Rita Guarino believes West Ham United Women are ready to begin a new chapter after a dramatic ten-signing summer transformed her squad ahead of Sunday’s WSL opener against Tottenham Hotspur.
The Hammers begin their campaign at the BetWright Stadium at 12pm, with Guarino heading into her first full season in charge after overseeing a major summer rebuild.
World Cup winner Saki Kumagai became the tenth permanent addition on Friday, completing one of the busiest transfer windows in the division.
Guarino has now addressed the start of the campaign, West Ham’s new arrivals and the challenge awaiting her side against Spurs in her latest pre-match comments published by the club.
Rita Guarino finally has her West Ham squad
This is a very different group to the one Guarino inherited midway through last season.
West Ham finished tenth after recovering from a disastrous first half of the campaign, with Guarino helping them collect 14 points from their final 11 WSL matches.
That improvement was achieved before she had an entire summer to shape the squad around her own ideas.
The Hammers have since overhauled the group.
We previously looked at how West Ham’s first nine summer additions transformed Guarino’s options, with Laia Codina, Katie Zelem, Kelly Gago and Ebony Salmon among the headline arrivals.
Kumagai has now taken the total to ten.
Her arrival provides experience at the highest level, with the Japan international having won the World Cup and five Women’s Champions League titles during her career.
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It is West Ham Women’s official announcement of the tenth summer signing, making it directly relevant to the rebuild angle.
Tottenham provide immediate test
West Ham will not be eased gently into the new campaign.
Sunday’s trip to Tottenham is a London derby and the first opportunity to judge how quickly Guarino’s rebuilt squad has come together.
Spurs have themselves identified Codina, Inès Belloumou and another of West Ham’s key players among the threats they must watch this weekend.
There is also the added subplot of former West Ham striker Shekiera Martinez.
We have already explained why Martinez’s summer move gives the Tottenham opener an immediate edge.
West Ham completed their pre-season programme with a goalless draw against Aston Villa, while Tottenham finished theirs with a convincing victory over Bristol City.
This therefore represents an immediate examination of whether West Ham’s ambitious recruitment drive has actually raised the level.
Expectations have changed at West Ham
Last season was ultimately about survival and stabilisation.
This season should be different.
Guarino now has greater competition throughout the squad and considerably more experience to call upon.
That does not mean West Ham should suddenly be expected to challenge the WSL’s biggest clubs.
But ten permanent signings make standing still difficult to accept.
Sunday provides the first opportunity for Guarino’s rebuilt West Ham side to show that the huge amount of summer change can translate into progress on the pitch.
