Hammers v Wolves Fixture Not In Danger

Using the word 'positive' to describe someone who has just been confirmed as having a serious viral illness is a bit of a contradiction, there is nothing positive emerging from the London Stadium except for a pretty fine Carabao Cup performance against Hull City. Of course the backdrop to the convincing 5-1 victory was the sudden withdrawal of Issa Diop and Josh Cullen from the published starting line up, in addition manager David Moyes was forced to leave the Stadium as quickly as possible as were the players.

There is currently no word as to whether the Covid-19 has infected any other players or staff, but it is believed as a result of adhering to the correct procedures and the observation of sufficient social distancing, well as much as can be expected in a sporting domain, that there aren't fears of a wider spread. Moyes, Diop and Cullen were all asymptomatic, but will be required to self isolate for ten days which will mean missing the preparations and the actual fixture against Wolves scheduled for this Sunday.

*According to FA rule 3
A match may not start or continue if either team has fewer than seven players. If a team has fewer than seven players because one or more players has deliberately left the field of play, the referee is not obliged to stop play and the advantage may be played, but the match must not resume after the ball has gone out of play if a team does not have the minimum number of seven players. If the competition rules state that all players and substitutes must be named before kick-off and a team starts a match with fewer than eleven players, only the players and substitutes named in the starting line-up may take part in the match upon their arrival.*

It is highly unlikely that the rest of the squad were sufficiently exposed to have been infected as well, but there will be some anxious moments for some as they await their next test results. Should the unthinkable happen and most of the squad somehow show Covid-19 traces, then the game against Wolves CAN be postponed. Leyton Orient's fixtue against Tottenham was cancelled for exactly that reason, so the precedent has been set, although it is hoped that it will not be necessary to use it.

The performance against Hull was rather overlooked due to the late withdrawal of the Manager, Diop and Cullen, but it has to be said that the Irons were imperious as they swept aside a full strength Tigers side. The 5-1 score line wasn't flattering, had the forward players not been so profligate in front of goal the score line could have been 10-1, such was West Ham's dominance, but then again there were well over £100 Million worth of players representing the Irons!

Andrily Yarmolenko and Sebastien Haller both bagged a brace, with 'Snoddy' grabbing a fine goal against his old club, Jarrod Bowen was on the bench but did not play against his old club as well. The two youngsters drafted in at the last minute, Harrison Ashby and Aji Alese were exceptional , although it was a bitter sweet match for Ashby who nearly scored on his debut and performed brilliantly until having to leave the field in considerable pain after sustaining a dislocated finger, however whether by coincidence or not Ashby has earned a first Scotland Under-21 call-up - a day after making his full West Ham United debut in the League Cup rout of Hull City. The 18 year old defender, is in Scot Gemmill's squad for European Championship qualifiers at home to Czech Republic and away to San Marino next month.

Finally Jack Wilshere played for the full 90 minutes, good for him, and Fabian Balbuena reminded everyone that he is a 'general' when it comes to marshalling the defence, his services will be required in the absence of Issa Diop for the Wolves game. - Ed