Despite creating enormous expectations for last season after splashing a substantial amount of cash on Marko Arnautovic and Javier Hernandez Chicharito last summer, West Ham United have gone through a mediocre campaign failing to reach European football, as both Slaven Bilic and David Moyes failed to live up to expectations. Therefore, the Hammers have appointed Manuel Pellegrini as the new manager, hoping that he can drive the team one step forward – considering his extensive coaching experience.
Even this summer, the east London side has been quite active in the transfer market, securing the services of Felipe Anderson from Lazio, Issa Diop from Toulouse, and Andriy Yarmolenko from Borussia Dortmund, as well as Arsenal’s outcast Lucas Perez and the Colombian midfielder Carlos Sanchez. Lukasz Fabianski, Jack Wilshere and Fabian Balbuena have also arrived at the London Stadium, among others, which saw West Ham splashing a total of £93.47 million on new signings, seeking a top six finish.
The players that have left the club were Cheikhou Kouyaté, Reece Burke, Edmilson Fernandes, James Collins, and Patrice Evra, as well as João Mário, who returned to Inter Milan after an uninspiring loan spell in the Premier League last season. However, with the new manager and a few expensive signings, West Ham hope to return to be a protagonist in one of the most popular and challenging leagues in Europe.
Pellegrini’s journey in London began with a disappointing 3-2 loss back in July, after which he succeeded to raise his team’s game and achieve five wins in the next six matches, including three encouraging triumphs over Aston Villa, Ipswich Town, and Mainz. But his debut on West Ham’s bench in the Premier League went terribly wrong, as Liverpool completely outplayed the Hammers at Anfield, eventually securing an outstanding 4-0 victory.
In spite of the disturbing start to the season, the club management and the entire squad have given their confidence to the new manager, hoping they can make something out of this campaign. West Ham’s principle problem last year was defence, as they have conceded 68 goals in 28 Premier League matches that placed them as the worst defence in the league alongside Stoke City, who eventually failed to avoid relegation. In this regard, Pellegrini’s football philosophy that relies on a strong defence might come in handy to the team despite the awful start of the season.
On the other hand, with the likes of Yarmolenko, Chicharito, Arnautovic, Andy Caroll, and Felipe Anderson, West Ham should have one of the most devastating firepowers in the Premier League, if they can find the right form and cohesion within the team. These five players along with Manuel Lanzini, Wilshere, and Robert Snodgrass should help the team go through a difficult period that faces West Ham in the first seven fixtures, where they will take on Arsenal, Everton, Chelsea, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur. And for those who believe that West Ham can handle the pressure against the aforementioned English heavyweights, Premier League Betting tips has the best odds and extensive betting offers.
Betfred has 1/2 odds for an Arsenal win and BetVictor has 13/2 odds for a West Ham win. William Hill has 4/1 odds for a draw. Although the Hammers struggled to defeat any of the top 5 teams in the league last season, under the new manager and with these new signings, they might be the team to bet on this year. However, considering the number of goals they concede, and the potential they possess in attack, West Ham might be the right team to look for if searching for the left field games. In the first part of the Premier League season, the odds on three or more goals per a match are always huge, and the London side could secure a decent profit.
Still, the defence comprised of Issa Diop, Zabaleta, Ogbonna, Balbuena, Winston Reid, and Aaron Cresswell offers a little encouragement to the fans, who desperately want to see their club returning to Europe after a year of misery. Diop, the talented French centre-back who arrived from Toulouse, might be the key player to hold down the shaky defensive line alongside the experienced Angelo Ogbonna, although he has everything to prove after coming from the lesser-quality Ligue 1.
It’s still early to talk about the potential interfering in the Champions League race, but it is certain that West Ham FC has the quality and the desire to impose themselves as one of the possible wonders of the season. However, if Manuel Pellegrini manages to get the best out of his players throughout the long and exhausting campaign that follows, and establish continuity and consistency that lacked this team over the last couple of years, we may witness one of the greatest surprises in the Premier League since Leicester City’s astonishing 2015-2016 campaign.
