This yr’s West Ham United season preview makes for fascinating studying for these with a delicate spot for the East London membership
FourFourTwo’s West Ham United Season Preview
FFT’s View
The Plan
Let’s attempt that once more. Challenged to present West Ham followers one thing new, Julen Lopetegui definitely delivered as he spent big sums in making the staff older, slower and worse in each packing containers, filling the London Stadium with palpable ennui.
LAST SEASON
PREMIER LEAGUE 14th
FA CUP Third Spherical
LEAGUE CUP Third Spherical
TOP SCORER (ALL COMPS) Jarrod Bowen (14)
Graham Potter and the Hammers’ new recruitment guru Kyle Macaulay should someway refresh a squad in dire want of mobility whereas making an attempt to persuade co-owner David Sullivan to undertake a coherent switch coverage, all with out the £33m that went on the duty to make Jean-Clair Todibo’s mortgage everlasting upon staying up. For a membership that should promote to purchase, they’ve had few property remaining to money in on.
The Coach
The Graham Potter period is but to persuade, and a continuation of poor late-season type would put the 50-year-old below rapid strain. Erudite and organised, he might not have the gamers to implement his fashion at a membership who have a tendency to make use of brokers to do their scouting.
Key Participant
Jarrod Bowen is so very important (solely Mo Salah scored a better share of their staff’s targets) that the membership have made him captain, tied him to an extended contract and married him off to a distinguished West Ham household. FourFourTwo ranked him at no.26 in our record of the most effective Premier League gamers of the season for 2024-25. Life with out him is Southampton, solely with out the attacking menace.
Lesson From Final 12 months
This time final yr, loads of followers declared themselves bored of David Moyes, his top-10 finishes and European runs. So, in got here Lopetegui, just for the Spaniard’s possession-heavy fashion to anchor the Irons within the backside half, with no post-Potter kickback.
FFT’S SEASON PREVIEW
This preview initially appeared in FourFourTwo’s Season Preview situation which went on sale in July, out there right here with free supply
Supporters have watched Nottingham Forest’s counter-attacking success and Everton’s resurgence and seen that for golf equipment with out petrochemical state backing or the Champions League’s ethereal wealth, the best way to compete is the Moyes blueprint. The membership are additionally into yr 4 or 5 of needing to exchange Michail Antonio; Niclas Fullkrug’s most interesting contribution in 2024-25 was to name his team-mates “sh*t” stay on air.
The Temper
Pensive. The second half of final time period was so stultifying that many Hammers pined for the pandemic season’s enforced non-attendance. Will the board appoint an appropriate substitute if the malaise carries on? On the plus aspect, Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s first season introduced a league-high 66 interceptions, a telepathic understanding with Bowen on the appropriate flank, and the Hammer of the 12 months award.
The One To Watch
Ollie Scarles, 19. A viable choice within the Potter system, he displaced Emerson as left-wing-back.
Most Seemingly To…
Resemble a backyard slug, as a result of the Irons had about as a lot spine final season. Other than Ipswich and Southampton, they had been the one aspect to not file a come-from-behind win. April’s operatic tragedy at Brighton – 2-1 up with two minutes to go, solely to lose 3-2 – was much more indicative of a worrying lack of backbone.
Least Seemingly To…
Return to East London: Evan Ferguson, whose mortgage spell made Simone Zaza seem like Geoff Hurst – 152 minutes, no targets or assists.
FFT Verdict
15TH West Ham can’t go on like this, however Potter’s adaptability ought to allow them to tread water somewhat longer.
The Quantity Cruncher
The Fan View
We requested James Longman what’s to come back on the London Stadium this season. This is what he mentioned…
Final season was one other chapter in our apathy period.
I gained’t be pleased until we see some sort of progress from the West Ham groundhog day.
Our key participant will probably be Jarrod Bowen, predictably – our solely chink of sunshine.
Our most underrated participant is Tomas Soucek. He works exhausting, he baggage winners and he loves potato salad.
The opposition participant who grinds my gears is James Maddison, as a result of he performs for Spurs and has a Spurs sort of face.
The one change I’d make could be for the outdated distributors within the walk-up to Upton Park to return with their West Ham badges, scarves, knock-off merchandise, inflatable hammers, the odor of scorching canine and burger stalls… all a part of my West Ham.
A social media account to observe is KUMB.com and my outdated pal, membership announcer @cjscull.
I’m most trying ahead to visiting Sunderland – I used to go to uni there. I’m wondering in case you can nonetheless get a 16in pizza for £2…
I’m least trying ahead to enjoying Metropolis – they only stroll by way of us, even after they’re garbage.
The pantomime villain will probably be Mikel Arteta and his David Brent vibes.
Followers suppose our gaffer is below strain. Potter has inherited an ageing, disjointed mess and he wants time, however soccer and followers are unforgiving.
If he left, he needs to be changed by our keepy-uppy Guinness World File holder mascot, Hammerhead.
We’ll end tenth.
This preview initially appeared in FourFourTwo’s Season Preview situation which went on sale in July, out there right here with free supply
