As West Ham United begin their preseason today at Rush Green, the excitement level comes back as we wonder what to expect from this upcoming campaign. Where will we get better? Who will feature? How far have we come since last preseason?
As the title states, the “feels” are back. But what can we expect from this 2019/20 team? If the end of the season says anything, it should be that West Ham will be coming back ready to play. I will expect that the excitement level will be high for players as well as they get back onto the pitch and grow.
West Ham fans will be expecting the defense to bond now that its year two in Pellegrini’s system and I believe it will shed its inconsistencies and grow. Another key area will be the solidification of the midfield. Whether it’s a 4-4-2 or a 4-1-4-1, those 4 in the middle will play a key role once again this season.
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With Anderson getting a full season under his belt and the likes of Lanzini, Wilshere, and Yarmolenko coming back healthy, not to mention U21’s Euro’s Champion Fornals, look out for the middle field to be right up there with the best in the EPL.
As far as who West Ham fans should expect to see feature more this year, look no further than Lanzini. I know that’s an easy one but a fully fit Lanzini playing in an attacking role with support, that’s something we all dream about.
A few more potential shockers to feature well and often are Cresswell and Fredericks. The two outside defenders both shared their roles this past season but I predict that we will see those two showcase a lot more this season as hopefully, their health will increase.
Finally, I wanted to take a look back at last preseason. It was a mesh of the unknown and excitement as we were stacking up the transfers but with new management at the helm. From preseason on, Pellegrini was able to get the most from players and slowly mold a few stowaways like Masuaku, Antonio, and Snodgrass.
Robert Snodgrass was arguably the surprise of the season as he was left dead in the water with Bilic and the board at the sticks. Pellegrini revitalized “McMessi” and it only makes me wonder, who will that be next?