West Ham have been handed a relegation lifeline and will now go into the final game of the season in a straight shootout after Chelsea beat Tottenham Hotspur at Stamford Bridge.
I’ll be honest, my hopes weren’t exactly high when I saw Chelsea’s starting line-up.
They might have lost the FA Cup final against Manchester City, but they put in a spirited performance and players like Levi Colwill, Pedro and Reece James all stood out.
So you can imagine my reaction when none of them were in the starting XI.
Chelsea Punish Spurs Despite Slow Start
It was no surprise to see Spurs start the better side, with Roberto De Zerbi’s pressing game causing the home team plenty of problems early on.
But it was Chelsea who took the lead on 17 minutes through Enzo Fernández, whose long-range effort looked to have been badly misjudged by Tottenham keeper Kinsky.
Fernandes was involved again in the second half, cushioning a pass through to Santos to make it 2-0 just as De Zerbi was preparing a triple substitution.
Nervy Finish But West Ham Still Alive
Richarlison pulled one back to make it 2-1 before the changes were made, setting up a very nervy finish for Hammers fans.
Thankfully, Chelsea held on.
And it means the relegation scrap goes right down to the final game of the season.
For West Ham, it’s now very simple.
We go into Sunday’s game against Leeds United needing to win and hoping former boss David Moyes can do us a favour with Everton against Spurs.
Which would Sullivan prefer survival or relegation?
In the case of survival would board mop their brow close call and put their hands in pockets (probably not).
There’s now a big shout that Spurs don’t deserve to be in premier league (just as whu).
Spurs manager almost throwing in the towel or is this just smoke?
Nuno (a.k.a Tinker man) choice of formation was inexpicable and a massive cock up against Newcastle.
Has he learnt by his mistakes you would hope so.
This lifeline needs to be grabbed by both hands Nuno and Paco.
Looks like Traore is not going to make last game.
Take Killman off bench and put academy u21 top scorer in his place at least there’s a chance he might play.
Leeds have got 8 players injured so every chance of beating them (includes 2 of their top strikers).
Just down to Mr Moyes and Everton
Lifeline? We are a dead club, let’s face it, even if we do ( by some miracle) stay up, what’s the point? More of the same congratulatory rubbish about how good the club is, staying up will only delay the inevitable, more of the same awful football next year with the main objective being survival, not something I look forward too.
I have no time for Sullivan and put the blame on him for the position we are in, but come Sunday it isn’t down to Sullivan. The manager and the players have to show the fight and to use the skills they have developed within their careers. What I don’t want to see is no fight, no pride and no intelligence in our game. If we go down, we go down fighting. This team has never been good enough as a unit and that is Sullivan’s fault, but we have what we have and they have to prove how good they are. No excuses, no blaming VAR, and Bowen needs to show he can be a Captain and lift his head and the teams heads up high. We need leaders in the final game.
If we do survive I will be dreading next season with this team and can see another season similar to this one, just hoping to avoid relegation and no real hopes of winning anything.
I think I would prefer a battle in the championship with a rebuild.
Fortunately, I’m unable to follow any of the pain staking moments of the final match of the season, as I’ll be somewhere in the air over Europe and will find out our fate when we touch down. If I’m honest, I think I might have unknowingly played a blinder booking the flight for Sunday. I’m just going to carry on regardless and have a drink or two on the plane.
It’s the hope that kills you.
… tortured all the way through to the last match 🥴 the safest part is that we already know the outcome. i’m so despondent that even staying up next week will NOT bring me joy, merely relief! and that, at least, is what all West Ham supporters deserve. many of us have been here before, experiencing both outcomes. this one really bites because it looks far more perilous a challenge to return immediately. so again, only relief…not pride. and if we do stay up i will firmly believe that this time we didn’t deserve it 😭
it’s the hope that kills you bonzo.I know that Tottenham have been poor this season but i just can’t seeing them losing to Everton.And then there’s the small matter of us beating Leeds.
Totally agree bonzo. I’m sure when I’m at the game on Sunday I will really get behind the team. And if we score all my current depression will be forgotten. But i almost feel we need to have a season or two out of the prem to try and rid ourselves of this board and have a complete reset. Because the pysco-drama will begin again. Apologies for the negativity
Moyes has integrity and will play for a win, though I don’t think we’ll do the same and will fizzle out with a whimper against Leeds. Been through this many times before so looking forward to a new challenge in the Championship rather than making up numbers in the Prem – would have loved to have been the reason for Tottenham being relegated though!
It’s all about us now. Nothing less than a win will do. No holding back. No trying to be clever. We must go for it. 13:0 will be extra handy.
At least Nuno was right about it going down to the last game, but can’t see both matches going our way on Sunday. The loss at Wolves and draw at Palace stick in my mind as games we should won and would’ve kept us up
Our game V Leeds is the ultimate “must win game”. I’m guessing Nuno will start with 5 defenders again 🤣! Take the handbrake off Nuno let’s go for it & hope the spuds lose. ⚒⚒⚒
Tense game, doesn’t it make the Newcastle result even more disappointing.
If NES hadn’t had that mad starting line up and just picked the only team that has performed since we got Taty Pablo and Disasi in we could of won that game.
Being a point ahead would make us favourites to stay up. Now whatever we do we are praying nothing to play for Everton beat Spurs and we beat Leeds.
Such a missed opportunity, I really thought NES was better than taking hard to justify risks in selection when the team really should of picked itself.
Gonzo have faith in Nuno He stated days ago this would go to the last game of the season EVERYONE BIG SUPPORT FOR OUR TEAM WE CAN DO IT
Hermansen should be dropped Wilson brought on as a sub ,
But Hermansen looks steady and at home with the proper line up in front of him.
A back five trying to defend is not the way to go. Agree that Wilson should not start.
Spurs looked like they were up for it.
Whu need to show same fight against Leeds.
Tinker man needs to have tinkered for last time against Newcastle.
Play everybody in their correct position.
Bring Wilson on after 60 mins and play Traore if he’s fit.
Do not put Killman on bench just filling space for no reason.
If Paco can have an influence on this game Nuno needs to listen to him.
Who plays in goal could be a question mark.
I’m expecting a cautious Nuno, 7 at the back and try to nick it in the 93rd minute! Can’t be too careful 😉⚒
You look at Spurs and despite being in the more favourable position in the last few weeks they don’t look great, and haven’t gone at teams when the chance has been there (Leeds and Chelsea games). West Ham, to be fair, have been playing better (when they haven’t been setup to fail ala Newcastle) just not quite getting the results. So based on that, I think West Ham will cope better with the pressure than Tottenham will this weekend.
You never know, Sunday might just go in our favour. What a massive, MASSIVE day.
COYI
Three results needed to go our way, now two do.
The odds have improved but are still against us.
I am angry with the board because we shouldn’t be in this nightmare position.