West Ham is looking to make a big splash in the Premier League this season and if their summer buys are anything to go by, then it could be a good season for the hammers.
Last season, Slaven Bilic and his side struggled. However, there were many mitigating factors. For instance, they had just moved to a new stadium and their star player Dmitri Payet didn’t want to stay at the club.
This season they should be able to make serious progress as Payet has now left the club and the fans are now used to the club’s new home. Here, we analyse whether or not the London club has what it takes to break the mould and reach the top-six.
West Ham’s form
The Hammers form in 2016/17 season left a great deal to be desired. They finished the season in mid-table mediocracy, but for a good deal of the season they looked like relegation fodder.
In fact, many die-hard fans were calling for Bilic to be sacked. Their Chairman, David Gold, also annoyed many of the fans with his ambitious statements which weren’t matched with action.
Many fans expected a world-class striker to be brought to the club before last season, but they got nothing of the sort. This season looks to be entirely different. West Ham are active in the transfer market and look like a side that have the money to back their future tilts at Europe.
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Some of the signings West Ham has made are nothing short of brilliant. They bought Joe Hart from Manchester City and the England international is sure to keep their defence water-tight.
They also smashed their club record when buying Marko Arnautovic from rivals Stoke. He is a superb player and would be an improvement to any club in the Premier League. Arnautovic has never disappointed at Stoke and will hope to bring The Hammers onto the next level.
However, their most impressive purchase has been Javier Hernandez. The former Manchester United striker virtually guarantees goals and has been brilliant for every single club he has played for. Expect him to be knocking them in London in no time.
Betting tips
The 9/1 price for them to be relegated which is currently on offer from Ladbrokes is ridiculous. They simply won’t be. West Ham now have a side that can compete with the best and if they can one or two more players, then there is no reason they can’t challenge for European places.
Hart will improve things at the back, while Austrian playmaker Arnautovic will add flayer going forward. Hernandez will knock in the goals. It’s dream combinations all-round.
Thus, we think the 12/1 that is available for West Ham to break into the top-six is an excellent bet. Even Jose Mourinho was promoting their chances in a recent interview. He said: “They have got Joe Hart, Chicharito and Arnautovic. It looks like they are playing to win the Premier League too.”
We don’t think they’ll compete for the title, but we would not be surprised to see them fall into the top-six if they can get a good start to the season. Stranger things have happened – Leicester won the Premier League.