Bowen : Turning the page on a season of disappointment | West Ham News

Every one of the fifty-thousand plus West Ham season ticket holders will have bought their ticket with the fervent hope that they will witness a promotion-winning season unfolding before their eyes.

After the distress and dismay of the slow, painful descent into the Championship, watching the Hammers carry all before them seems a mouth watering prospect, even if somewhat unrealistic given the state of the ‘rebuild’.

The Championship is the most competitive, unforgiving league in the world and a 46 game season provides a hectic schedule which requires a bigger squad than Nuno posses at the moment. Hence the proliferation of young talent in the squad expected this afternoon.

Skipper Jarrod Bowen has used today’s match day programme to sound an upbeat note of optimism after the disappointments of relegation – and his hopes for the season ahead:

“We’re back home, and I’ve got a feeling the sense of disappointment that we had on the last home game of last season ultimately is gone because what we have to look forward to now is this season and making this season a special one – and that starts today.

“We want to go out there and win the game and give us confidence going into the first game of the EFL Championship season.” (whufc.com).

Whilst the first round of the Carabao Cup is hardly crucial in the context of the season – and a long cup run could actually be a distraction – setting the team’s Championship season up with a win against league opponents Portsmouth today would be a huge shot in the arm for the club, supporters and for the players themselves.

A win is a win – in any competition – and hopefully the Hammers’ quality will carry enough weight to get them over the line come 5pm this afternoon and set the tempo for the year.