West Ham’s poor form is now a serious concern, with the Hammers having failed to win a Premier League match since September, a run which has left them 16th in the table, just five points above the relegation zone. So, just what is the reason for West Ham’s terrible results over the last two months?
Having moved into third position in the standings following their win over Manchester United on September 22nd, West Ham have since not won any of their last six top-flight encounters, with a lack of confidence, poor recruitment and goalkeeping issues all being causes for concern. The likes of Sebastian Haller, Pablo Fornals and Roberto all moved to the London Stadium over the summer, however the trio are still seemingly finding their feet in England, while fans have pointed towards the fact that their star players are disappointing.
Back-to-back defeats against Newcastle and Burnley, matches in which the Hammers conceded a total of six goals, have only compounded matters, with manager Manuel Pellegrini now being under significant pressure to start delivering results, starting against rivals Tottenham Hotspur this weekend. The former Manchester City boss has himself admitted that his sides recent performances have been disappointing, with the Argentine pointing towards confidence being the major issue.
Pellegrini decided to field an under-strength staring XI for their Carabao Cup trip to Oxford United at the end of September, which is seemingly when things started to unravel. West Ham have now conceded a massive 17 goals in their last seven matches, with goalkeeper Roberto having struggled immensely in the absence of No.1 Lukasz Fabianski.
Elsewhere, with Mark Noble having been unable to have the same influence in which he has had over recent years so far this season, someone to lead the midfield is another area in which many fans are calling for improvements to be made. Declan Rice is another player who is lacking consistency, with the youngster having potentially been effected by widespread criticism in which he received after England’s defeat in the Czech Republic last month.
If things do not turn around quickly for the Hammers, they could get drawn into the scrap for places at the bottom of the table, with Pellegrini’s side currently being among the outsiders to suffer relegation to the Championship come the end of the season. Looking to sign up and snag an offer from one of the leading bookies? Be sure to check out the latest markets surrounding West Ham, with upcoming matches against Spurs, Chelsea, Wolves and Arsenal undoubtedly being a crucial period.
Record signing Haller has also looked like an isolated figure over recent weeks, with the Frenchman having been unable to link up effectively with the likes of Felipe Anderson and Robert Snodgrass. Haller has now failed to score in his last four matches, while reports surfaced this week that fellow summer signing Albian Ajeti is already considering his future at the club.
It remains to be seen as to whether Pellegrini will last at the club, while the possibility of Grady Diangana and Josh Cullen returning from their loan spells is increasing by the week.
