(Photo by West Ham United FC/Getty Images)
The joint chairmen’s upbeat message on the official website in which they give their opinion on the 2018/19 season is to be expected and is absolutely fine as far as it goes.
But it’s equally important to remember that it’s not so much how you start as how you finish which really matters and the manager still has a big job in front of him taking the club forward.
However, he is clearly man of quality and this is what you get when you decide to pay a guy £10 million and his back up staff around another three of four.
Obviously the thing occupying most minds now is what happens during the transfer window and how much further investment will be put into the squad.
As mentioned previously we don’t e believe the manager would have been unaware of the short, middle and long term financial situation when taking the job.
We understand the chairmen have a right to be pleased with what’s happened but it’s equally important to remind ourselves it’s only the beginning.
Pellegrini failed in his first season bid to achieve Europe – and that’s the benchmark for this season. He has set his bar pretty high and can’t fail this time around.
Personally I think think if Wolves, Leicester and Everton outspend us, then we can’t be overly disappointed finishing 10th again or lower.
I’m not saying we can’t finish higher with a lower spend. I’m just saying logic would suggest that if sides above you invest more than you do, the most likely outcome is they stay ahead.
Given we played weeks/months with up to nine key players injured and yet weren’t in a relegation battle, I don’t see ‘failure’ as an appropriate word to describe Pelle’s first season.
Personally I’m glad we didn’t make it to Europe – too soon. My hope for next season is the same as I had for the last one; top 8, positive goal difference and higher than Everton (I’ll add Leicester, Newcastle, Watford as well). COYI!