Momentum is a much focused upon element in any sport.
There’s huge analysis that goes into those shifts, and the repercussions of those changes during a match, a competition or over a whole season.
And there appears to have been a significant swing in West Ham’s season since going two points clear in fourth spot.
On December 20, the team beat Leicester City 2-0, and expectation was high ahead of the festive period.
But with just one league win in the subsequent set of matches, there is certainly less enthusiasm around than there was.
Progress in the FA Cup is positive, but the results have been through battling rather than the free flowing football of early season.
Having previously woken up to headlines full of superlatives and Champions League ambitions, the news out of the UK is greyer than a winter’s day.
No signings on transfer window day. Fined for breaching FIFA regulations. Players hounding the manager for not securing a move. Uninspiring defeats.
As the team finds itself in the midst of a tough run of fixtures, and the club is forced to defend itself against court proceedings, and little seems to be easy.
This is not to say the season is over. Momentum can change very quickly in football.
Despite the lack of new faces around the club, the owners managed to defy the gossip columns and hold on to the star names.
It means the squad which performed so well together early on has not been broken up, and if they can rediscover some confidence, they can kick on to achieve a great deal.
One of the biggest shifts of the season has been the expectations of the board and the fans.
A top ten finish was the aim, but that has been reassessed given the progress that was made over the first half of the season.
Re-gathering momentum heading into February would halt the Hammers’ slide down the table, and hopefully ensure progress through to another round of the Cup
