Two Euro football experts are in full agreement about ‘super impressive’ new-look West Ham post Declan Rice.
When it comes to clubs that have exceeded expectations in the Premier League so far this season, West Ham are most certainly up there.
It was all doom and gloom around the club when talisman Declan Rice was sold to rivals Arsenal and West Ham rounded off pre-season with a woeful thumping at the hands of Bayer Leverkusen and no new signings in the door.
Journalists were claiming a host of players wanted out and that West Ham could even part ways with David Moyes despite the European glory at the end of last season.
There were reports from within the club that newly appointed technical director Tim Steidten and Moyes were not seeing eye-to-eye over transfers and recruitment.
Two Euro football experts in full agreement about ‘super impressive’ new-look West Ham post Declan Rice
West Ham fans were understandably concerned.
But fast forward to present day and my how the Hammers have proved so many wrong.
Steidten and Moyes found some middleground and went on to help West Ham use the Rice money expertly, bringing in Mohammed Kudus, Edson Alvarez, James Ward-Prowse and Konstantinos Mavropanos for a combined total of £122m.
West Ham sit seventh in the Premier League having only lost to champions Man City and challengers Liverpool. Moyes’ side are also through to the last 16 of the Carabao Cup and top their Europa League group with two wins from two.
Things got even better for West Ham at the weekend with exciting star Kudus getting his first Premier League goal and top scorer Jarrod Bowen signing a new seven-year contract.
West Ham have not missed Rice and look a better, more rounded team as a result of the clever business done by the club using the money he brought in.
But don’t take our word for it.
‘I think we were all quite worried about West Ham going into the season’
Two Euro football experts are in full agreement about ‘super impressive’ new-look West Ham post Declan Rice.
Dougie Critchley and Michael McCubbin are European football experts best known for their appearances on Football Daily and Sky Sports.
What they don’t know about the stats and facts in Europe’s top leagues probably isn’t worth knowing.
And the duo absolutely raved about West Ham on Sky Sports’ The Football Show, saying they are ‘a team reborn’.
“Let’s talk West Ham, they had a difficult season in the league last year, but they look like a team reborn this year,” Critchley said on Tuesday’s show at 11.48pm.
“Yes I think we were all quite worried, I certainly was, about West Ham going into the season,” McCubbin said.
‘They’ve looked strong against some of the stronger teams in the league’
“Yes they won the Europa Conference League in heroic fashion. But going into this season they had no new signings, no replacement for Declan Rice and there were reports of a bit of a power struggle behind the scenes between David Moyes and technical director Tim Steidten – who’d come in from Bayer Leverkusen.
“But they ended up getting that business done didn’t they…
“And also Lucas Paqueta – who looked set for an £80m move to Man City – that was in the end called off so they actually do have a very strong squad and they’ve had a very strong start to the season. They sit seventh going into the international break above Newcastle, Man United and Chelsea… They’ve looked strong against some of the stronger teams in the league. So I think they’ve been super, super impressive so far this season.”
Critchley also pointed out the fact West Ham have set a new English record of 17 European games unbeaten.
It feels good to see West Ham being recognised by well respected analysts.
And it’s fully deserved too.
READ ALSO
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