West Ham seem to have a frustrating tendency to do just enough to keep their nose above the waterline, but not enough to drag themselves totally out of the swamp.
Looking at the Wolves fixture next Sunday, a win could conceivably take us up to 12th or 13th and the borders of mid-table. So I’m assuming we will draw or lose the match – to win it just wouldn’t fit with the alignment of the planets this season.
Of course, being logical for a moment, it will surely be likely that having been given a chance to escape the relegation zone, we will at some point take it. It was January last season that totally transformed our season from a relegation scrap into a battle for Europe. It could happen this year.
We need crucial players to be fit, that is certain. Parker is the latest casualty, probably our best performer this season. We desperately need Cole back, if only to free up Franco to play in the hole as he did so successfully earlier in the season. Noble is such a steady performer – we miss his consistency. The only plus I can see in the injury situation is that there is no excuse for tiredness from the players that have been out – we should be getting stronger in the Spring when other teams are tiring.
Rumours persist about possible sales in January. I think it depends where we are at the end of the month. If we’re looking pretty safe, and if Gabbidon is fit, then I would sell Upson for £12m if possible and take the cash while it is available. It’s gambling with the squad, but to the long-term benefit of the club I think. Of course it depends if that offer is available, and if Nani has a cheap replacement in mind.
And if we’re still near the foot of the table on January 31st, then we must hang on to everyone. Upson will lose millions from his market value in the next 6 months, but we’ll have to swallow the loss. I think the club are savvy enough to realise the situation. We need to do enough to remove relegation from the equation – if it means hanging on to players I’m sure the club will do that.
People talk about potential fire-sales at the club, but that has never actually happened – it’s conspiracy theory thinking, and merits no serious contemplation. The only fire-sale in the time I have supported the club was when we were last relegated, and Cole, Johnson and Kanoute were sold to keep us out of administration. The current situation is a cake-walk in comparison.
There simply aren’t any serious problems at the club that a couple of wins couldn’t solve. As long as the finances don’t collapse, and there have been plenty of positive noises on that situation. I think Zola is doing a good job in the circumstances. I think we have good players and a good squad if only it was fit. The strange fixture list and the injuries to key players have really crocked our season so far, and we have to be realistic about that. I still say the future looks brighter than at any time in the last decade.
It’s like one of those days when you get a parking ticket and the freezer breaks. It’s frustrating, and we want to blame the world and their dog for it. But being realistic, we’ll get over it, and fairly quickly.
