West Ham United Women have transformed Rita Guarino’s squad this summer, but one major prediction still expects the Hammers to go backwards in the Women’s Super League.
West Ham finished tenth last season after Guarino helped stabilise a side that had been in serious trouble midway through the campaign.
Ten permanent additions have since arrived, culminating in the signing of World Cup winner Saki Kumagai.
Despite that extensive rebuild, The Guardian’s WSL season preview has West Ham finishing 11th in the average prediction submitted by its writers.
That would represent a backwards step.
It would also place considerable pressure on Guarino’s recruitment drive to prove those expectations wrong.
West Ham Women have changed dramatically
West Ham’s squad looks very different to the one which finished last season.
Guarino has been backed with a major overhaul after 14 players departed during the summer.
ReadWestHam previously analysed how the first nine permanent additions changed the squad, with Laia Codina, Katie Zelem, Kelly Gago and Ebony Salmon among the headline arrivals.
Kumagai has now become the tenth.
The Japan international brings extraordinary experience, having won the World Cup and five Women’s Champions League titles during her career.
On paper, this should be a stronger West Ham team.
The Guardian itself describes the transfer window as hugely productive and believes Guarino has an opportunity to make a statement in the WSL.
That makes the 11th-place prediction particularly interesting.
