Unfortunately, we can’t do that because, as all too often this season, we have to make changes.
Cheikhou Kouyate has been carrying a wrist problem for a long time now, so it was decided that he should have an operation. That has been done and we hope his recovery period won’t be too long.
Our captain, Mark Noble, who was tremendous against Spurs, has been playing on despite a lot of pain and we have been advised by the specialist that he needs a hernia operation now. That will go ahead tomorrow and again, after a recovery period, he should be back in time for pre-season.
It’s a pity we can’t field the same team but also a good opportunity for players to come in — and I will be demanding that they all play with the same amount of intensity as against Spurs, or even more. Now we are 100 per cent sure of our destiny next season, we can step up our planning. We have been doing this as a club for many weeks already but now we are safe it has more intensity.
The priority is not so much about improving the squad as signing the sort of players who would be expecting to play in our first team.
Without giving anything away at this early stage, I will say we will want to bring in some players who have pace. But it is not all about pace: it is the balance which is all-important.
The biggest clubs can find and sign players who have everything: pace, experience, legs and quality. The rest of us have to search for the balance.
The day after our final match of the season, at Burnley, I will meet David Sullivan and we will discuss everything in detail. Then, two days later, I must go into hospital to have my second hip operation.
In Pictures | West Ham vs Tottenham | 05/05/2017
Before that, though, we want to try and win these next two games and climb up the table. It’s a shame for us that Philippe Coutinho and Adam Lallana are both fit and likely to play because they are crucial for Liverpool.
The squad and I attended the Players’ Award night earlier this week and I was delighted that Michail Antonio was awarded the Hammer of the Year award. It was fully deserved.
He has enjoyed a terrific season. He is a striker but not a conventional No9, although he has all the ammunition to do that, too. It’s great news also that Michail has signed a new, long-term deal with the club. He has become a very important player for us.
I would also like to mention Manuel Lanzini, who won the Players’ Player of the Year. He is a consistent performer for us and the reason for that is that he trains hard every day. The harder you work, the better you get.
