Sunday 3 May 2015

Hammers Nail Down European Slot

First successful penalty in Premiership this season!

West Ham picked up a rare win yesterday as they downed bottom of the table Burnley at Upton Park. Given the advantage of an extra man from the 24th minute, when Michael Duff was harshly judged to warrant a red card after a coming-together with Cheik Kouyate, one has to wonder how the Hammers couldn't extend their 1-0 lead and again stumbled home. All the same, West Ham are back up to ninth.

All of that was of minor consequence as the Europa league fair play place was also under scrutiny. Over the past few weeks it has been nip and tuck in terms of yellow card count, while the rating of the fair play judges in terms of postive play and the conduct of players and officials remains unknown. Of note, Big Sam has been mighty quiet about refereeing decisions and the performances of the team could hardly be described as overcommitted!

None the less, it now seems highly likely that the Hammers will top the league and if England can hold on to one of the top three berths in the European table (currently third), the Hammers can start preparing for European football next season. The down side being that the competition starts in July!



Some sources have suggested that the Europa league is actually a booby prize as it places added pressure on the squad in terms of additional games and, importantly, midweek travel. For fans, the Thursday night European fixtures result in an excess of Sunday matches.

In the last season before the move to the Olympic stadium, maybe the Hammers could do without the distraction - especially when one considers that of the English qualifiers for the Europa league over the past decade, eight have subsequently been relegated - Blackburn, Bolton, Portsmouth, Fulham, Birmingham City, Middlesboro, Wigan and - yes........ West Ham!

Perhaps it's time they gave an extra players allowance to sides in European competition.

 

17 comments:

  1. It's a disaster for the squad - we looked knackered weeks back in what many describe as our best squad in years. Imagine if you added in midweek matches on top of that. We could end up moving to the OS and in the Championship.

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  2. We'd have to bring Sam back to get us promoted!

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  3. you wont need sun protection in Lithuania and the other places we are likely to have to travel to

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  4. Play the development squad that would soon solve the problem

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  5. Great news for Guy Demel and Joey O'Brien

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  6. Why are you lot always moaning?
    If we won the FA Cup it probably wouldnt be shiny enough for you.

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  7. oh no
    do the poor little footballers have to play a few matches. Life is tough

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    Replies
    1. Ooooer...and the games start in July when its really awfully hot and the players could get sweaty and dehydrated...surely there's some way we can protect our players from all that horribleness?

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  8. Gone daddy gone, love is gone...

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  9. It's much better than playing pre season friendlies and Eastern Europe is a lot closer than New Zealand. If we qualify and we don't take it when are we ever going to play European football.

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    Replies
    1. Agree. Let the younger players have a run and use the rest sparingly.

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  10. We should use it as a chance to give some of the youngsters a run out and not think of it as a chance of silverware.
    Turn it to our advantage we let Freddie Sears go to early I feel he could have made it but needed a run in the team to many youngsters leave without getting a chance look at Potts he looks like he could have made it but will leave in the summer as he never gets a look in same with Chambers and E .Lee.
    We would have to have a bigger squad of players who actually play at the moment we have jussi 1 game O.Brien 4 games Demel 3 games Cole 6 games Jarvis 6 games Zarate 6 games and what about Poyet 2 games most of these could have had a lot more games playing in Europe.
    I really think it could be a good thing if managed properly

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  11. Great points....hard to disagree!

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  12. Lletget gone to US League....hmmm. Never got a run out despite all the promise in the 'development' squad. Hmmmm.

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