Contributed by Patrick Temperilli
West Ham missed a real opportunity following the 2015/2016 season, with the owners failing to invest in a stronger team centered on the talents of Dimitri Payet. The fallout from that decision resulted in two unacceptable seasons marked by questionable transfers and a lack of long-term planning and strategy.
Fast-forward to the summer of 2018, and it appears West Ham’s owners have finally got it and are really backing manager Manuel Pellegrini.
By all accounts a total gentleman, Pellegrini knows how to win. More importantly, before his time at Real Madrid and Manchester City, he became known for working with limited resources and creating thrilling sides that played attacking football. That alone sounds like the perfect man to take West Ham to the still elusive “next level” – and at the very least someone the fans can genuinely get behind.
While Pellegrini might be the signing of the summer, the appointment of a director of football in Mario Husillos may signal a serious shift in the mechanics of the club. If implemented properly, it means the start of Sullivan’s relinquishing control over football matters, particularly transfer dealings.
From what has been seen thus far, the arrival of Pellegrini and Husillos has served as a catalyst. West Ham have spent over £80m on seven new players. These are not the stop-gap signings of previous windows; they are signals of real intent.
Questions hang over all transfers. How much quality is there outside of YouTube clips? Can they perform at the highest level? How quickly can they gel?
The acquisition of Issa Diop has tremendous upside of a different sort. Aged only 21, Diop is a mammoth center-back at 6’4”. He played in a poor Toulouse side, but showed a lot of promise in his reading of the game and his ability to play the ball forward.
Two of the most interesting signings were frees: Ryan Fredericks from newly-promoted Fulham and Jack Wilshere, who was at the end of his contract with Arsenal.
Of course, the caveat for Wilshere will always be whether he can stay fit. When fit, on his day, etc., etc. The midfielder is still, however, only 26. He is coming off the back of two seasons where he managed to avoid serious injury, has adjusted the way he plays, and still possesses some of the best technical ability and passing technique of any English midfielder.
As seen in previous seasons, Noble appears to elevate his play when the players around him are of a better standard. With a player of Wilshere’s quality – who understands when to hold, drop, and make runs – it’s quite possible that Noble will once again surprise some people this season.
Fredericks, at 25, was a huge part of Fulham’s promotion season. His pace and reading of the game saw him defend and attack with real quality. Our well-known issues at rightback appear to have finally been addressed, offering West Ham the possibility to play how Pellegrini prefers – with fullbacks providing overlapping runs for wingers drifting into the center of the pitch and pulling defenders out of position.
While it’s foolish to read much into pre-season results, the passing and movement in each game has looked promising. The boys are looking sharper at 85% intensity in pres-eason matches than they have during the majority of the past two seasons. It’ll be interesting to see if Pellegrini persists with Declan Rice as a defensive midfielder – as he’s looked very disciplined and composed in front of a rotating defense – which bodes well. Rice may provide the balance the West Ham team has been so sorely missing for a good while.
While I’m still annoyed that West Ham are having to regain their footing after a two year backslide, the initial signs for the coming season are quite positive. I can’t help but feel optimistic about the changes that have gone on at the club. It appears a director of football like Husillos will help West Ham regain lost ground, while Pellegrini has enough pedigree to manage both the dressing room and the boardroom.
I know we won’t win every game, but with the squad that’s being built, the youth coming through, and a manager that wants to play attractive football, things are looking up for West Ham. For the first time in a couple of years, I’m genuinely excited about the prospects of the coming season.
Follow Patrick on Twitter: @ptempi
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