West Ham have lost ground in the race for European football after Manuel Pellegrini’s men fell short at Cardiff City, and fans on the KUMB forum have been sharing their thoughts.
Going into the weekend’s round of Premier League fixtures, the Hammers sat in ninth place, four points behind Wolves and Watford.
We could not make the most out of Watford’s trip to the Etihad, however, when the Hornet’s became the latest victim of Manchester City in a far more unconvincing, yet controversial, way to how we did at the end of February.
Had we won at Cardiff earlier in the day, we would now be just a point behind Javi Gracia’s side and two behind Wolves, who held Chelsea to a draw on Sunday.
Instead, we now find ourselves five points behind the Molineux outfit, and have Leicester City snapping at our heels.
With Watford and Wolves both no longer scheduled to play at the weekend due to the FA Cup, our home clash with relegation strugglers Huddersfield has become a must win to put pressure on the sides ahead of us in the race for seventh.
We would still have to rely on a top-six side winning the FA Cup to earn a Europa League qualifying round spot, which could be a blessing in disguise a huge dissapointment depending on which way you look at it.
Given our current situation in the race for seventh place, here’s where the debate currently sits on the KUMB forum…
“We didn’t seem to be in much of a battle for anything this weekend… again. It just happens that as soon as we look comfortable the team loses motivation. I would say we especially seem to lack desire in tricky away fixtures [that fans might consider fairly easy three points on paper], but we’ve been sloppy and sleepy at home too.” – Crossd_Hammrs (March 11, 09:00)
“I suppose when the core of the squad is made up of players from past regimes, who’s main objective is/was survival, then once that target is met they subconsciously start to ease off a bit, because their job is done, he has quite a job on his hands to shift that pre-programmed mentality. It’s why Pellegrini is trying to change the mindset of the whole club, and he’s right to do so, but ultimately if we want to progress, the manager needs to be backed for as many transfer windows as it takes, to bring in the type of players with the mentality, that he is demanding.” – S-H (March 11, 09:15)
“Wolves and Watford deserve seventh far more than West Ham. We’ve barely threatened to get our act together.” – Georgee Paris (March 11, 09:41)
“That’s my thinking too, however for as ‘good’ as they’ve been we are only 4 points behind Watford and 5 behind Wolves. People would say that those two clubs have had a good season, yet we’ve had an average/poor season. I suppose it comes down to supporters expectations.” – S-H (March 11, 09:46)
“We’ve Donald ducked it. 3 points vs Cardiff and we’d have been right there breathing down Wolves necks ahead of Watford. We’ll do well to finish top 10, it’s just the way West Ham are. Our mentality to finish in europe isn’t there – target is survival and now that’s assured the players are half on holiday or thinking about their summer moves rather than if they can get the club into the Europa League.” – Sendo (March 11, 10:47)
“When you think about it, it’s quite a tragic ‘ambition’ to finish ‘7th’. Granted it could get us into Europe via the back door, but it’s only at the expense of another Team doing so well above us. Not that I wouldn’t want us to make the most of the chance to try and win in a new competition. The real ambition in my eyes though is to actually try to win a Trophy. Hopefully that starts properly next season. I want to see us evolve into a serious Cup Team that isn’t just making up the numbers.” – Colours never run (March 11, 11:03)
“We cant possibly have aspirations for finishing 7th nor challenging for cups when we are comprehensively beaten against the Burnley’s and the Cardiff’s of this league. Probably next year we will see (assuming we get the players pel wants) if it is down to the manager’s tactics or lack of players’ application.” – Hammer on (March 11, 12:20)
“I dunno, the highs are beating Man U at home, that’s about it. Everton away was pretty decent, but the aways at Wolves Cardiff and Wimbledon, the homes against Wolves and Bournemouth were atrocious and Shirley the double against Brighton was almost a new low. Haven’t even touched on the away at the Bin Dippers and the home to Citeh didn’t help much but in general they were probably “expected”, so it’s a well below “expectations” for me. I am not sure that I can say: I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, for me it’s just another train coming.” – Cuenca ‘ammer (March 11, 13:35)