I’ve just watched us lose 4-1 to Man Utd in possibly the worst performance of the season so far. As we enter a new month, I can’t help but feel disillusioned with the club I have supported my whole life. Where does the blame lie? With the board? The manager? The players? Or god forbid, the stadium?
You take each of the players we signed in the summer and upon individual analysis (before the start of the season). We had purchased firepower from a Champions League finalist and full Italian international. A winger from one of the top teams in Spain apart from Barcelona and Real Madrid. Youth prospects in the shape of Fernandes and Fletcher. A backup left back who, although unknown, had played for a Champions League team. To add to that, we also got a CDM who has played in the Champions League and also scored the most amount of goals outside the box in the top flight German league last year. We brought on loan a pacy, tricky winger that plays “unbelievable” under Bilic and also a striker that even Barcelona were after.
Before the first game against Chelsea, we were relevantly content if not very happy about our summer transfer business. Granted we did not sign a £20m+ striker, but we all thought those new signings would benefit the team.
I believe that the signings we made have not impacted any result we have achieved this year. The reasoning for that, well I simply cannot tell you. None of the players, except Fletcher and Fernandes, have looked hungry enough, or even good enough to start for West Ham since joining the club. Half of them look content on earning their money and not really caring or showing the passion that is required to wear the claret and blue.
Slaven Bilic is a very good manager. Every West Ham fan knows this and most football fans will agree with this too. Technically he can motivate players with fantastic man management while also having the technical ability to understand opponents and play them at their own game (Just look at our performances against Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea to name a few). Would sacking him be the right option? Absolutely not. There is currently no manager available that could improve the team in my opinion. The players, board and fans must get behind Bilic.
So where does the blame lie? The players have to look at themselves. Apart from Obiang and Reid we have been very average and predictable to play this season. We commit way too many needless defensive errors while being slow and predictable in our build up play. Even Payet has been a shadow of his former self (Despite racking up the most amount of chances created in the league).
Do I have the answers to turn our season around? Absolutely not. I still believe we won’t go down and I believe that we will start coming good sooner rather than later. But it has to be up to the players to do that. They need to stop take the blame and act upon it. The summer signings need to step up a gear, and the team from last year need to work harder to become a team opponents feared to face. Momentum in sport is a great thing, and one big performance against Arsenal could go a long way. You get the fans going, playing good football and not making mistakes and we will start returning to playing how well we know we can play.
I’m never given up being a West Ham fan and I know every single one of us will still rally behind the team. Saturday could be a massive turning point in this season. I know for one I’ll be singing Bubbles as loud as I can and supporting the boys at the London Stadium.
You take the rough with the good as a West Ham fan. They’ll put you through nearly every emotion you could possibly feel in 90 minutes.
Get behind the boys on Saturday, and let’s turn our season around. COYI
Written by Jack Keeling – lifelong Hammer.
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