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Hammers High Hopes For Spain Trip- However Holiday It Isn't!

nevillenixon's picture
Submitted by nevillenixon on Mon, 11/02/2019 - 11:38

Manuel Pellegrini has taken his West Ham squad to Malaga where they will spend four days of warm weather training before returning to London, the break is intended to provide recovery time for some of the club’s injured players and the Hammers boss expects to have Samir Nasri back from his calf injury against Fulham, while Manuel Lanzini and Fabian Balbuena could also return in that game.

Pellegrini hopes Lanzini could be on the bench when Fulham visit and make his comeback after seven months out with the serious knee injury he sustained while training with the Argentine national side ahead of last summer's FIFA World Cup. The 'General' Fabian Balbuena might need a few more weeks to overcome the knee problem he suffered before Christmas, but the defender is close to a return, his virtually telepathic understanding with Issa Diop has been sorely missed as Hammers' results have borne out during his absence.

"I said after we lost at Wimbledon that we wanted to continue in the FA Cup, that was our intention but we couldn’t do it," Pellegrini said of the break."But in another way I think it is good for some players that are playing too many games from the beginning of the season - we continue with eight players injured - so I think that this stop up until next weekend will be very useful for us. We are not going on holiday, we are going to work, maybe better weather than here but also to take them out some days it is good for the group, so there is a lot of things that I decided why to take the team there."

Short term winter breaks for the Hammers have had mixed returns in the past, Sam Allardyce in particular favoured trips to Dubai, however on reflection the destination probably had more to do with his potential real estate investments as opposed to the 5 star training facilities available. It is not clear as to whether Hammers arranged their trip using one of David Gold's remaining executive jets, or utilised the latest in executive jet travel by using fractional private jet ownership. There are those who argue that going away breaks up the team's inertia, well Hammers inertia hasn't been that great of late so that won't be an issue! The benefits of a warm weather training camp can also be seriously negated if the air travel involved is too invasive, flights to the far east and beyond can have a very negative effect on player's well being whereas flights to Spain are rapid and far less demanding.

Hammers strong latin american contingent will feel at home in Spain, the training facility the club are going to use belongs to Malaga football club, the club that Manuel Pellegrini managed to qualify for the Champion's League in his first season there. The location is also conveniently close to David Sullivan's Marbella spread which is up on the hill overlooking Puerto Banus, the poser's paradise. The squad taken to Spain will undoubtedly benefit from a few extra rays of sunshine, so long as they keep Big Andy and themselves out of Sinatra's bar in the Port. - Ed

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mcbikeman's picture

Flying back on friday the day of the match wont the poor dears be tired from all that traveling!

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mcbikeman's picture

new i'd come off my meds early lol i blame my nurse!

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Jenningsthehero's picture

Seeing the stats on sky,where we are top of the "league" for unavailable players 7.2,surely someone must be asking why? any club has to cope with injuries but this abnormal mount must surely bring the training methods fitness and recovery into the medical dept focus,i think the manager has done well with what players he has available but come on Pelle sort out why we have a near ongoing problem with injuries.

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moore 6 legend's picture

Well fingers crossed we have a reinvigorate team come back,we must dispose of fulham,and no favours what so ever for ci££y ;)

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