It’s a bit early to start talking of an ‘injury crisis’ at London Stadium. But when both the specialist left-backs are injured with just six days before The Hammers take on Chelsea in the Premier League, there are bound to be nervous glances through the door of the treatment room.
Aaron Cresswell, whilst on the bench yesterday, is hardly match fit having been out with a hamstring injury. And at 34 that is going to take more recovery to avoid a recurrence. So when Emerson took a massive knee blow yesterday and left the pitch after struggling on for a few minutes, the concern-levels around West Ham’s coaching team must have been raised a good few points.
According to Head Coach Lopetegui, speaking in the usual ‘management-speak’ of say-something-but-really-say-nothing-at-all after the game:
“He has one big block in his knee. We have to evaluate tomorrow. Right now he has pain and let’s see. I hope it’s not important but we’ll see.”
What he – and we- hope is that these impact ‘blows’ to joints usually respond well to a few days treatment rather than the twists and strains which can take longer- like Cresswell’s. With any luck a few days Ice and Compression will see him fit again.
Fortunately West Ham do have the flexibility of being able to move Aaron Wan Bissaka across to left back and use the old warhorse Vlad Coufal in his customary position, but the gulf in quality between our two right backs was noticeable yesterday: Whereas Wan Bissaka had been playing out of defence and passing, when Coufal was introduced he went, true to form, back to ‘hit and hope’ clearances which we thought we’d grown out of under Lopetegui.
Fingers crossed for an Emerson recovery for a game against his former team next week end: Hopefully we can get some more news to pass on in the next 24 hours.
To be fair, I think Coufal did alright when he came on yesterday. Certainly played a big part in our equalizer ⚒️
Agreed. AWB was turned inside out a few times prior as well.
Bring Ezra Mayers in, give him a shot