Things are getting outrageously exciting for West Ham fans as the club sets about building a frontline capable of driving the Hammers to the upper echelons of the table. Andy Carroll is a magnificent centre forward but his injury record means you cannot rely on him to deliver all season, so reinforcements were clearly needed. And what reinforcements the club has secured. Javier Hernandez is one of the deadliest strikers the Premiership has ever seen, while Marko Arnautovic is extremely talented, and it is pleasing to see players with differing styles being recruited, giving the Hammers plenty of options.
Chicharito is a poacher, plain and simple. He only started 49 league games for Man Utd, making 54 substitute appearances, but he banged in 37 goals and many of them were crucial ones, particularly as they won the title in 2010-11 and 2012-13. He also scored 10 Champions League goals and 12 in the cups, and always delivered for Real Madrid on his rare opportunities, and then has notched 28 in 45 games for Bayer Leverkusen, while he has become Mexico’s all-time leading goal scorer, with 48 goals in 96 games. He does not do much else, but he will guarantee goals. As any team that has ever benefited from the presence of Jermain Defoe up front – West Ham included – can attest, goals win you points and it does not matter too much if the hold-up play is exemplary.
That can be left to Arnautovic, a strong wide man equally comfortable playing down the centre, with a great first touch, marvellous technique and the ability to bring teammates into the game. He becomes the Hammers’ record signing and will be under pressure to deliver, but his quality is there for all to see. He scored some spectacular goals for Stoke and over the last couple of years established himself as an extremely talented forward. The big money move should give him a new lease of life after he grew disillusioned at the Bet365 stadium.
Arnautovic can form a fantastic partnership with Hernandez, who has thrived when trusted with an extended run in the first team and can terrorise Premiership defences next season. Arnautovic’s eye for a pall and Chicharito’s cunning movement should lead to plenty of chances. And if Carroll is fit, all the better. He would bring another dimension to the attack: strength, power, aerial ability and a penchant for the spectacular. As an attacking triumvirate, Chicharito, Carroll and Arnautovic could be up there with the best in the Premiership. It is certainly strong enough to challenge for a place in the top eight, which has to be West Ham’s ambition this coming season.
It is amazing to think you can get 13/8 on West Ham to finish in the top half of the table. They finished 11th last season, but they were only behind West Brom on goal difference, and just one point behind eighth placed Southampton. Those clubs are yet to kick on this summer, with Southampton set to lose their captain, while West Ham are definitely improving. They will now had had a year to settle into their new stadium and should not have to be distracted by something as distasteful as last year’s Dimitri Payet saga, so finishing in the top 10 should be the bare minimum. A bookmaker like 5Dimes will have strong odds, as this review shows, and you could do well to take advantage of them. You can more than double your money betting on West Ham to finish in the top 10 and that is a fantastic opportunity.
They really can challenge for the top eight. The top six of the last campaign are likely to hold onto those places, while Everton are extremely ambitious and spending money like it is going out of fashion. But the Hammers can challenge them and Southampton and the rest for those remaining top eight places. Leicester will come back, but it is hard to see the likes of Stoke, West Brom, Bournemouth, Newcastle, Crystal Palace, Swansea, Watford, Burnley or any of the promoted clubs finishing above West Ham, so they really should at least be finishing in the top half of the table.
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