West Ham’s international contingent continue to rack up the appearances during this interminably long international break, through which we are now ‘officially’ just half way.
The Championship recommences in ten days, by which time the Hammers’ squad will be divided between those who have had no competitive football for three weeks and others who have been run ragged by their international coaches with up to four fixtures played.
Mavropanos, like Solomon and Austbo, is racking up the minutes whilst the rest of the West Ham squad recuperates
For seniors already pushed heavily, with up to eleven starts since August, injuries and fatigue must become a big concern with a huge 46 game domestic workload on their shoulders (and bodies).
Young West Ham speedster – and Manor Solomon understudy – Edwin Austbø also played 85 minutes last night in something of a triumphant return to his former home. Austbø played virtually the whole game for Norway’s u21’s in his former home stadium of the SR-Bank Arena in Stavanger, returning to the city and stadium he played at for Viking FK.
Austbø registered an assist as his side ran out 6-1 victors over Bosnia and Herzegovina U21’s, having the Norwegians well placed and already assured of qualification for the finals next year.
Still one more game awaits the youngster with a Tuesday night fixture ahead of a return to West Ham for their Friday night under the lights encounter with QPR – surely a case of too much football with insufficient recovery before the domestic games start again.
All of which could well come back to bite these players as the miles and knocks rack up later in the season. And the good news? There’s yet another break – and two further internationals – scheduled for 9th to 17th November.