Honest Hammers may see cheats prosper

By CandH’s top blogger Allen Cummings

Does it pay to play fair in the Premier League? Are West Ham now paying a heavy price for being too honest?

Is the tiredness that many of our own fans are pointing to as a reason for some recent disappointing performances, a result of us being one of the few teams to carry on regardless when Covid was at its height.

The Hammers only had one game postponed while others were falling like flies – a home fixture with Norwich City on December 18^th – and that was down to the Canaries crying ‘help’ not West Ham. That fixture has already been shoehorned back into our schedule of course, fortunately a game we won.

While other clubs called for postponements, citing covid cases within their camp as the reason, they were also allowed to consider injuries and absenteeism due to the ongoing AFCON tournament as factors in not being able to field a team.

We soldiered on regardless. Even though at one stage we had our entire first choice back four unavailable, plus our own AFCON absentee.

It’s true a bigger squad boosted by some new recruits in January might have helped. But it’s unlikely any additions would have been drafted straight into the first team as starters.

David Moyes would always endeavour to play his best team, and that almost certainly would have been the majority of players we see now – and have seen since the season began.

Take a look at the Premier League table right now. Although it tells a story, it doesn’t tell the whole story. The points column define each club’s position at present – but the games played column is significant and could have an important bearing on how the final table, the one that really matters, will look come May.

Even though some previously postponed fixtures have now been played, there is still a considerable disparity between teams – an uneven playing field if you like, that may have a massive part to play over the coming weeks.

It indicates some clubs have enjoyed generous ‘breaks’ to rest and recharge mid-season, when it’s needed most. West Ham haven’t and that could come back to bite us big time. Especially as European football is about to restart for us – and we still have an interest in the FA Cup.

West Ham as a club and David Moyes as our manager have tried to play fair, not use some of the dubious tactics others have been accused of – and could end up benefitting from.

‘Cheat never prosper’ is an old saying I remember from my school days. From what I’m seeing right now I’m not so sure that rings true in modern day football.