West Ham United is a club on a mission. The Hammers finished the 2022/23 season in 14th position, only six points off the relegation zone. This poor showing, compared with the previous two seasons, sparked rumours that manager David Moyes’ job was under threat.
West Ham reached the UEFA Europa League Semi-Finals in 2021/22 and then won the UEFA Europa Conference League the following season. With this in mind, Moyes would have had every reason to feel offended by these rumours. Instead, he picked himself and his players up and readied the club for a renewed top-half league assault in 2023/24.
From how The Hammers have started the current season, it is clear that this is a club on a mission.
Transfers and Squad
The loss of Declan Rice to Arsenal would mean some changes. As such, Moyes busied himself in preparation for a sustained top-10 Premier League challenge during the off-season. He set about spending some funds from Rice’s sale on players that would fit his mission and style of play.
Moyes brought in Mohammed Kudus and Edson Álvarez from Dutch giant Ajax for a combined £62 million. Free kick specialist James Ward-Prowse joined from relegated Southampton for a little over £30 million. These players now form the backbone of Moyes’ midfield, together with Brazilian Lucas Paquetá and Czech Tomas Soucek.
With a new technical midfield, Moyes turned to defence. He signed Konstantinos Mavropanos from VfB Stuttgart for £17 million to add some depth. The Greek joined the existing trio of Kurt Zouma, Nayef Aguerd and Thilo Kehrer in the heart of the backline.
West Ham would expect some goals from Ward-Prowse, Kudus and Paquetá. The lion’s share, though, would need to come from entrenched top scorer Jarrod Bowen and the mercurial Michail Antonio. If winger Saïd Benrahma and journeyman Danny Inggs could chip in here and there, The Hammers wouldn’t be short in attack.
The New Season
So far, West Ham United’s mission has been successful in 2023/24. After eight league matches, the team is well-positioned in seventh place in the table. With only two losses, against heavyweights Man City and Liverpool, there has been lots for fans to enthuse about.
Wins against goal-shy Chelsea and highly-rated Brighton have raised fan expectations. A creditable draw with Saudi-rich Newcastle shows further signs of a season-deep assault on the European places. The only truly disappointing performance was in the season opener at Bournemouth. The resulting point was a decent reward for a below-par showing.
Will The Hammers Maintain Their Good Start to 2023/24?
With some distinctly winnable fixtures coming up in the EPL, David Moyes and his squad can concentrate on earning as many points as possible early on. This will ease some pressure when they play the more favoured teams later.
According to odds and predictions on offer at UK sportsbooks, if you’re a bettor it’s the right time to take advantage of The Hammers’ fixture list. Prices are everything when it comes to betting. The bigger the odds, the more profit you’ll make if you win (source: https://www.safebettingsites.com/).
Bookies quote West Ham at 26/25 to win against Everton. The side will also likely find favour when betting opens for the Brentford, Nottingham Forest and Burnley matches. As things stand, West Ham looks good for a decent points haul over the next month or so. The more testing period will come in December with successive matches against Man Utd, Arsenal and Brighton.
If West Ham can maintain its good form against these sides, the chances of a sustained top-half challenge in the EPL are probable. Presently, signs are good that The Hammers’ mission has a realistic chance of success.
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