Watford v West Ham Game In Doubt!

If you are planning on heading out to Hertfordshire to see the Watford v West Ham fixture scheduled for 3PM this afternoon, we highly recommend you keep your eyes and ears open for updates regarding the match, either on the O/S, here or any radio outlet, including Talkshite.

Claudio Ranieri's team are without several 1st team players through injury and several more through Covid isolations. Therefore they are entitled to appeal to the Premier League to have the game postponed, what is infuriating is that they are currently allowed to have the postponement confirmed up to ONLY TWO hours ahead of the game.

This ridiculous legislation leaves many travelling fans between a rock and a hard place, as well as all the home fans looking forward to the game. Although seriously depleted, Watford would prefer the game to go ahead while they still have access to their AFCON players, they and fellow Londoners Crystal Palace stand to be the hardest hit by players jetting off to the tournament for up to SIX weeks!

As things stand Watfrord will be without FIVE players due to the AFCON competition, Palace will be without FOUR players. Although the footballing Gods have looked down harshly at West Ham of late, at least the club will only lose Said Benrahma to AFCON. Although it might suit Hammers to NOT play today, it should be remembered that ALL those postponed games HAVE to be played within the time limits ALREADY outlined, as a result there will be fixture pile up like no other, with games in hand being devalued due to the close proximity between catch up games.

Points on the board are far more important than theoretical points on paper, it is to be hoped that an injury and suspension hit Hammers will fare better than an injury and illness hit Watford. - LN