The last Hundred Yards is always the hardest to complete in any distance running, race leaders can be caught agonisingly close to the finish line as the rest of the pack sail past them, and it is much the same in elite football. Irrespective of where West Ham United finish in this season's Barclays Premier League, fans can be rightly proud of how their team has 'duked it out' with the big boys, despite having the least well equipped squad to deal with the challenge.
Unfortunately the squad's lack of strength in depth is now impacting savagely on the club's unlikely push for a top four Champions League spot, injuries have mounted up as the season's end approaches leaving the Irons boss with very few options to see his side over the line.
Even non Hammers fans acknowledge the insanely brilliant job David Moyes has done in remodeling the club from top to bottom, which has included trying to make a silk purse out of the 'sow's ear' incredibly expensive signings that his predecessor Manuel Pellegrini had made, but even Moyes has run out of options for the final seven 'steps to heaven or hell'.
Realistically, Hammers have fared much better than many of their competitors with regards to injuries, unfortunately, like London busses they tend to arrive in multiples, such has been the case with the injuries to Authur Masuaku, Angelo Ogbonna, Michail Antonio, the club's 'jewel in the crown' Declan Rice, and now Aaron Cresswell along with skipper Mark Noble.
In a way Moyes is fortunate in that several of the remaining fixtures are 'proper six pointers' for the Irons, and the fact that several of the other top four contenders have games remaining against each other that could play in to his hands, particularly the Chelsea v Leicester game.
The Seven steps left, including a frenzied three games spell in 7 days between the 8th and the 15th of May are : 17.04.21 Newcastle (a) 24.04.21 Chelsea (h) 01.05.21 Burnley (a) 08.05.21 Everton (h) 11.05.21 Brighton (a) 15.05.21 West Brom (h) 23.05.21 Southampton (h).
It will be all hands to the pumps for the final games, and maybe, like Bubbles, the dream might fade and die, but at least the platform was established during this weirdest of all seasons, that proved it is possible for a 'slumbering giant' like West Ham to be woken up. - Ed
Comments
It will show what their made
It will show what their made of on Saturday against the geordies,Bennie this is you chance to impress
Of course, if we didn't enter
Of course, if we didn't enter Europe I would be very disappointed, precisely because this year the team and the coaching staff have done an incredible job, we deserve a place in Europe; and if it were the Champions League, it would be a dream come true. I have never been so proud of West Ham and being a fan of the Hammers. Powerful hammers ahead, Europe awaits us
It might be a bridge too far,
It might be a bridge too far, but it is a wonderful experience!