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West Ham’s lost points almost equals Burnley

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West Ham have now lost 12 pts from winning positions, more than any other team except Burnley who’ve lost 14. Could that be because we passively invite pressure through most of our games? Is there a purpose for this self-sabotage?

West Ham’s lost points almost equals Burnley

The Palace 90 minutes was  yet another uninspiring match and just a solitary point to show for it. It appears that the Irons are strategically navigating the demanding fixture list by conserving energy and minimizing the risk of injuries. The team often operates in a lower gear, anticipating that opponents will conform to this approach. 

Unfortunately, this tactic frequently backfires, leaving us in a position where we must play catch-up to secure a victory. While we’ve been fortunate in recent outcomes,  frankly, we didn’t deserve to win against a very average Crystal Palace side.

In stark contrast, now consider Newcastle, a team consistently operating in fourth gear. This bold style of play has propelled them into the Champions League, much to the delight of their ecstatic fans. Yes, they run the risk of exhausting themselves, but the willingness to take such risks has granted them a brand of football that eludes us at West Ham, a style of which we can only dream.

West Ham’s lost points almost equals Burnley

As it stands, we seem destined for mid-table mediocrity, unlikely to replicate the success of the previous season in cup competitions. The question arises: for whom is this low-risk football intended? Certainly not for the fans. Could it be an attempt to shield the fact that our squad, aside from a couple of stand out players, is rather average?

If David Moyes and the team manage to create another memorable season, all might be forgiven, especially if it leads to more European football and crucial improvements to the squad. However, if not, one wonders about the purpose of this journey. As fans, we can hardly recall a single game this season that left us breathless with pride.

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Hugh Southon is a lifelong Iron and the founding editor of ClaretandHugh. He is a national newspaper journalist of many years experience and was Bobby Moore's 'ghost' writer during the great man's lifetime. He describes ClaretandHugh as "the Hammers daily newspaper!"

Follow on Twitter @hughsouthon