West Ham’s Rise in the Premier League: Can the Hammers Push for European Glory?

The 2024/25 Premier League has not gone well for the Hammers. They are currently languishing in the bottom six, ranked at 15^th. Certainly, this is a long way away from the 8^th spot that they managed to maintain last year. Due to this fall, many West Ham fans are quite disappointed. But, others are asking if, perhaps, the Hammers could push for international glory, rather than domestic success.

The bookies are certainly skeptical. While many have not dismissed West Ham outright, they’ve also not given the team much credit as well. Though anyone who is into betting knows that this may be changing soon. For those who like wagering, a talkSPORT BET review goes over the different aspects of a betting site, where fans of the Hammers can wager for their favorite team. But, the question is not whether you can bet on the Hammers, but should you?

West Ham at Home

West Ham United is currently competing in the Premier League. In other words, it is already considered among the top 20 English football clubs. Considering England has over 40,000 clubs, that is saying something. However, the Hammers’ performance in the Premier League has not been going to well. Last year, they managed to climb to the eighth rank, a respectable performance for the club. However, during the 2024/25 season, they’ve fallen to the bottom six. Certainly, there is still a chance that the Hammers will recover. But, fans disposition is looking quite grim.

As things so often go, many of the Hammers’ fans have turned their ire to team manager, Graham Potter, who left Chelsea two years ago, and is now head coach of West Ham United. Fans, and even sports journalists are asking the question “Is Potter the right choice?” Many seem to be coming to the same conclusion; no. However, Graham Potter does not seem to be the problem. Players from West Ham have had positive things to say about their new coach, and even former co-workers have described him as “meticulous.”

So, then what happens to be the issue? The truth of the matter is that West Ham is simply having a bad year, at least as far as the Premier League is concerned. The Hammers have had their ups and downs through the years, and the 2024/25 season just so happens to be one of the downs. But, 2024 has not been all bad. It was just last year that West Ham proved quite successful in the Europa League.

West Ham at the Europa League

In the 2023/24, the Hammers faced off against FC Freiburg, in both the Group Stage and Round 16 of the Europa League. Though they did suffer one loss during the 1^st leg of the 16^th round, the Hammers showed why they are still ranked among the top 20 clubs in one of the most competitive leagues in the world. They scored two victories over FC Freiburg in the Group Stage, and when the time came for their last confrontation, the Hammers came out for blood.

West Ham’s defense stood strong, never letting a shot from Freiburg hit their net. As for the club’s offense, they were working overtime. The match ended with five goals scored, all of which belonged to the Hammers. Fans of West Ham went wild, and were overjoyed at their team’s victory. On top of their victory against Freiburg, West Ham managed to rank first in their Group, and continued to the quarter-finals. Unfortunately, there they faced off against Bayer Leverkusen, who managed to knock them out of the running.

Still, the Hammers got a taste of international glory, and whet the appetite of their fans. Unfortunately, West Ham has not managed to get into the Europa League since their glorious performance against Freiburg. Still, many are hopeful for a comeback next time around. Who knows, we might just see it happen. In fact, there are plenty of West Ham fans who believe that there is hope for the team. Especially with the recent addition of a young and promising Brazilian player to the club.

A Hope for West Ham?

A lot of people have attributed West Ham’s issues to a general lack of strikers. As things stand right now, the Hammers have two strikers on their side, both of whom are 32, and well-past their prime. The club is being headlined by a striker on loan, which is not a position many football teams want to find themselves in. Still, there may be a shining beacon of hope for the Premier League club.

The Hammers spent a pretty penny acquiring Luis Guilherme. Yet, the young man has yet to start for the team, which fans have been confused about. After all, the club spent 25 million Pounds to get the Brazilian player on board. Some are worried that we might have a white elephant situation on our hands. Others still believe that Luis Guilherme will be the hope for West Ham United.

But, just who is Luis Guilherme? In all fairness, he is not the most famous of players. Nor should anyone expect him to be. At age 18, he is still a relatively fresh face in the world of professional football. Yet, even at 18, he has quite the impressive background. In 2023, he competed in the U20 South American Championship, playing for Brazil. He participated in five matches, for a total of 191 minutes. During that time, he helped the team win their games, and get their hands on the first U20 South American title in 12 years.

Though the Hammers have not given the young player a chance to shine, fan opinions on his contribution are divided. Many believe that he will be the savior of West Ham, while others believe that his presence will not contribute much. Whichever side ends up to be right, one thing is certain; the Hammers are going to need a major boost if they are to rise up to the top.

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