West Ham’s season has ended up being distinctly average, but all is not lost. It provides a great base for Pellegrini to push on next season.
With only one match left in the season, West Ham are attempting to breach the 50 point mark when they travel to Watford this weekend. Even if they don’t we can point to an awful start and some abject refereeing decisions as to why we didn’t quite get there. But wither way the signs are promising.
Pellegrini has drastically changed the style of football we’re playing after only one season, bringing in players he trusts for the most part. However there are still gaps, and I think that can account for the lulls we have seen in some periods of the season. Next year I would expect the Hammers to be a lot more consistent across the competition.
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The man in charge has made it clear that his intention will always be to attack with the ball, rather than try and out last his opponents in a grind, but when we’ve been up against the big teams it has been the defence that has impressed me most. Yes Anderson, Yarmolenko and Arnautovic have grabbed headlines but Balbuena, Diop and Fabianski have been inspired. These players have won us a huge number of points given they cost us a total of just over 30m. With Fredericks finding form as well, we’re almost sorted at the back.
Declan Rice has committed his future to the club and I would expect us to hold onto him for the next coupe of years at least, but unless we progress he will rightfully be looking elsewhere. Felipe Anderson as well is a player of top quality and if we are to match his ambitions, which I think we can, Pellegrini is going to need to reinforce. Europe isn’t out of the question if we get rid of the deadwood and sign top players in 2 or 3 key positions.
Whilst 50 points may feel like a disappointment it’s a mark we’ve failed to hit more times than not in the Premier League, especially in the age when the top teams are further and further above the middle of the pack. Progress takes time, and we can continue to improve and change our expectations with this season as a good standpoint.