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The delight of a last gasp Play-Off Final victory lasted for around a week for Hammers fans, until the realisation of what was to come sunk in. The required work in the transfer market, the improvement of certain individuals and the relationship between manager and fans had to be the aims ahead for everyone related to the club this summer.
A squad that at times showed a real lack of qualityand desire in the Championship, not being helped by expectation levels at UptonPark every week clearly wouldn’t be strong enough to survive. As we all know,West Ham will never do things the easy way and as much as the board and players may tell you otherwise, the supporters rather enjoyed their tour of the Football League, picking up some very rare away wins and having a manager that actuallyknew what he was doing, but a different attitude will be needed this season.
The summer so far
Joint chairmen David Gold and David Sullivan have backed boss Sam Allardyce this summer, as they have in the previous two transfer windows, without going over-board on wages and big money deals. Constant speculation seems to follow the Hammers around with plenty of ‘Big Sam’ type players being linked with the club. A fairly low-key transfer saga broke about Andy Carroll earlier this month, but with a deal dead, more realistic targets are always being bounded about. Cheap arrivals such as Jussi Jaaskelainen and Mohamed Diame have brought out the shrewd side of the Hammers’ exaggerated big money mentality and French European Championships midfielder Alou Diarra has added to an extremely talented midfield.
Mali striker Modibo Maiga also joined from French club Sochaux for around £4.7million, but the centre forward position is still up for grabs. The latest signing, James Collins from Aston Villa returns to Upton Park for a second stint and I would say the fans are pleased with the business done so far this summer, even if they feel more is needed.
On the pitch it has been a woeful pre-season. Defeats to the likes of Oxford and Ipswich with full strength teams fielded, disappointing tours of Germany and Portugal haven’t really given the fans or players much confidence but as they say, you can’t read too much into pre season results.
Transfers out
Pablo Barrera (Cruz Azul) Undisclosed
Ravel Morrison (Birmingham City) Loan
Frank Nouble (released)
Freddie Sears (Colchester) Free
Rob Green (QPR) Free
Abdoulaye Faye (released)
Papa Bouba Diop (released)
Julien Faubert (released)
Marek Stech (released)
In
James Collins (Aston Villa) £2million
Mohamed Diame (Wigan Athletic) Free
Alou Diarra (Olympique Marseille) £3million
Stephen Henderson (Portsmouth) Undisclosed
Jussi Jaaskelainen (Bolton Wanderers) Free
George McCartney (Sunderland) Free
Modibo Maiga (FC Sochaux-Montbeliard) £4.5million
Raphael Spiegel (Grasshopper Club Zurich) Undisclosed
What can we expect?
Any promoted clubs main aim should always be to stay up and West Ham are no different. However, there is a real feeling of long term ambition running through the club at the moment, with the Olympic Stadium, decent transfer budgets and a spirit in the camp that was missing when Avram Grant sent us down.
Allardyce has his critics, but he has to, and will be given time to achieve something special at the club as he did with Bolton Wanderers all those years ago. In a strange way, West Ham could be a lot more exciting going forward this season compared to last as not many teams will see West Ham as their ‘cup final’, as they did in the Championship and so wont just stick 10 men behind the ball and play for the draw.
Fair enough, at times West Ham simply weren’t good enough to break teams down, but with a bit more creativity, who knows this time out. I fully expect West Ham to be fighting relegation, but there are certainly three squads in the league with less quality than the Hammers and so although it may be nail-biting, you can expect some better quality football than the media will have you believe and a few shock results along the way.
One to watch
Future England captain James Tomkins was a rock last season for West Ham and really came out of his shell to lead the team from the back. After a disrupted pre season after deservedly earning a Team GB call up, Tomkins will be thrown straight in against Aston Villa on Saturday to mark Darren Bent out of the game.
Last seasons Player of the Year at Upton Park, as well as featuring in the Championship Team of the Season, Tomkins showed his class and glimpses of a young Rio Ferdinand when he broke through in East London were evident. A stylish, yet tough centre back who is brilliant in the air will give any striker in this league a tough game. Some fans would argue that Ricardo Vaz Te or Mark Noble would be West Ham’s one to watch, but after dismissing a move to Newcastle in January to stay at his beloved club, the sky is the limit for James Tomkins and he will earn many admirers during this campaign.
Breakthrough year for…
Being a newly promoted club, it isn’t ideal to throw youngsters straight into the side and West Ham don’t currently posses another Frank Lampard, Joe Cole, Michael Carrick who are thought of as being the next big thing, so this was a tough one.
One youngster who may get a chance however, is pacey winger Rob Hall. A few successful loan spells last year resulted in him being in and around the squad at the end of last season and during the summer. Not many people outside of the club will know much about him, but his trickery and direct approach are a breath of fresh air in Big Sam’s team. It may take another loan spell to keep his first team fitness up, but everyone is expecting big things of Hall in the near future. Surely not another Freddie Sears.
Predictions
Like I said I fully expect West Ham to be in the relegation mix, but am confident they have enough to avoid the bottom three. Experience will be key and that is something the Hammers are not short of, on and off the pitch that stands them in good stead compared to the likes of Reading, Southampton and Norwich.
I also expect the likes of Swansea and Wigan to be in and around the bottom six, so games between the sides in this mini-league could prove decisive. Defensively, West Ham need to improve, but I feel they will. Scoring goals is going to be the hard part. Depending on how unknown quantity Maiga gets on, the Hammers have very little in reserve with Carlton Cole simply not good enough and Nicky Maynard unable to play in Big Sam’s 4-5-1 system.
Prediction: One or two more signings before September and although it will still be tough, I think West Ham will stay up. 16th
Odds
via SkyBet
West Ham to finish in the top half – 11/2
Premier League top goalscorer – Modibo Maiga – 66/1
The Hammers to finish bottom – 7/1
West Ham to be the top London club this season come May – 400/1
A solid season is all we ask for, just survival. For all West Ham news and views, follow me on Twitter: @Brad_Pinard
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