West Ham Weekly Loan Watch

Hail and well met, Hammers! After an accidental break, we are back. It worked out well with the international break happening.

It looks as if the loan watch will be taking a forced break, unless you all want weekly updates on Robert Snodgrass, though. We’ll explain below, of course.

For now, though, there’s plenty to cover on the international break and the week before, so let’s get right to it.

Josh Cullen

Joshua Cullen did not play in the most recent match against Aston Villa, but he’s still seeing use as the captain of the Ireland U21 squad.

Declan Rice also saw some time in the Ireland U21’s 4-0 win against the Israel U21 squad.

Bolton fans can say whatever they’d like, but the manager of the U21s seems to know how best to use Cullen, playing him for the entirety of the two most recent U21 matches, and he sees the potential in our young lad.

We think if we’re going to trust the judgment of anyone, it’s that of a manager whose squad can actually win games. . . Yeah, we said it.

While Josh Cullen may never be a superstar, he works his boots off on the pitch, and he’ll absolutely be another staple player at West Ham United. We’re thinking someone along the lines of Mark Noble.

Noble has been a touch off his game this season, most likely due to getting older, but one could aspire to be a lot worse than a Mark Noble.

Playing for a country a bit less prestigious than England, though, Josh will at least be able to get those ever-elusive international caps that have evaded Noble the entirety of his career. Here’s hoping.

Reece Burke

Reece Burke has not yet made an appearance for Bolton since the 1-0 loss to Brentford on 23rd September, and we’re not quite sure why.

We don’t want to always side with our young fellas as they’re still clearly in their developmental phases as footballers, but it seems there’s a bit of mismanagement with this Bolton squad, and it’s not just us here at Brace the Hammer that are thinking it.

This helps clear some things up. We suppose it makes sense for Josh Cullen, since his style of play isn’t working out with what Bolton’s manager is trying to do. For Burke, though, who has arguably been one of Bolton’s best defenders, it is a more questionable move.

Reece Oxford

Oxford had canceled his loan of his own accord, likely due to not getting in the squad at Gladbach, and would presumably be returning to the club around Christmas. This one we thought we knew. There are now conflicting reports, saying that Oxford may want to stay at Gladbach and wait for his chance in the Bundesliga side’s first team.

Reece did recently play for country in the England U20s matches during the international break, namely helping the squad — alongside other young Hammer, Nathan Trott — to a 4-0 win against Czech Republic.

Robert Snodgrass

Last of our loanees, Snodgrass, is still doing well for Aston Villa, and also for country. Snoddy sat as an unused sub in Scotland’s 1-0 win against Slovakia, but was subbed on in the 79th minute and scored an 88th minute goal for the Scotland first team in their 8th October match against Slovenia.

Before the international break, Snodgrass played 89 minutes in a 1-0 win for Aston Villa against — you guessed it — winless Bolton.