Being installed as pre-season favourites, despite not having a completed match day squad and with more player departures likely before the season even kicks off, West Ham are considered by many as the automatic promotion dead certs.
Which seems a little insulting to the other top sides in this division who know exactly what is coming – unlike the fallen Premier League Hammers who have to learn fast how to scrap for results throughout a gruelling 46 game season.
Former Hammer turned Saints midfielder Flynn Downes
Former West Ham midfielder turned Southampton mainstay Flynn Downes has fired a warning to West Ham that the Saints are seething from their ‘spy gate’ experiences last season and are out to take on all comers for that top spot this season, as reported by footballleagueworld.co.uk:
“Southampton’s Flynn Downes is confident that the team are ‘winning this league’ as he admits the Spygate controversy has helped pull everyone together.”
Despite beginning the season with a four point deficit thanks to their penalty from last season, the Saints’ midfielder is convinced his side will be out to usurp the Hammers from that top spot:
‘“The club, players and staff have really come together. It’s as if we have a chip on our shoulder and we want to put those wrongs right, we’re going [into the season] to win the league this year…I know we’re starting on minus four points, but our mindset is that we’re winning this league and that’s it.
We had the chance last year but didn’t get to [achieve it] for whatever reason but we’re looking strong so far.”
Much, frankly, depends on who West Ham bring in to fill the holes in their squad left by departures of key players such as Fernandes, Summerville and Disasi. And it’s not looking too good on that front just now.
lol It’s funny he said we didn’t win for what ever reason.
Yeah Spying mate, that’s why
Tinker man (Nuno)) is under false illusion if he thinks promotion is going to be easy.
Should stick to attacking formation.
This team is not ready.
Needs to spend money like they did at Wolves that’s only answer.
25 days to end transfer market and recruitment (experienced) team don’t look to have a clue.
And so the circus continues no players signed and a manager who seems hell bent on making the same mistakes of last season very worrying
Mid table at best this season
You would hope that every player in every league in the world would go in thinking that they will win their league. If you don’t believe you will fail.
We certainly are not top of any list, but we are not the worst of the bunch, for sure.
It is what it is and we have to expect a slow, staggered recruitment over several windows.
You need a tough, dynamic, talented midfield with stamina. With Orford, Kante & say Engels, back-up is needed. We have Magassa, but he has disappeared off radar, while I was always disappointed with how Potts did not play better and better, but seemed to be in a straitjacket. By now I would have expected Magassa who is meant to be a talented midfielder, to be in the team and a strong starter, breaking up play, running forwards with a ball as a box-to-box midfielder.
I’m not sure NES gets the best out of his players and melds them into a team that fights together and plays, quick, effective football as a result of all their coaching. I just do not see evidence of this on the pitch. Against Rangers, Orford was in for Fernandes, Kante for Soucek, Pablo pressing high on his own (uncoordinated high press), attack was listless, captain out on the wing with nobody in the middle of the park shouting orders and giving direction. Change in midfield personnel but not in tactics, nothing extra.
There is a lot about the team that has not changed but needed to. Baffling.
Who West Ham bring in , Saturday the Carabao cup no signings . We are woefully short and unless we get a move on and get signings in we won’t get promoted. FFS West Ham get on with it and sign players now. What are you waiting for I’m disappointed
The way things look I’ll be amazed if we get off to a good enough start.
It’s about mid table for us. Look back there been much stronger W Ham sides in the past that didn’t achieve promotion. Weve sold 2 or 3 of our best players We were already a poor side with them So looking bleak to me. 3 years down in this level I reckon. HOPE I’M WRONG