Source: Daily_Mail
LEO'S LONDON: Don't blame Avram Grant for West Ham's plight - it's Thomas Hitzlsperger's fault
When Avram Grant faces former club Chelsea on Saturday he will needlittle encouragement to stress that he was just a penalty shootout awayfrom Champions League success with them.[LNB]But if anyone wants to know what is keeping him off the right trackat West Ham, the point he makes might not be as predictable. [LNB]The absence of Thomas Hitzlsperger, apparently, is to blame for the miserable start to the season of Grant's team.[LNB] So close...John Terry misses the penalty that would have made Avram Grant the best manager in Europe[LNB]The manager sees him as the key man, the player who can knit hiscollection of individuals together and make a new three-man centralmidfield work alongside Scott Parker.[LNB]The club have been using pictures of Hitzlsperger, Carlton Cole andParker on their website as three of their most recognisable faces - andhe is certainly one of their more encouraging signings.[LNB]He was well liked at Aston Villa, where he earned the now especiallyapt nickname of Thomas The Hammer for his thunderbolt shot from longrange.[LNB] More from Leo Spall... LEO'S LONDON: The summer's transfer window winners and losers... 01/09/10 LEO'S LONDON: Why Gallas is not worthy of true villain status25/08/10 Leo's London: Plastic is not fantastic - Spurs should have avoided pitch woe19/08/10 LEO'S LONDON: When Saturday comes... the Premier League will be reduced to dress rehearsals thanks to transfer window chaos11/08/10 Leo's London: More fool Fabio if Capello takes England gamble on kid Wilshere05/08/10 LEO'S LONDON: All-American hero Keane has to leave Tottenham28/07/10 Leo's London: Sol is hardly Arsenal's answer when Gallas could have stayed22/07/10 LEO'S LONDON: Tottenham will take Arsenal's glory away with attack threat14/07/10 VIEW FULL ARCHIVE Hitzlsperger has the talent to pitch in with a few much-needed goals for West Ham too and, by all accounts, was in great form in pre-season.[LNB]Dragging a whole team out of the doldrums and dissolving the pessimism which is engulfing Upton Park would be no mean feat.[LNB]But that seems to be the sort of impact Grant and the club thought Hitzlsperger should already have had.[LNB]One reason he has not is that his signing in the summer on a free transfer from Lazio did not make the biggest of splashes.[LNB]The timing - just a few days before the start of the World Cup - was unfortunate and after previous club claims about targeting Thierry Henry and David Beckham, it was never going to be a big deal.[LNB]Another is the thigh injury Hitzlsperger sustained on Germany duty which has prevented him from playing a competitive game for West Ham.[LNB]Allowances have not been made for his absence in most analyses of their three opening defeats as a result - and it is still not certain that he will feature against Chelsea.[LNB] The saviour? Big things are expected of Thomas Hitzlsperger once he recovers from injury - Avram Grant has made that clear[LNB]Grant expected a little more understanding and has mumbled about injuries after games.[LNB]But proof that Hitzlsperger is the spark to set West Ham alight will be needed before the doubts about West Ham's prospects are dismissed.[LNB]*****Jack Wilshere's impressive return to England's Under-21 team on Tuesday night was good news for the midfielder, the country and his club, Arsenal.[LNB]But Fabio Capello should think a little harder about promoting a talented teenager to the senior squad in future if he has no intention of keeping him there.[LNB]One for the future: And Jack Wilshere deserved better from Fabio Capello[LNB]The England manager may have been savagely criticised for dropping Wilshere to Stuart Pearce's team, but his biggest mistake was raising expectations in the first place.[LNB]The 18-year-old was never going to be a mainstay for England at this stage. He is still finding his feet at Arsenal, has plenty of growing up to do and has talented, experienced players ahead of him.[LNB]Whether Wilshere's rapid rise played any part in causing the late-night fracas that led to him being arrested and bailed last week, we may never know.[LNB]Those close to him claim he acted as a 'peacemaker', but even if putting himself in harm's way was all he did wrong after a nightclub visit, it was still unwise.[LNB]There is a chance now that this sorry episode could end with Wilshere learning an important lesson or two that will aid his development.[LNB]But after Capello picked Wilshere for the friendly against Hungary last month for his own ends, as a gimmick in the aftermath of a dismal World Cup showing, he is in no position to take any credit.*****Mark Schwarzer is apparently intent on leaving Fulham for free next summer after failing to get his move to Arsenal in the last transfer window.[LNB]Good luck to him. He can sign a pre-contract agreement with a foreign club from January and even Fulham chairman Mohamed Fayed will probably not blame him.[LNB] Ready to quit Fulham: Mark Schwarzer[LNB]But any hint of bitterness at manager Mark Hughes and Fulham for keeping their first choice goalkeeper - because they could not find a suitable replacement - is unjustified.[LNB]Schwarzer is 37 years old and having signed for the Craven Cottage club on a free in the first place, it is just a rare example of a player's power not matching up to the club's.[LNB] [LNB]
