Right on cue, just when the squad and fans needed it the most, something went right for West Ham United.
The Hammers face a daunting trip to St James’s Park today knowing a win would lift them out of the relegation zone with their rivals not playing until Tuesday evening. Newcastle themselves have very little to play for. Relegation is avoided, European football is out of reach – the Magpies have had by their own standards a disappointing season and will be, hopefully, mentally half way to the beach.
Unlike Chelsea.
Tottenham’s opponents on Tuesday night were, it was feared, going to be jaded after celebrating an FA Cup win and potentially hungover and somewhat listless, with their caretaker manager just clicking off the remaining fixtures on his duty roster.
Just maybe there’s a renewed sense of ‘must win’ – for Chelsea – when Spurs visit on Tuesday night
Manchester City’s victory in the FA Cup has ensured that Chelsea have no trophy hangover and indeed will be full of fight as European qualification hangs in the balance for the Blues.
Maybe, just maybe competition for the Europa Conference League place will rob Spurs of their ‘easy’ last two fixtures.
A quick look at the Premier League table shows Chelsea currently in ninth: Manchester City having won the FA Cup pass on their automatic Europa League ticket that comes with the trophy to the side in seventh – currently Brighton – and the eighth-positioned finisher will grab the Europa Conference League slot: Currently Brentford, two points ahead of Chelsea so very much up for grabs.
And Chelsea have just pencilled in the name of their new manager. As per the Guardian:
“Landing [former Real Madrid Manager Xabi] Alonso will be viewed as a coup by Chelsea, who have failed to qualify for the Champions League for the third time in four years.”
Which means there will be huge pressure from within the Chelsea camp to present their new manager with European football next season. Roll out the bunting and cross your fingers, unless you are a Spurs fan.
The narrative surrounding that fixture at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night suddenly went from Chelsea couldn’t care less to a Blues’ desperate late bid for Euro points.
(And the sharp eyed amongst you will see also, jockeying for position with an equal 49 points, is David Moyes Everton, still harbouring their own Europa Conference League ambitions – Tottenhams’s opponents on the last day).
All fears of another Aston Villa-style rollover against Spuds go out of the window now -West Ham simply have to do their bit and win today: An Everton win against Sunderland today and a Hammers win will set up the Stamford Bridge fixture beautifully and, just possibly, have Hammers fans hoping again.
After that display I think Nuno’s after match interview was a joke.He was not annoyed with the players, I would have been furious.
He needs to get stuck in to them, they were shameful and not fit to wear the shirts.
I think when he subbed Tobido and he did not shake Nuno’s hand said it all.
Players think they are bigger than the club, he had to make a change for the team, like it or not.
Let’s hope so Martin, I am not convinced many of those players are happy at Chelsea judging by the way they perform but lets hope Alonso can get them to play as a team with pride for the next two games.
this is our lot: hoping that teams we really hate (well, teams that i hate) win their games so that we survive. i am sick in my stomach for more than 1 reason now. sigh