Has our season been derailed?

[davids cross]

If somebody had told me we would be 5th at Christmas (beating Chelsea and Liverpool) and having played Thurs & Sunday for most of the season.

And were also through to the serious end of the Europa League/Cup....and a chance of Champions League football because of it.......and had reached the Q/F of the League Cup after memorable moments against City and Man Utd.....

I would have bitten your hand off and said "yes, thank you", and toddled off absolutely delighted...doing a stupid skip and a dance on my way.

Step back take a breathe and think back . Thurs, Sunday football had me expecting 13th/14th as a real league possibility by Christmas.

Yes, stuff is needed to build with in January. But we are still in a tremendous place.....and a team who give absolutely everything to the cause....even if sometimes the outcome disappoints.

It's been a great first half to the season. Way too much over analysis on specifics and not enough appreciation of the overall position and status of the club and team.

We were 10th last Christmas. (27th)

West Hams trajectory (overall) continues to be upwards.

Happy Christmas. !!

[funky chicken]

We were 10th last Christmas. (27th)

And that answers the question of this thread.

If going from 4th to 5th is classified as having our season ‘derailed’ I’ll have one every season please.

[stevejos13]

Watford v wolves off Boxing Day due to covid. Hope it’s wolves not Watford. As looking forward to game on 28/12

[davids cross]

Watford v wolves off Boxing Day due to covid. Hope it’s wolves not Watford. As looking forward to game on 28/12

It's Watford that have the problems.

The good news is that the Premier League are saying the Watford v West Ham game should go ahead....as the Watford players will be out of quarantine by then......and can field a team.

A Premier League statement read: "Watford continue to have an insufficient number of players to field a team after their game against Crystal Palace last Saturday was postponed following a Covid-19 outbreak.

"Due to players coming out of isolation, it is fully expected Watford will be available for their fixture on Tuesday 28 December, against West Ham United."

[mushy]

Another team whose players will be fresh then?

[Westbourne Bill]

I don’t see this Watford news as good or fair. They’ll have a fresh team, we will have played only 48 hours earlier.

[BabyClaret]

Players in isolation that won't have been able to train properly/keep match fit and also may have been sick themselves.

Double-edged sword.

[davids cross]

Totally depends......it could absolutely benefit West Ham.

If they "have had" Covid.....(especially if they have any symptoms) ......playing straight away is not a good experience. Many players have already spoken about it. It doesn't produce the feelings of having rested......quite the opposite. It stays with them through many of their comeback games.

Naturally...those just isolating may be different. But I think many of the players actually have Covid.

BC stole my thunder....

[johnnyb]

Players in isolation that won't have been able to train properly/keep match fit and also may have been sick themselves.

Double-edged sword.

Nah, they will be fresh as daisies while we will be dead on our feet. Sooner have it postponed.

[BondsoBob]

Just as an aside to all these postponement and how tired players might be, there were times when there were fixtures on Christmas day and Boxing day. And that was in the days when they were playing on pitches like plough fields. I know I'm getting old but I seriously shake my head sometimes these days.

[Albie Beck]

Take your point Bob, and I'm of a similar vintage.

But many of those players who played back-to-back games on ploughed fields had trouble walking once they got past 45.

Players' welfare has to be considered.

[Crouchend_Hammer]

They also ran a lot slower and lot less distance. The intensity of the game back then was much much lower.

[Cuenca 'ammer]

but the boots and ball was a darn sight heavier that's for sure. and you must have had about 3 pounds of mud on each foot as well.

like running in diver's boots and I swear my neck is 2 inches shorter than it was after heading a quite a few of those sods.

who remembers Derby County's Baseball Ground ?