At this point of time, the Barclays Premier League has reached crunch time and the Hammers have a lot to work on if they are to possibly have a spot in the Europa league in the upcoming season. Usually, seventh has been the most realistic aim for West Ham; but looking at the unpredictability of the season this time around; the Hammers would definitely need to make some major improvements.
Manuel Pellegrini their manager has time and again stated that the summer break will be very crucial on how the side fares next season. Here is a look at some of the aspects which they have to work on if they are to come back with a bang next season.
The need to void injuries
It has been very obvious that the Irons have really struggled with injuries this season, and it’s mainly the new players who have been prone to them. We saw the likes of Anriy Yarmolenko, Jack Wishere, Carlos Sanchez, Winston Reid, Samir Nasri, Manuel Lanzini and Fabian Balbuena getting injured and benched.
In addition, their talisman Arnautovic has also been out for a few weeks, missing out on crucial games. With the likelihood of a few changes happening in terms of the squad for the upcoming season, it is on high priority that those who stay are healthy and fit.
Continue working and developing on set-pieces
In the Hammers’ game against Liverpool in February, we saw how important set-pieces were for them as they managed to clinch a draw. Perhaps, the result should have given them more than one point from the game. Nonetheless, what was encouraging was that many of the set-pieces that were taken were direct translations from training.
Currently standing at 11th position, West Ham would definitely try to make the most of the next fixture against Chelsea to come within the top 10. Moreover, looking at the current form of the Irons’ set-piece takers, punters definitely hold highly in their favour. One can access betting offers UK to place a bet on the Hammers whose odds are at 10, 9 and 19/2 respectively with bet365, William Hill and Unibet for a win. If one wants to place a safer bet, they can opt for a draw; the odds of which are 5, 24/5 and 5 with the same.
As you can see, there can be quite a discrepancy between different bookies when it comes to odds, which is why it is so important to know the game and the players as well as possible yourself. Sports betting relies on luck like any form of gambling but it is also perhaps even more reliant on making well thought out bets based on how various players and teams perform throughout a season. Make use of the odds, for sure, but always augment them with your own understandings of the game to get the best and most lucrative results.
Play with more consistency against mid-table teams
In the recent years, another problem that has plagued West Ham is the inability to perform in a manner that is consistent against teams that directly surround them in the league. Against Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool, the Hammers performed brilliantly. Off the teams that are currently in the top six, they managed to get eight points at their home turf- London Stadium. However, against the teams that are around them in the table standings, they seem to struggle.
Two defeats against Bournemouth, two defeats against Wolves, one against Burnley, Brighton and Watford and draws versus Crystal Palace and Leicester show that better performances are required. If they can somehow find consistency in the games against the teams in the mid-table, they will definitely climb the table with ease.
