FOR all the world, reported as a ‘dead certainty’ for relegation, West Ham fans might be forgiven for thinking that there’s just a couple of games remaining rather than the seventeen which still stand between the club and the Championship. Of course, if everyone else around the Hammers keep winning and West Ham don’t then the recipe is of inevitable failure.
It is not, perhaps, quite as cut and dried as others would like to make out. Specialist web site theanalyst.com produced an excellent article, post-Forest defeat, which identified key positives which the club need to focus on rather that merely accept the drop with limp acquiescence.
In particular, the report suggests the recruitment of strikers Castellanos and Filipe offers hope for guarded optimism:
‘Signed for a combined total of nearly £50m, both players have been regular goalscorers in European top flights since the start of last season, but they’ll need to hit the ground running to save the Hammers from relegation.
Castellanos scored more times (16) and was involved in more goals (24) in all competitions for Lazio than any other player since August 2024…
Pablo, although expensive, represents more of a gamble for the London club. The 22-year-old has played just 61 top-flight league games, scoring 17 times, all in Portugal’s Primeira Liga.”
Hammers fans it seems, have already passed judgement and expect the duo to follow the club’s well trodden path of striker failure: However the law of averages means the Irons are due a ‘success’ at the front having failed so spectacularly, for so long.
As the report concludes: “West Ham will hope both forwards can score goals straight away, with important London derbies against Tottenham and Chelsea either side of a home meeting with Sunderland to come in January.”
And – just for dramatic effect, a couple tomorrow in the FA cup would set down a marker that there might just be life in the jaded team yet.
Oh and as for the stats? OPTA’S claim there’s an 89% chance of West Ham being relegated. Which means an 11% chance they won’t. It’s not much, but it’ll do me for now.
Would love to be optimistic but we have not won in 10 games! Only 17 remaining & we will need to win AT LEAST another 8 games to even have a chance of staying up. That’s pretty much half our remaining games & that’s if other teams around us don’t go on a run. Sorry but I personally am not letting my heart rule my head. Stats don’t lie, we are pants 😢.
For me Martin it’s all how they have been playing on the pitch. The team as you put it look jaded but it’s more than that, enthusiasm is very low, team work is low and for me attitudes are poor. This is something Nuno has to sort out, starting at QPR. If he don’t we have no chance, if he does then maybe. Hope I’m wrong but my vote is with no chance.
Talks cheap…no evidence to show we have the will or the want to change our fate
You might want to read your article again after the Forest game. You sounded like we were already down.
Keep the faith until it’s mathematically impossible.
Let’s hope so, while I don’t agree with a lot of Nuno formations or choices he is right that the squad needs to be rebalanced.
Am not confident about the QPR game or any currently but it is a chance to get a win COYI!!!
That should read 99% certain of relegation.
They’ve won 3 league games all season, they need to win 9 or 10 out of 17 to have any remote chance of staying up 😂😂😂
Its inevitable, as is the fact that the 2 new forwards won’t work out either.
Its all down to Sullivan who hasnt cared about this club for years,as long as they finish 17th each season hes happy,all West Ham are is his cash cow.