From fans running on the pitch, to players not performing, to fans fighting amongst themselves, to stewards who just stand still during trouble, how can we as West Ham United fans and players, improve from here?
No matter your views on the going ons during the Burnley match it is fair to say that the one thing all us fans can agree on is that we do not want to get relegated (apart from some stupid fans in our fan base who would choose relegation and the board leaving over staying in the Premier League). With the Southampton game just a couple of days away now and us fans finding ourselves once again saying those all too similar phases once more: ‘this is going to be the biggest game of our season’ and ‘we must win this game’, what can we do to dig ourselves out of this utter mess we are in?
With the likes of Masuaku and Fernandes back into contention for the match and us not having played in three weeks, there will hopefully be some optimism around the camp; however, amongst fans I sense much more nervousness and fear of another loss and another embarrassment on and off the pitch. The passion that Noble and Collins showed during the Burnley match towards fans disrupting the game, shows how much they care and do not want to see our club fall into turmoil. With those two in the dressing room it gives me a little sense of hope that we can improve and reach safety. 1 place off the relegation zone and our next opponent being the team directly below us in the table, if there is any time for the players to show us fans that they are passionate and care, in regards to keeping us up, then the time is now. With 8 matches left, a win and 3 points on Saturday will produce a rise in spirits, determination, desire and hope amongst fans and players, as well as boosting the team morale for our last games of the season. 8 matches left and 5 of those are home games, so us fans can help to play a majorly important role in our survival, including good team results and performances. We need to look at all teams with no fear: Chelsea, already beaten them this season; Manchester United, last game at the Boleyn; Arsenal, at their lowest recently; Manchester City, played well at the Ethihad and could have got a result. We are at our most vulnerable recently and the players would have been distracted and bemused by the chaos off the pitch during the Burnley game, so let us not give them an excuse for a pathetic performance come Saturday. The quality that we know we have in the team from the likes of Lanzini, Arnautuovic, Antonio, Hernandez we need to see.
So let’s pull together like the West Ham United we know that we are and for the 90 minutes we play in Saturday’s game, up until our last game of the season, we need to put our anger and unrest with the board to the side and turn it into passion and fight for a team win. Here is to hoping for more looking up the table and a lot less looking down the table. If we come together then the players will play together and that is what we need.
COYI
By Mia @miaboakes