Hammers Saturday home fixture. as has been widely announced, has been cancelled due to the visitors Norwich being unable to field a 'proper' team due to a surge in Covid cases at Carrow Road. Many other fixtures have already been cancelled as the full effect of the new Omicron variant of Covid takes grip at an alarming rate.
Whether you care to admit it to yourself or not, there is a DISTINCT possibility that attending games will once again become impossible. This is not an attempt at some paranoia grabbing copy, merely a pragmatic view based on the data that is available, backed up by our own 'house professor' Jonathan Able.
Essentially given the exponential rate of Omicron infection, there is every likelihood that the entire Premier League will be shut down for fans attending within the next couple of days! Until more data is available it would be foolhardy to risk mass gatherings of people, particularly during the holiday period.
Where does all this leave West Ham? Well, in the very short term the postponed Norwich game buys David Moyes a few more days to have his medical staff patch up the much missed Aaron Cresswell, as well as allowing Ben Johnson more time to recover from his 'mild' hamstring injury.
As more games get cancelled or rearranged, he added time will be at a price, because ALL of the games will have to be played at some time! There is a possibility that the entire league could be suspended for a couple of weeks, but then the broadcasters would want their 'pound of flesh, so games are more than likely to be continued, albeit with the Caveat that the amount of 'sick' players will govern the situation.
Bonuses? Hammers International players ALL returned out of sorts and the results since their return have been absolutely appalling, with the obvious two exceptions being the 3-2 victories over Liverpool and Chelsea. Those wins came at an acute cost, so at least these current postponements of games will give the medical staff the opportunity to work their magic. Also the transfer window opens soon and as several of the games due to be played WON'T go ahead, there is every chance some fresh faces and a familiar one, in the form of Jesse Lingard, will have rocked up at the London Bowl just in the nick of time to rescue Hammers beleaguered push for a Champions League slot.
An announcement is expected on Monday that will confirm games are to be played only behind closed doors, it is best that the club is pro active in this situation rather than reactive. - ED
Comments
Norwich unable to field a proper team
They have not done that all season!
Massive Advantage
I think this will be a great advantage to us. Hopefully, have Cresswell and Johnson back for the Carabeo plus it gives Moyes a chance to get out on the training pitch because at the moment touchwood its certainly not the end of the world to be 5th or even 8th in the league but the players have to stop the rot now. Another thing it gets us another match nearer to the January window this could all be Pie in the sky if the prem cancel loads of matches till let's say Feb . Can you imagine the confusion that could be caused especially in the world cup year as well
i thought
jesse was almost certain to sign for Newcastle with his agent and their management in close discussions about him signing ,but would he sign knowing that's its possible he could be a champs player next season ????