Figure 1 An immediate return to the Premier League is a must for West Ham – Source: Pixabay
West Ham had become something of a Premier League staple in recent years. With fourteen unbroken seasons of top-flight football, it was the longest period of time the club had played at the pinnacle of English football since the 1970s. With European silverware won as well, it could be argued that modern fans had never had it so good.
The truth is, however, that for long stretches of time, being part of the Premier League was not enjoyable. There were a few seasons where we finished higher in the table, even qualifying of Europe on a number of occasions, but grueling battles against relegation were a more common experience.
But playing in the Championship can bring its own kind of pain. As a newly-relegated club, West Ham can expect to be one of the favorites with the best online sports betting sites to immediately bounce back up again. But this can be an unforgiving division, so promotion must be achieved this season. It is not an exaggeration to claim that the immediate future of the club depends on going straight back up. But can the Hammers succeed?
History Not On Our Side
Although there is a history of teams promoted to the Premier League being relegated straight away, the journey back to the top tier for newly-relegated sides is not as common. Only around a quarter of the teams who have dropped down have been able to return at the first instance, meaning that West Ham has a tough task on its hands this season.
That being said, the last time the club found itself in the same position, promotion was earned the very next season. That year the Hammers won the playoff final against Blackpool to bounce back. Times have changed since then, of course, but the hope will be that West Ham can put itself in a similar position at the end of this season.
Summer Transfers
One of the reasons for a lack of belief in the club’s ability to win promotion this season is that the squad has been overhauled during the summer. After such a long time in the top flight, there were a lot of established players who would expect to be playing for a top-tier team. The fact that some players left to play in apparently weaker leagues should be a concern for the fans.
After some good performances at the World Cup, it was no surprise that Crysencio Summerville left. It was a little surprising that he decided to go to Saudi Arabia, but as with Mateus Fernandes, he deserved to be playing at a higher level. Bringing in players from Celtic and Brighton shows that West Ham is still an attractive place for some, but the best piece of business – by far – is keeping Jarrod Bowen at the club. If he had left, there would be a much somber mood around the place.
Start to Season
There is always a lot said before a new season kicks off, but the real test is when the first games are played. It is fair to say that the reaction to West Ham’s opening fixtures has been mixed. They did not bring the run of victories that had been hoped for, but one defeat in the first four has to be considered a good start.
The caliber of opposition must be taken into account when it comes to evaluating the opening games of a season, and Burnley, Charlton, Watford, and Wolves will all be clubs expecting to do well this season. There will be easier games ahead, but West Ham needs to keep focused if it is to do well this season.
The Perils of the Championship
It is not just the loss of important players that is a blow to any team relegated from the Premier League. The attractiveness of the club to new players is obviously diminished, and there is more of a job in filling the stadium each week. But the main problem with relegation is that the Championship is a nightmare league to play in.
The sheer number of extra games to be played is the first factor to deal with, stepping up to 46 league games a season, and that’s before we add the various cup competitions. With a season that long, any club hoping to be promoted needs to have two, or even three, good winning streaks, while at the same time ensuring that it doesn’t lose sight of the teams at the top.
Challengers
West Ham might have been an established Premier League side for over a decade, but there are a lot of other clubs in the Championship with money to spend on players and expecting to be promoted. The Hammers have already played a few of them this season, but there are other high-profile teams to deal with.
The most obvious is Wrexham, and its Hollywood owners being able to outspend its rivals in the Championship. Birmingham can also be added to that category of club. There seems to be more former Premier League clubs than ever before in the second tier these days, ensuring that there are very few easier-looking games for the Hammers to enjoy.
Figure 2 If West Ham isn’t doing well, it might be difficult to fill this place – Source: Unsplash
Promotion Should Be Only Target
The fact that there are so many clubs who have fairly recent experience of the Premier League in the Championship should act as a stark warning to West Ham about the importance of winning promotion this season. This is not a division we want to be stuck in for a while.
The Championship is one of the most difficult leagues to deal with, thanks to the number of clubs with money, the number of games that have to be played, and the pressure to escape for the riches of the Premier League. West Ham has every chance of going straight back up this season, but the need to achieve that cannot be overstated.
