Sometimes it pays to turn the binoculars round and take a look at things from another viewpoint. After a tough few days for West Ham fans, there’s a different perspective being offered on the Hammers’ recent form and transfer window activity from supporters of one of their biggest relegation rivals.
From fan site theleedspress.com comes an article offering a certain degree of comfort to those in Claret and Blue who have feared the worst after the Chelsea loss and then the lack of decisive action by the board on deadline day.
Leeds sit six points ahead of West Ham now with fourteen games remaining: But with the relegation-threatened sides playing each other this weekend that gap could be down to three points in a matter of days. A cause for alarm for Leeds’ supporters. Putting a very different slant on recent events, the Leeds United site warns:
“Leeds United are not out of trouble yet:
Gary Lineker was right, West Ham look a different team in the last few weeks. It was unfortunate they blew a lead to Chelsea, but there are signs that there is still fight left in the club. Their January signings have also been great, and will improve the team for the second half of the season.”
‘West Ham’s winter signings have been great’ – according to one of their relegation rivals.
Not many Hammers fans would be so brave as to claim the January signings were ‘great’ – but evidently the view from outside the East London club is that the uptick in form and some serious additions – particularly to West Ham’s offensive capability – is something for opponents to worry about. Their report continues:
“Gary Lineker has been speaking on the Hammers and the battle for survival, and he thinks that the London side still have a chance to stay up in the Premier League”
A massive weekend ahead – a simply must win encounter between West Ham and Burnley awaits: Leeds fans may feel a little more concerned if their own encounter with Nottingham Forest on Friday night goes against them and the gap comes down to three points once again with a Hammers win the day after.
A season-defining couple of days coming up.
It is possible – but unlikely that we can escape – but a failure to win against Burnley & Leeds would almost certainly condemn us to relegation. Draws are of no use. And, our signings have been anything but “great”!
Keep Kilman off the pitch and we have a chance. Paqueta’s absence has improved the performances, same goes for Kilman.
@Matt. And keep Nuno away from the pitch altogether! He has cost us so many points by his dumb and dumber ‘tactical’ substitutions in the second half by taking off attacking players, parking the bus and expecting our defence to hold on. And we all know how that turns out. Unfortunately Nuno seems to be a slow learner and doesn’t know.
Leeds have Forest, Chelsea, Aston Villa & Man City coming up so are feeling the heat. This is a good time for WHU to do their best to catch up.
WHU surprised everyone and should have beaten Chelsea and at least held on for a draw – the team deserved it. Chelsea did play a B-team of sorts switching up at half-time (still incredibly galling to me to be beaten by players like Cuccurella and Pedro, God knows how the players feel), but if manager gets this team to successfully see out games we are in with a sure chance, because others will falter too.
If NES continues to bring on a 3rd CB, playing Soucek every game for 90 mins and playing Traore to see out games as a right winger we could easily fail. Traore surely has a role to play (I would prefer a more heads up, intelligent player such as Taty) but he plays head down as a breakaway forward, NOT qualities for resisting pressure and seeing out games. NES needs to clean his spectacles and get it right.
Summerville, Bowen, Wilson, Taty, Pablo perhaps Lamadrid as sub (?), that is a great attacking threat for any team but NES is completely forgetting about midfield. There is a good team spirit, but it crumbles when players see the manager weakening the team with wrong subs.
If NES does not learn and keeps pulling the plug on the team in the 2nd half, the club will spiral like water down a drain, while this team has the ability, the skill and a good set of youngsters as backup to give the teams above us a real scare and run for their money.
Nice readable piece Peter. Well said.
Thanks Taffyhammer. Do appreciate it – it is fun to exchange views.
Hope you are doing well.
Burnley next!