Hammers Only One Injury Away From Full Blown Crisis

Irrespective of who is in charge of West Ham United's medical team, and they've tried a few, the results still seem to be the same. Perpetually injured players have become part of the club's DNA but who is to blame? There are several choices as to who or what is responsible, the Rush Green training facility has come under close scrutiny with many believing that it is not fit for purpose despite it being a major upgrade from the old Chadwell Heath site. The training and fitness regime have also been mooted as part of the reason for the injury malaise, but at the end of the day much of the blame has to be laid squarely on the door step of the co-owners David Gold and David Sullivan, they represent the guilty party or parties who are most to blame.

Criticising the board who have pumped a lot of money in to the club of late may seem rather disingenuous, but the reality is that the club's recruitment process has lacked clear direction. For some reason the West Ham United hierarchy have either targeted 'Trophy' players or bargain basement buys from South America, unfortunately the 'Trophy' signings have not proved to be good value in any way shape or form, as the old expression goes "you pay peanuts, you get monkeys".
Of course the temptation of 'luring' a top name to the club is hard to resist, but the 'Trophy' players that have been signed have proved to be an expensive folly, back in the day Hammers could be excused for wanting to take a punt on players with questionable injury records due to the lack of funding available, but now even the poorest of Premier League clubs are able to use their financial might when competing with most clubs in Europe and beyond for players signatures.

The injury sustained by Andrily Yarmolenko is the latest in a long line of lengthy injuries that the club has, eyebrows were raised when ten new players arrived during the summer with questions being raised as to whether ten was too many and that they would take an age to gel. Well three of those arrivals are now on the dreaded long term injury list, Yarmolenko joins Carlos Sanchez and Jack Wilshere in the Andy Carroll memorial ward, Carroll's bed has been temporarily moth balled prior to his inevitable return!

The fixture list hasn't exactly been kind to new Hammers boss Manuel Pellegrini, and the two recent defeats have taken the shine off what was looking like a promising run of results, Hammers face three crucial games in the next ten days, the visit to Leicester which will be screened by BT Sport is followed by the Mid Week Carabao Cup tie against fierce rivals Tottenham ahead of the visit of Burnley on the Saturday. In order to sell as many tickets as possible much has been made of the fact that the Cup tie against Tottenham will not be screened in the UK, however it is possible to follow The Hammers from abroad using a VPN, it's amazing how technology has moved forwards, we are not suggesting 'cheating' the system, merely utilising facilities that are unavailable in the UK.

Manuel Pellegrini will be seeking revenge on Wednesday night in the match against Tottenham, he rightly feels that West Ham deserved at least a point against their bitter London rivals, many neutrals thought that Hammers deserved the win and would probably have done so had it not been for some 'obscene' goalkeeping by Hugo Loris. The Carabao Cup represents a portal to European football and is realistically the only chance West Ham will have of getting in to Europe for next season. The fixtures do come thick and fast so Manuel Pellegrini will have to do walk the 'tight rope' with regards to balancing the need for Premier League points and the desire for Cup glory, Pellegrini likes the 'League Cup' having won it twice while he was managing Manchester City.

Hammers can just about cope with the current injury list, but if any more are added the club will be, as dear old 'Arry used to say, "down to it's barebones". The only consolation injurywise is that if the club hadn't splurged out for so many new players it really would be up the creek without a paddle, stuck in the proverbial. Other clubs suffer lengthy injury lists, it's just that West Ham seem to constantly top the list! - Ed