cup thrashing last season, but this season I don’t think he is to blame for any perceived slump. The team have conceded late goals and been unlucky on a couple of occasions. Injuries and poor decision-making on the pitch have more to do with the team’s current league position than the manager.

David Moyes and Slaven Bilić mentioned as potential replacements - any other names in the frame? Who would you like to see?

Olly: If Sam is to go I would love to see David Moyes in charge - however he also has a direct approach and I worry the West Ham fans wouldn’t warm to him. He has a strong track record of bringing through young players which has been lacking under Allardyce - players like Diego Poyet haven’t had a look in which seems a real waste.

Bilić is seen as an obvious choice in some quarters but has never managed in the Premier League and would represent a risk. I think Roberto Di Mateo would be a very interesting choice.

Joe: What is the point in Moyes? It would be a sideways appointment. Bilić is unproven in the Premier League. Yes he was liked by West Ham fans whilst he was a player but we only had him for a short period. He is hardly Billy Bonds. Rumours are the chap from Marseille (Bielsa) seems like a wild card. Or Rafa Bentiez, although I can’t see him wanting to come to us.

The grass isn’t always greener...

What about the relationship between the board and the manager? Seems that David Sullivan wants to claim credit for some of the better signings, all seems a bit testy between them, is that fair?

Olly: I never for a minute doubt that Davids Gold and Sullivan have the best interests of the club at heart but the way they present themselves sometimes is undermining. To say that Sullivan’s first choice was Wilfried Bony when we bought Andy Carroll was especially unnecessary at a time when the team were playing very well and Carroll was coming back from injury. I get the impression Sullivan wants a different man in charge. If they wanted to offer him a new contract I think they would have done it by now. I feel like Sam is being hung out to dry and deserves better.

Joe: According to sources, Karen is the main lobbyist for Sam, while the Dildos (sorry Daves) seem to be losing patience with him - Sulivan more so than Gold. It all started with the Carroll over Bony signing, and has now been exacerbated by Zarate and Nene.

Even with a new manager, can West Ham ever realistically hope for much better than they've had this season?

Joe: Yes with more money of course we can have a better season. The problem is Financial Fair Play hinders that and maintains the current order. It means new investment only goes so far.

Olly: In short no. I imagine it would have been similar, but maybe a more open brand of football, depending on who was in charge.

Stand out performers and weak links this season?

Olly: Stand out performers have to be Diafra Sakho, Aaron Creswell and Cheikhou Kouyate who have all proved to be excellent acquisitions from the summer window. With Sakho, West Ham have a very natural goal scorer in the team, something which I think has been absent since Dean Ashton retired. Enner Valencia has also shown glimpses of quality and I think next season will be a big year for him. You can’t overlook Adrian and James Collins who have also had good seasons.

The main weak link has been Kevin Nolan. Kevin has been a good servant for the club, is a good captain and has scored some very important goals over the last four years. However he is well out of his depth in the Premier League now. His positioning when the team aren’t in position is very poor, he doesn’t seem to be able do much with the ball at his feet either. Oh and the goals have dried as well. All in all not much of a footballer these days.

Joe: Kayoute is for me the stand out player of the season - at £7m quid he's a bargain. This guy has the potential to be world class. Other than dealing with the "diag" Aaron Cresswell deserves an honourable mention.

Sadly the weak link has been Nolan. I don’t dislike him but he isn’t a Premier League player anymore his legs can’t do it. He deserves to stay at the club and be a leader, but ge should not be playing - by that I mean allow him to run down the remaining two years of his deal, he deservers the money for the job he did in years one and two.

Jarvis can do one. Useless overpriced, never understood why we signed him in the first place.

Short, medium and long term aims for the club?

Olly: Short term aims have to be to strengthen within our means this transfer window and put on a solid showing in the league next year - at the very least a top nine finish.

Medium term the Olympic Stadium is round the corner and the aim has got to be building on the opportunity we have with that. The cheaper ticket prices will help fill it but ultimately only pushing up the league into Europe will fill it week in week out.

Long term it would be great to see West Ham regularly challenging the top six. With the potential “catchment area” has in terms of fans and current fans, West Ham have the potential to push on and become a big club.

Joe: Stay in the league is short term aim - has to be. Anyone who doesn’t think this is delusional. Medium to long term we have to be aiming for Champions League football in what will be one of the best stadiums in the league.

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qprninja added 12:52 - Apr 24 Why doesn't Madibo Maiga get a game for the Hammers? He's very good at football.
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TacticalR added 22:14 - Apr 24 Thanks to Olly and Joe. Interesting that both want to stick with Sam. I guess that makes sense when you don't know what who you're going to get and with the move to the new stadium coming up. Also interesting that Joe doesn't rate Jarvis as Redknapp tried to get him in over Christmas. qprninja, super Maïga scored a hatrick against Toulouse a few weeks ago!
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