After 7 rounds of the start-stop EPL season, it has been utter disappointing results for West Ham United thus far. 5 losses, a win and a draw apiece see them currently lie on 18th position – a shocking and undeserving place for a team that keenly challenged for top 4 last season.
Finishing 7th, their best ever finish was seen as a good sign for this term. Rather, clear losses against Southampton, Watford, West Brom, and Astra Giurgiu in the Europa League qualifying playoffs highlight how disastrous their campaign kicked off.
What could the reasons for their woeful start to the new season be far from these?
A New Stadium, Maybe?
Leaving Upton Park have no doubt had its toll on West Ham and their fans. The supporters have no connection whatsoever with the new ground, and it could take time before the Olympic Stadium finally becomes a home. In 11 games across all competitions, Bilic’s men have only won twice – against Bournemouth and the little known NK Domzale.
If this will continue till the end of the season can’t be fully ascertained yet, but the early signs aren’t good. Upton Park was a fortress last season with only 3 losses recorded in the league – the same number of home defeats Arsenal and Tottenham conceded. And this was largely aided by a small pitch, standing cheerful fans with enough proximity to the pitch to roar and cheer their players on.
The change in atmosphere definitely hasn’t yielded positive results, and West Ham’s inability to hit the ground running could be assigned to this. Time will tell if the Olympic Stadium will become a home for the fans and players sooner than later.
Heap of injuries
West Ham now have a taste of the bitter medicine injury gives fellow Londoners Arsenal. Wenger can always point to that as an excuse for his side’s recent campaign failures. Now it is Slaven Bilic’s turn to face his injury demons.
Reliable captain and left-back, Aaron Cresswell got sidelined weeks before the season started, and the defence fell apart in his absence. West Ham have shipped in 17 goals in 7 league games, more than any other top-flight side.
Cresswell is set to return after the international break, but the team are now currently without 7 of their players. In defence, new signing Masuaku and Byram are out to a knee and hamstring injury respectively. Gokhan Tore is set to miss up to 5 weeks to a thigh strain, while long-term absentees Andy Carroll, Andrew Ayew and Diafra Sakho are set to return at the end of the month.
The Hammers have been unlucky to have as much as 5 of their first team important players lying on the treatment table while the club suffered bouts of defeats. It wouldn’t have been this bad if they were all around to help the team’s cause.
Lack of depth in squad
The injury excuse doesn’t always cut it. It’s for that reason 2 transfer windows open in 1 season. West Ham don’t have enough quality options on the bench. And even the one that exists in the defence department Reece Oxford, hasn’t been afforded a single minute of action in the league.
The team has had to rely on the unlikeliest of sources – Michail Antonio – for the goals. The winger, who played at right back last season has scored 5 of West Ham’s 8 goals thus far. Summer striking recruitments Zaza and Calleri have failed to prove any worth, and are beginning to look like bad bargains. No depth whatsoever in the squad.