When West Ham fans heard the news that we were going to feature in Europe through the Fair Play League we were all confident that this was going to be our season for success. With the signings during the summer and the new manager being brought in as a favourite, things were looking good for the campaign or have we slightly got ahead of ourselves?
Hammers supporters were right to want a change at Upton Park, with Sam Allardyce’s style of play and faith in player’s the fans were not happy seeing play week in week out, the club were never going to make the next step up in the league given the new European adventure and new stadium approaching. But with the sudden changes to personnel from backroom staff, players and of course Slaven Bilic, West Ham need time to mould, blend and adapt to a whole new era of managerial styles and the way new signings fit into the squad.
I have no doubt we will be ready for Europe given more time, but for now, the European stage has shown us that from seeing the last 3 ties against, with no disrespect, teams that are hardly a match for a 12th place Premier League squad, we were made to look average at times, sometimes fortunate to make it this far. The competition has taken a huge chunk out of our pre-season preparation which we have to take this into consideration; it was always going to be a hindrance to players being ready for the start of the season.
I watched Bilic orchestrate his team from the sidelines and I don’t question his authority and ability to conduct a starting 11, what I do question is whether the players are responding to his tactics and formation. This for the time being has to be a case of the players from the Allardyce age being so used to a style they have played for 4 seasons to a whole new experience of football culture that I can see the Croatian implementing into the team. Bilic’s slow-tempo pace and possession football didn’t make me want to stand up and want to see more, and that worries me given the speed of the Premier League.
Although I couldn’t help but feeling that we miss that extra presence of a player that will take the game to the opposition, put in a tackle to make the crowd come to life or shout orders across the pitch when things are not quite going to plan. Bilic’s slow-tempo possession football didn’t make me want to stand up and want more and that worries me given the speed of the Premier League. If the manager is going to carry on playing this way, a target man striker is surely someone he would be interested in to have the ball stick up front and invite our creative players to join in.
I hope I’m proved wrong and that the league is the manager’s priority with some exciting new players we can really cement a name for ourselves in this year’s campaign, and therefore the Europa League is a competition that can wait for us and in time we can build a squad good enough to equip itself with the European philosophy of football along with the grit and determination needed to succeed in the Premier League. The club, unfortunately, will suffer this season if we are to continue with games coming thick and fast throughout a long slug of a season.
