It has been confirmed that manager Avram Grant and defender Tal Ben Haim are to miss the Stoke game on Saturday to observe the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur, and I am sure this fact has split supporters.
West Ham are firmly rooted in a Premier League relegation battle as they are the only side with no points on the board after four games. What must be most concerning to Hammers fans are the pitiful displays that Grant’s side has shown in those outings. The Premier League relegation odds suggest the side are in for a really tough time.
I understand the Day of Atonement is an important date in the Jewish calendar and requires followers to fast and pray over the course of Friday night and Saturday, so this would affect Grant’s involvement.
What worries me here is that West Ham are entrenched in a relegation fight, even so early on in the season, and we need all hands on deck. Nobody knows how well Grant’s assistant manager Zeljko Petrovic will do taking charge of the team, the football odds already make the Irons massive underdogs for the game against Stoke.
And also we are facing another possible relegation candidate, and a team whose manager is also going through a problematic personal life.
When Tony Pulis’ mother died on Monday everyone presumed he was going to miss that night’s clash with Aston Villa, and all fans completely understood why he would do this.
But the Stoke boss turned up at half-time and it has been revealed by players and staff alike at the club that it was his inspirational team-talk which turned the game around and got three points for the club.
Not many Hammers fans mind being without Ben Haim, but the situation is far from ideal.
I fear without the manager at the helm steering the ship on Saturday then we could face another tough challenge, especially if all the Stoke boys are playing for a grieving Pulis and will run through brick walls for him.
Whereas the Hammers are in a terrible state and without Grant there it could make the Premier League table even worse to look at on Saturday night.
To be honest i do not see why this is so negative. Apart from the game against Villa none of the displays have been as you put it “pitiful”. We were the better team against bolton but they are our bogey team and no-one in all honesty must of expected a result despite us out playing them.
Against Man U we played well but lets face it they are a better team but West Ham never gave up.
And against Chelsea we were yet again the better team.
No one would expect us to get a result out of these fixtures and normally they are spread out so we don’t get slagged off. The season has barely started i see no reason to panic i expect it off the press but of off so called fans its getting a bit stupid. I repeat no one would of expected us to get a result out of the opening games so just because we have had them all in a row doesn’t change that.
Chelsea & Man U title conteners. Bolton bogey team. Villa top six club this is the only game i thought we may nick a draw from.
And there are positives. Barrera, Obinna and Even Jacobsen have been good signings.
Dyer coming back from his long injury has been cracking and our best player so far.
Defence is the problem every game has seen Upson with a different partner. Three different RB’s and 2 different LB’s.
Now we have Jacobsen and hopefully Ilunga stays fit its just finding the best right sided CB (Da Costa IMO) and it will come together.
Stop panicking and get behind your team and be a proper fan.
COYI
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I agree 100%. I watched the Villa game, the United game, the Chelsea game and the Stoke game. The only game I missed was the Bolton game – where Cole missed a first half penalty that would have put the team up 1-0.
The only “poor” performance was on opening day – without Hitzelberger and without the same formation the team had employed for 5 straight weeks during pre-season.
I think the team will not only stay up but perform well going forward.
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I agree completely with the first comment, it seems a lot more thought went into the response than the original post. On the subject of Yom Kippur, Judaism, whether you like it or not, is more tham just a game. You have to respect their beliefs and allow them to practice their religion. The hard work should have been done on the training ground during the week, Saturdays performance should be firmly carried on the shoulders of the players selected. It’s like buying African players and then complaining when they go off to the African cup of nations. Keep the faith and be a supporter not a wannabe tabloid journo.
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Which “original post” Pete?
(for the record, I didn’t write this article, it’s from Drew a second author)
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