Lukasz Fabianski is fully expected to return to training this weekend after being forced to withdraw from the squad after feeling a niggle in his thigh during the warm-up to the game against Everton .
The Hammers ran out 1-0 winners with replacement keeper Darren Randolph having only one save of any consequence to make.
Fab has around two weeks to recover fully with the No 2 booked for the sweater in our game against Stockport County in Round Three of the FA Cup next weekend.
But we understand that a scan found no problem with Fab yesterday and the keeper will almost certainly be back in action for the game against Burnley at the London Stadium the following weekend.
The following match – again at home – sees Sam Allardyce bringing his battered West Brom team, and former Hammer Grady Diangana with him presumably, to the east end desperately looking for wins as the team sinks miserably into more relegation mire.
Best to err on the side of caution with Fabianski and his thigh. Remember last season? Just after we lost Antonio to hamstring at Newport, so an innocuous kick out from Fabianski did for him for too long a spell. Result was a total collapse of our team until both boys returned. I have never understood why players continue to play balls back to the goalkeeper when they can no longer pick up the ball. In ’emergency’ – yes, but routinely – no.
Fortunately this time around we have Darren Randolph (International Goalkeeper of some quality) to seemlessly slip into position between the posts. Darren may not have had too much to do, but what he did was sound. We need Fabianski back as he’s our number one but if we have to rely on Randolph – we’re in good hands.
COYI COY Toffee Hammers!!
I agree with you about players putting goalkeepers under unwanted pressure Taffy/Toffee 😁
How many times do you see Fabianski just clear it away from on onrushing opponent.
One day they will get the ball before he does.