West Ham’s international break to-do list: Fix the pitch, fix Vladimir Coufal deal and get Arthur Masuaku fit

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Jack Rosser @JackRosser_4 September 2021

Early days but West Ham have kept up their momentum from last season. Addressing these three issues during the international break could help them to progress even more...

Address the pitch

David Moyes was answering a question on West Ham’s performance against Crystal Palace when he volunteered his scathing review of the playing surface at the London Stadium.

PA

The Hammers boss said their home pitch is well below Premier League standard. There is not time to rip it up and start again before they host Manchester United on September 19 but Moyes will surely want some work to be done in order to improve the surface in Stratford before they play at home once more.

West Ham are away to Southampton when they return from the break so will be afforded a little more time here.

Coufal’s contract

Talks have been held with the tireless full-back over a new deal following his stellar first season at the club, but so far the two parties are struggling to find common ground.

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Vladimir Coufal and his representatives have not been happy with the terms on offer from the club so far and given that, come the end of the season, he will have just one year left of the contract signed when he arrived from Slavia Prague last season, fresh terms should be agreed. The club do hold an option for a further two years at the end of Coufal’s deal, though the Czech international should be rewarded for his fine performances with more preferable terms.

The 29-year-old has been a sensation since joining the Hammers and is showing no signs of slowing down as he approaches 30.

Get Masuaku fit

Arthur Masuaku has been struggling with a knee problem throughout pre-season and has been limited to appearances for the youth sides.

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With the schedule getting busier after this first international break of the season, Moyes is going to need some options to rotate or switch system in the weeks ahead.

Masuaku is Moyes’s best option at left wing-back should he choose to move to a back three while there is little cover for Aaron Cresswell as a left-back was not signed during the transfer window.

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