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5 Things West Ham Fans Want in 2017

By Jonathan Forwood

Dec 10, 2016; Toronto, Canada; A game ball rests on the field prior to a corner kick by Seattle Sounders forward Andreas Ivanschitz (not pictured) against Toronto FC in the 2016 MLS Cup at BMO Field. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 10, 2016; Toronto, Canada; A game ball rests on the field prior to a corner kick by Seattle Sounders forward Andreas Ivanschitz (not pictured) against Toronto FC in the 2016 MLS Cup at BMO Field. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /
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It has been a rough start to the season for West Ham fans.

There have been teething problems with the new stadium, we’ve seen West Ham unceremoniously dumped out of the Europa League (regardless of your thoughts on how useful the competition is, that hurt) and we’ve struggled against teams in the bottom half, never mind at the top!

However, it’s a new year that is full of potential and possibilities! So what do we want to see in the next 12 months?

  1. Dimitri Payet to Stay

Payet has not been at his best since the Euros. Possibly due to fatigue or disappointment at the summer signings brought in to back him up. However, he is still our best player, and when he has turned on the skill this year it has shone through. His goal against Middlesbrough was a different class, and he has played more through balls and successful crosses into the box than any other player in the league.

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Naturally there are plenty of ‘bigger’ clubs sniffing around, but if we show a real intent to push on from the 3 wins over Christmas then we could convince him to remain in East London. This would be a major win for all Hammers.

  1. Not to get relegated!

After last season hopes were sky high and Hammers fans were confidently talking of a sustained challenge on the European places. However, after a disappointing first half of the season we are now nervously looking over our shoulders rather than putting pressure on teams above us.

There are worse teams in the division than us, but the same was true in 2003 and that didn’t help us then. West Ham are the masters of their own fate but we need an improvement on current performances otherwise the relegation zone will suck us back in. Going down with a new stadium would be a disaster.

  1. A Consistent Striker

I don’t think this is an unreasonable request. So far this season we have had to put up with the awful Calleri, the ineffective Zaza and the inexperienced Ashley Fletcher. The return of Andre Ayew and Andy Carroll from injury is a welcome bonus and hopefully those two can fill in the gap between them, but there are always going to be concerns about relying on Carroll considering his injury record.

This position does not necessarily require a big money signing to fill the void, but we should buy an older striker looking to play when needed rather than every week, preferably with Premier League experience! Cough, Jermain Defoe, Cough.

Must Read: January Targets for West Ham

  1. A Decent Cup Run

Naturally this depends on your definition of ‘decent’, and it’s not going to be easy considering our draw for the third round (Man City at home). However, there is every chance that City will be more focussed on the league than the cup, considering the demands of their owners and their preference for the Champions League.

If West Ham can get past Man City then we could make it to the quarter-finals, or even have a semi-final day out at Wembley, and that would go some way to helping us forget the issues of the start of this season.

Next: January Recruitment Necessary

  1. A Big Money Signing

This is more of a long term wish, as dipping into the January transfer window can be fraught with dangers of overspending and under-delivering! However, in the summer we should look to make a statement signing and buy a big name. This would help persuade Payet to stay and, hopefully, would boost our squad going into the next season.

There are plenty of positions where our squad could benefit from the introduction of another world class player, such as a centre back to sit alongside Reid, or a winger to take the creative burden off of Payet. If we do bring in an older striker as a stop gap then we should definitely look to splash the cash on a top class striker who can finish off the myriad of chances created by Dimi.

What would you like to see from West Ham in 2017? Let us know in the comments section below.