We started off this season by laughing our way to a series of strong results which propelled West Ham straight to the top of the table, but recently the laughter’s faded and died somewhat as the results dimmed over the Christmas period. It’s led some to wonder whether the West Ham leopard of dismal football and results had actually changed it’s spots from last year. Did we improve our philosophy for the better, or were our earlier results but a flash in the plan?I admit West Ham have been providing some frustrating viewing of late, but here’s why I’d argue this is no flash in the pan scenario – we have changed from last year, even if we haven’t changed everything about last year – and there’s no pan in the world which would flash as bright as we’ve been this season.
For starters, seventh isn’t a bad position. This time last year we were frustrated to be in 17th place – this year we feel genuinely aggrieved at being as ‘low’ as seventh. That in itself is testament to the better football we’ve been playing this season, that we know we could and should be higher in the league as it stands.
West Ham aren’t quite as high as we were heading into Christmas, and it feels like we may be sliding into bad habits as we keep dropping points – and admittedly, we have watched some sloppy football of late (the Arsenal game being an incredible exclusion to that statement.)
Of course, when considering our recent lack-lustre results it’s important that we remember to not make a mountain out of molehill. It’s not been… pleasant to take just two points from playing Chelsea, Arsenal, West Brom and Swansea but given that the latter are but three points behind us in the league, I’d argue that we did well not to let them climb level with us.
I’d also like to point out that high-flyers and current third-place sitters Southampton had a bit of an awkward blip in form come late November – early December, taking just one point from a possible 15 in a series of games in which they lost to Burnley. In comparison, we have taken five points from a possible 15 in our last five games— which included playing Arsenal and Chelsea. Southampton didn’t let this poor run of form turn their season, and in their last two games they took all three points from both Arsenal and Manchester United. We can look up to this and learn from it.
The trouble is not so much that the points got away from us in the last few games, but that we’ve seen some worrying bits of last season’s philosophy work their way into our team. Kevin Nolan, while plucky and forceful as an ‘impact-sub,’ does not deliver the same style of football when starting as the man stepping up as his potential (and unofficial) ‘co-captain,’ Alex Song.
Shifting team tactics back to those we saw last season—particularly when it comes to sitting back after scoring a goal rather than continuing to apply pressure and surge forward— is another particularly frustrating throwback and a lot of this frustration came out in the FA Cup game against Everton, in which Joey O’Brien’s two-footed tackle on Winston Reid opened up Romelu Lukaku to score late on in the game to secure a replay for Everton, and another game which we admittedly could have done without playing during this tricky point in our season. This is a low point, I can admit that.
But just when it looks like we might not have changed and improved from last year, there’s Andy Carroll latching on to a Stewart Downing cross, twisting, turning, retaining possession and firing home one hell of goal that might actually be the goal of the season for both club and league. With that, there comes a reminder of the football we are truly capable of this season – and football that won’t be absent for long.
West Ham are allowed a dip in form, but they mustn’t endure it for long – and truthfully, they probably won’t. We may have some tedious ‘styles’ of play left over from last season, but when this season’s playmakers – Alex Song, Diafra Sakho, Enner Valencia, Aaron Cresswell, Carl Jenkinson and even Stewart Downing are involved, there’s enough fresh movement, energy and attacking impetuous on the pitch to ensure we stay comfortably in the top half of the table until the final whistle blows in May.
Rome wasn’t built in a day and West Ham’s Champions League campaign might not be built in a year either – but we are leaps and bounds above where we were last year, and that’s a change indeed.
Yes agree with your article, but we are at a critical point, our best players loan or otherwise are now on the radar of the big money clubs, so holding on or improving the squad going forward Will be extremely difficult. We are still not getting big money transfer fees for our best players unlike Southampton to name but one. Would be very easy to be mugged by the big boys and left a relegation fighting club again. Chairman and Manager will have to be working as never before to secure a successful future.
You make some good points and I agree that after taking the lead in the last few games the bfs tactics of going on the defensive and inviting the opposition to breach our wall is risky because as we have seen they do just that! I have recently also had doubts in my mind as to the importance of Song. A wonderful passer of the ball but does tend to dwell somewhat and slows down our passing momentum. He gets caught quite a lot when in possession, sometimes in dangerous positions and perhaps leading to the injuries he sustains . I can’t imagine him fitting into the dynamic,high speed play of Barcelona so perhaps we have him at the fag end of his career and hope he can contribute the new Hammers style we all want to see. Time will tell.