Still everything to play for, according to factions of the West Ham fan base and of course, the squad and management. Many fans feel that the pivotal results of last weekend will prove to be the turning point in this season’s battle as Tottenham Hotspur booted West Ham back into the relegation zone with three games to go.
Roshane Thomas, writing in the NY Times, clearly falls into the ‘it’s not over yet’ camp.
With rivals Tottenham still counting the ever-growing numbers of first team players in their sick bay and contrasting that directly with the Hammers’ injury situation at this late stage in the season, Thomas believes the Irons’ superior fitness could yet play a part.
As per The Athletic:
“West Ham’s superb injury record could yet be their saving grace in relegation battle”
West Ham United may have spent the bulk of this season languishing towards the bottom of the Premier League, but there is another table where they are faring far better — and it may yet be the crucial difference in their relegation battle. West Ham have suffered the second-lowest amount of injuries in the division this season.
Summing up the state-of-the-art fitness regime employed by West Ham’s training and conditioning team, Thomas highlights many of the techniques used, including recovery sessions in cryotherapy chambers, an altitude chamber which simulates a low-oxygen environment to help players improve their endurance and singles out Axel Disasi who had used a hyperbaric chamber to help him stay in shape ahead of his arrival in February.
Their list of casualties includes Mohammed Kudus, whose only absences in his two years at West Ham were due to international call-ups and suspension. Since making the short trip across London last summer for around £55million, the midfielder has missed 22 matches through injury, and is still out with a thigh problem suffered in January.
Others, including Ben Davies, Dominic Solanke, Guglielmo Vicario, Rodrigo Bentancur, Cristian Romero and Dejan Kulusevski have all been absent from the XI at various points.
Would that it proves enough to turn this relegation battle in West Ham’s favour as tired bodies head for their last three Premier League games: For one of the two squads, it could well be the difference between survival and the long drop to the Championship.