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Is it a coincidence that the recent upturn in fortune, albeit still in its infancy it has to be said, has coincided with the arrival of Taty Castellanos and Pablo Felipe?

We’ve been crying out for forward reinforcements for a couple of seasons now to be fair, and suddenly like buses these two arrived together.




Crucially at the very start of the transfer window – which is a novelty in itself for West Ham. We’ve been all too familiar with last-minute, panic deals being the order of the day under our transfer supremo David Sullivan.

Nuno wanted swift action in the market, and none of the usual argy-bargy trying to get the cheapest possible deal. The job in hand needed swift action. Thankfully our uncompromising head coach got his way.

Nuno drafted Taty straight into the first team while Pablo was used as a second half sub for two games before starting in the game against Spurs. Taty is so far the only actual scorer of the two, with his headed strike against QPR in the FA Cup. But that goal won us the tie – our first victory in 11 games.

From there the confidence of the whole side has grown visibly – to produce two further crucial victories in the Premier League. Individual performances from others have been markedly improved, too. Mateus Fernandes has really come to the fore.

Cresencio Summerville has discovered his shooting boots and Jarrod Bowen is back playing where he is at his most effective. Is it just coincidence that the turnaround has come about since Taty and Pablo have arrived – or are they a major factor in the upsurge performance and fortune?

I saw a comment from someone this week who was being less than complimentary about Pablo in particular. The gist was: "He runs around a lot with little or nothing to show for it. Looks awkward on the ball and so far hasn’t a goal to show for his efforts."




In short, Felipe wasn’t the goal-machine this particular fan was expecting. Far be it for me to second guess what Nuno had in mind when he brought the Portuguese in – but he has to be happy with his contribution because he’s now started him twice in succession.

Taty of course does have a goal to his name – and hopefully will add more to his account – but goals alone won’t tell the full story of the value these two will be to us over the remaining months of the season if this winning mood continues throughout the team.

Those of us of a certain age will recall the events of almost 30 years ago. It was the 1996/97 season and West Ham were facing a similar fight to avoid relegation from the Premier League. (Yes – it has happened before – several times in fact!)

Manager Harry Redknapp persuaded the board to part with a significant amount of money at that time (yes - we have had tight-fisted boards in the past, too). He splashed £2.3m on Paul Kitson, a striker surplus to requirements at Newcastle United and topped that with the £3.3m purchase of a big, strong but raw young striker by the name of John Hartson from Arsenal.

Again, a player struggling for game time. But they came together at West Ham and hit it off – not immediately, it has to be said – but between them by the end of the season their 13 goals – eight for Kitson and five for Hartson - did the job and saved the day.

We shouldn’t expect a similar contribution from Taty and Pablo, although it would be nice if it happened – but together they are capable of giving us a presence up top that we were sadly lacking. Castellanos is a clever footballer. He clearly has a footballing brain. He can find space for himself, play passes for others and generally link up play well.




Pablo is more of a physical unit. He enjoyed a decent scoring run in his native Portugal for Gil Vicente – which no doubt prompted the expectation from some of our fanbase. But Nuno is using him in a different role – where his work rate, intensity and aggressive pressing is vital.

He’s a nuisance to defenders – always in their face, at their heels, not giving them a minute to settle. That is key to the benefit of others around him. He maybe looks awkward at times – similar to Tomas Soucek, in fact – but like Tomas, he’s highly effective in his own way.

The arrival of Taty and Pablo has allowed Jarrod Bowen to return to the role we all prefer to see him in, and where he has been so effective for us. Out wide on the right, running at defenders before cutting in to great effect.

Summerville too has benefitted from having those two alongside him – like Bowen he’s found the freedom to run at his full back and make very effective use of the space created by others.

We may have splashed out in the region of £54m for Taty and Pablo, a tad more than the £5.5m or so Harry paid for Kitson and Hartson in very different times, it has to be said.

But if they have the same overall effect and produce the same end result those two did back in the nineties – namely securing Premier League safety - then it has to be money well spent in anyone’s book.


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