It's that time of the year when stones dropped into unrelated pools, even Liverpools, have ripples that can have tsunami like consequences. What possible impact can an injury to Steven Gerrard have on our chances of avoiding relegation? Well, of course, we have completed our fixtures with Liverpool so the injury to their midfield general will not benefit us, but they still have to play a number of our rivals who could therefore benefit to the tune of an unanticipated point or three.
The counter balance in the case of Liverpool, of course, is the return to fitness of Carroll and the signing of Saurez. I'm glad we met the Reds when Carroll wasn't ready and Gerrard was clearly struggling. On the other hand, Valencia is on his way back for Man Utd and Nani should be fit for our game with them at Upton Park. Rio also has more recovery time and so could be back to marshal the Mancs defence. Switch the attention to Spurs and they have 10 days free ahead of our battle at White Hart Lane, crucial time to get Van der Vaart and Ledley King fit and ready, amongst others.
The argument is that these things even themselves out over a season but that is not always true. West Brom benefitted from playing Birmingham in their rival's first game after winning the League Cup, when focus was less than 100%. Those teams who played Liverpool in the early days of Hodgson's rule had a distinct advantage against those who played them later - and we played them later! There was a good time to play Chelsea this season - and we did not benefit from that window. It is easier to play Newcastle now than earlier in the season - and we have completed our fixtures against them. Had our game against Man Utd been this weekend, Nani, Valencia and Ferdinand would definitely not be available. And so it goes on.There's no point in moaning, of course, it won't change anything, but luck is a factor in where you finish at the end of the season and sometimes, if luck is cruel or kind, it can make the crucial difference. We stayed up in the Great Escape season because we shafted Lady Luck remorselessly (THAT goal at Blackburn, Arsenal's 35 shots but no goals, Big Spam leaving Bolton in the week of our game, Man Utd resting stars in the last game of the season), let's hope that the injury to Gerrard isn't the first evidence of Lady Luck stealing a strap on from the Davids' warehouse in readiness of pay back!
7 comments:
Luck?! what superstitious mumbo jumbo... I'd have more respect for you if you followed god than come out with this claptrap.
True. I am a sinner and this is payback.
The beauty of all of this is that everybody will have to answer their own questions on the stretch run. The answer for the Hammers is to not leave their Premiership status into somebody else's hands at the end. T.C.O.B. Take care of business.
HF would you like to meet me for a fight because i cant stand you, you cnut. your tottenham scum. anywhere anytime toss pot.
Ahhh how sweet. Someone went out for a few beers, was humiliated in front of some girls and came home a bit chippy. Did you not get any again 0201? It's the way you drag your knuckles on the ground when you walk. Try standing against the wall and easing that back upright. Once you get the upright posture, you can then try a few steps. By the way, you meant "You're Tottenham scum."
Don't listen to 02:01, HF, you are an inspiration to us Hammers fan, and without your blog providing such great insight into the team I don't think I would follow the Hammers as much as I do.
Why thank you kind sir.
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