West Ham United go in search of a much needed boost when they travel to West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.
West Ham United’s Adrian, Dimitri Payet and team mates look dejected
A terrible start to the season, infighting amongst fans, resentment towards owners and concerns over safety have soured West Ham United‘s season so far.
Slaven Bilic‘s side have lost three of their opening four Premier League matches and scraped past Bournemouth in their solitary victory.
The Hammers were also embarrassingly dumped out of the Europa League by Romanian minnows Astra Giurgiu for the second season running.
Match stewards attempt to make West Ham United fans sit down
Fans are at each other’s throats over standing at their new 60,000 seater Olympic Stadium home while Karren Brady – who spearheaded the club’s move to Stratford – was allegedly spat at by her own supporters as things turned sour in a 4-2 home defeat to Watford last time out.
A toxic atmosphere is starting to fester at West Ham and fans are beginning to question some of Bilic’s team selections and tactics.
It is a far cry from last season when West Ham enjoyed their best ever points total of the Premier League era, recorded a first positive goal difference since 1986 and finished just four points off the Champions League places in their emotional farewell campaign at Upton Park.
Don’t let the bubble burst: West Ham United’s Dimitri Payet
Ahead of the visit to the Hawthorns, West Ham’s star man Dimitri Payet has been assessing where he feels the team must improve after the Watford debacle in an interview with the club’s official website.
“Against Watford, you have to say that we had two very different halves,” Payet told whufc.com.
“Unfortunately, we let them get back into the game and then in the second half, they managed to get another. We lost this game and I think we didn’t quite do enough to see the game through and to win it.
“We need points and so we need to get our heads down and work hard this week. We will go there (West Brom) with the right attitude to go and get the win.
“We know that every match in this league is difficult, especially away from home. The key is to work hard and to go there with confidence and do what we need to do on the day.”
West Brom manager Tony Pulis and West Ham manager Slaven Bilic
The Hammers strode to an emphatic 3-0 win at the Hawthorns last season and will be hoping for more of the same this time around.
Tony Pulis is under pressure from his own supporters for the style of play and transfer business at the club which had led to some discontent.
One thing is for sure whoever loses on Saturday will certainly be feeling the heat.
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