The Hammers have had more to celebrate over the last four years than they have in decades, European football three years in a row and a major European trophy. So why is confidence so low across the fanbase?
An unforgettable end to a very forgettable season
David Moyes and his West Ham side were disappointing for much of last season. Uninspiring football, poor results and a relegation battle led to many fans turning on the Scotsman who had been so unanimously loved just months before.
All hope amongst Hammers fans seemed to be lost and they looked like real contenders to go down, despite having such a strong squad.
Luckily, something changed almost overnight and it felt like fans had fallen back in love with their club. This sudden turn around can be traced back to two games:
West Ham had just drawn away to Gent in the Europa Conference League and it seemed like their European dreams were coming to an end.
That weekend they faced title contenders and London rivals Arsenal. The Irons found themselves 2-0 down at halftime but thanks to goals from Said Benrahma and Jarrod Bowen they completed the comeback, which proved to be the catalyst to the Gunners' downfall.
This single-handedly changed the whole atmosphere around east London and West Ham were well and truly back. Eventually, they found themselves in the final of the Europa Conference League against Fiorentina in Prague and, in the dying moments, Bowen created history.
Any West Ham fan would have bitten your hand off for a trophy, even if it meant finishing 14th in the Premier League, but it was hard to ignore the dreadful season they had, and with what was to come, alarm bells started to ring.
A lack of excitement in the transfer window
Declan Rice’s departure was inevitable; it is something supporters had accepted long before any bids were submitted. What was not foreseen was the length of which negotiations dragged on with Arsenal as David Sullivan stood his ground and got £105 million for the club captain.
Another situation that carried on for far too long was the eventual sale of Gianluca Scamacca. He eventually got his move home to Italy as he joined Atalanta for around £30 million. Additionally, Nikola Vlasic joined another Italian side in Torino where he spent last season on loan.
The last notable departure, at the time of writing, was Manuel Lanzini, who returned to his native Argentina to sign for River Plate. While there is talks of a potential Manchester City bid for Lucas Paqueta, nothing is close as is being reported.
Aaron Cresswell, who was one of the favourites to be captain, had apparently been refusing to train in order to push through a move to Wolves, but nothing has come of this yet.
Incomings have not been as interesting so far in the East End of London. The only official signing is Ajax and Mexico midfielder Edson Alvarez, with James Ward-Prowse reported to have a medical in the coming days.
Harry Maguire is another player who looks like he could end up at the London stadium, while it's reported that the club has a strong interest in Manchester United teammate Scott McTominay.
Moyes’ future still not secure
The veteran manager has just one year remaining on his contract, and despite winning the club's first major trophy since 1980, an extension is not looking likely, as it stands.
This is largely down to the aforementioned form in the league, as well as frequent disagreements with many of the newly-appointed Tim Steidten's recruitment suggestions.
Should West Ham find themselves in a position in which they're struggling early in the season, then Moyes' time in east London could quickly be at an end.
Fans are concerned
If you was to sum up West Ham in one word right now it would be ‘uncertainty’. There are so many things that are worrying supporters at the moment. Here are just three of those concerns:
Firstly, who is going to be captain? Moyes has experimented with a couple of options so far in Tomas Soucek and Nayef Aguerd. However, there’s talks that if Maguire is to join, he has been promised captaincy.
Secondly, how are the club going to cope after losing their best player? It is no secret that losing Rice was a major loss not just on the pitch, but in the changing room. Losing a leader, as well as someone who understands what it means to be West Ham, really will have a dramatic affect behind the scenes, but no one is quite sure of the extent it will affect the team.
Finally, it does not feel like anyone knows what the expectations for the club should be in the coming season. When you go on social media and look at the transfer rumours, it seems like a 50/50 split between fans who think West Ham are set for another relegation battle, or fans who think that another European charge is brewing.
Expect the unexpected
It is anyone's guess where West Ham will finish this season, but with how this transfer window has gone, it is no wonder some fans are concerned.
The club lost their captain, who happened to be their best player, as well as their best striker and potentially their record transfer all within one window, in addition to not bringing in new faces and playing a brand of football that is far from pleasing to watch.
Despite all this, there is a side that does see the positives in this window. West Ham’s early success under Moyes essentially consisted of two key things: counter attacks and, most notably, set pieces. Signing both James Ward-Prowse – arguably the best dead ball specialist in the world – and Maguire is a match made in heaven.
If the Hammers can continue to bring in players and build upon the strong foundations this squad has, there is no reason they can’t go on to fight in the top half of the table. At the same time, though, it could easily all come crashing down if they do not recruit well in the final weeks of the window.
It’s make or break time, can the Hammers come back stronger, or will they go on to regret not taking this perfect opportunity to build something special on the back of a major European trophy?
Strongest Starting XI
Areola; Coufal, Zouma, Aguerd, Emerson; Alvarez, Soucek, Paqueta; Bowen, Benrahma, Mubama.
One player worth highlighting is Divin Mubama. The 19-year-old has been on fire in pre-season and is looking to be a real talent; his movement and positional awareness is great. He is tipped to be used a lot more this season.
Predicted Finish - 11th
