Irons remember Dylan Tombides as COVID hits Moyes’ Wolves preparations

Neither side can be said to have made a dream start to the season. West Ham have lost both league games. Wolves have been knocked out the cup by Staffordshire rivals Stoke City, in one of England’s less appreciated derbies.

However, the away win at Sheffield United will be more prized than the home loss to Manchester City will be mourned. With Fabio Silva, Nélson Semedo and Vitinha arriving, that brings the Portuguese cohort in Nuno Espírito Santo’s squad to double figures. Still it’s the Mexican international Raúl Jiménez who posed their main goal threat and he has two already.

West Ham are one of five clubs to have lost both opening games, although their League Cup campaign has thrown up two impressive wins against lower league opposition.

But the 2-0 loss at home to Newcastle on the opening day of the season was a portent of things to come and fans reacted adversely to it on social media. Wolves at home, like Newcastle, falls into the category of the type of fixture where defeat suggests a long relegation fight.

Sebastien Haller has scored four League Cup goals so there is hope that, if presented with sufficient quality opportunities, he is at least on shooting form. Sadly his thigh injury makes it unlikely he will appear. Talisman Mark Noble has been troubled with both toe and ankle, and is back in training but unlikely to play.

Alan Irvine talked about Noble in the pre match press conference:

“It’s always great to have him back. He’s fantastic around the place, really important in the dressing room at the training ground and in matches.

“His toe has been giving him pain for a while, but not any more so he’s got a smile on his face at the moment. It’s great to have him back training.”

For Wolves, left winger Fernando Marcal felt a twinge at the beginning of the defeat to Manchester City and had to leave after just minutes of the match. Ruben Vinagre would be the most likely replacement.

The statue of Dylan Tombides outside the Perth Glory Stadium
Photo: Steven Clare

This weekend marks the eighth anniversary of Dylan Tombides. West Ham debut.

The West Australian was a substitute for Gary O’Neil in his only senior appearance for the Hammers.

I was in Perth earlier this year, trying to regroup having lost my closest friend to cancer, when I came across the statue and plaque outside Perth Glory’s Perth Oval stadium.

To say I read the plaque with emotion would be an understatement.

In an excellent piece on the West Ham website, Australian broadcaster and journalist David Davutovic, who got to know Dylan and his family well, tells Dylan’s story and the article brought back memories.

Tombides was having chemotherapy, a procedure I had come to know well, just after his first game in 15 months due to a testicular cancer battle.

He was just 18.

Today, the fight against cancer faces competition, would you believe, for resources as the world battles against COVID-19.

Test and procedures are being delated as governments, notably ours here in England, put limits on the value of the health of the nation, as it competes with other values like tax cuts for the wealthy, nuclear weapons and a bail out for the Monarchy.

COVID will keep Irons’ manager David Moyes to run the game from a distance with Alan Irvine running affairs at the stadium. Moyes himself is no stranger to tragedy having played with Norrie McCathie at Dunfermline. McCathie, the club captain and legend died tragically early two days after appearing for them against St Mirren.

Irvine said of Moyes’ health this morning:

“He’s fine. I’ve spoken to him several times this morning and he’s not feeling any symptoms. He hasn’t felt any all the way through. It’s a bit frustrating for him, but he’s working on things.

“David will be the manager and everything we do will be run through him first of all. He will make the decisions on everything he would if he was here. I’m just the messenger!

“I’ve spoken to Josh (Cullen) and Issa (Diop) too and they’re both fine.”

On the chances of Ukrainian international Andriy Yarmolenko starting, Irvine was coy:

“Of course he’s pushing for a start. He’s a really talented player, one of the most talented I’ve worked with. He has competition in that position.

“Jarrod Bowen has done well since he’s come in so it’s a case of Andriy grabbing the chances he gets and he’s certainly done well in the Carabao Cup games.”

Looking forward to the opponent, he said:

“Wolves is another huge game. Every team wants to get points on the board as quickly as possible. We’re disappointed we haven’t done that so far – we thought we should have at Arsenal, but we were disappointed with the performance against Newcastle.

“I don’t expect the players leaving to unsettle them. They have a lot of very good players and they’ve shown in their league games they will be a very good team again this year.

“From our point of view, we didn’t get a result at Arsenal, but there were pleasing things, as there were in the cup game as well.”

Kick off is at 7pm on Sunday evening.

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