West Ham fans have often been labelled as some of the harshest critics, particularly following any defeats the club suffers. Recently, however, a lot of noise has been made about the good fortunes for West Ham this season being down to the supporters not being able to attend the match days due to Covid, especially the home games at the London stadium.
With 16 wins for David Moyes side in all competitions this season, 9 of which came at the London Stadium, the question is asked if these results would of been the same with 60,000 passionate fans inside the stadium.
In the 1-0 wins at home to Fulham and Burnley for example, would the supporter’s anxiety go through to the players? Would the 2-0 home loss to Newcastle at the start of the season have had a worse impact on the team if fans were there to witness it?
West Ham would not be where they are now if fans were in the stadium.
Regular voices of Talksport have been quick to criticize the Hammers supporters anger towards David Gold and David Sullivan. However, the West Ham faithful are very passionate about the club and since the move from Upton Park have tried hard to adapt to football at the new stadium.
The early problems at the stadium including rival supporters being among the home supporters, the distance from the pitch, the stewarding, getting in and out of the ground and overall lack of West Ham United feeling at the new home was always going to disgruntle a large group of supporters.
The scenes in the Burnley home defeat a few years back were of sheer frustration but not with the team on the pitch but those at the top of the club. Many were vocal again at that time saying there was next to no chance of West Ham staying up after that incident, but the club went on to survive and pushed up the table. So are the Hammers fans really to blame?
The sensational last season at The Boleyn Ground
It is hugely important to mention that it is not all doom and gloom with the Hammers fans. Most certainly pessimistic for the most part but when the club haven’t won major silverware in over 30 years, it’s hard to blame them for this. Are they really that hard to please?
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The West Ham Way is a phrase that’s been used many times. And my take on this is that it’s a team that is physical and not shy in a tackle that has a sprinkle of flair players within the side to create that little bit of magic. Years gone by the likes of Di Canio and Payet getting the fans off the seats.
But it seems David Moyes has really brought this back in abundance with a team that works hard, look super fit, has balance across the side and also with the creative talents like Lingard and Benrahma, is the West Ham Way on its way back?
A strong case can be made that the fans would be very much behind David Moyes and the team just as they were in the emotional final season at The Boleyn Ground. The fans should not be criticized for the clubs success this season purely because of feelings towards the owners, they have always been very much behind the team.
Frustration and passion can certainly take over and any true supporter will always feel disappointed in defeat and jubilant in victory and the West Ham fans are no different.
It will always be an unanswered question as to where the Hammers would be right now had the pandemic not have came when it did. Would the club even still be in the Premier League? Would they be better or worse off this season?