West Ham United have endured a torrid season and can’t even enjoy a recent upturn in results at home so poor have their performances been.
The Hammers made it back-to-back wins for the first time at their new London Stadium home on Saturday with a 1-0 victory over fellow strugglers Hull City.
It followed a win over Burnley by the same slender scoreline on Wednesday night to lift Slaven Bilic‘s side up to 13th in the Premier League table.
It was a game the Hammers edged 1-0 but only thanks to the intervention of the inside of the post on no less than three separate occasions in what supporters labelled one of their worst performances of a miserable season.
West Ham’s Olympic Stadium
Many supporters and pundits have pointed the finger of blame for the huge contrast in West Ham’s form this season compared to their best ever Premier Leagues points total last term squarely at their controversial new ground.
Some supporters believe blaming the stadium move is too easy an excuse, citing that other teams are having no trouble performing there.
But recent comments from Bilic himself and Scotland boss Gordon Strachan – who visited the stadium for the first time to watch the game against Hull – seem to reiterate a major issue first highlighted by Stoke City boss Mark Hughes earlier this season.
Stoke City manager Mark Hughes on the London Stadium touchline with Bilic
After the Potters’ 1-1 draw at the London Stadium last month, Hughes said: “Clearly it’s not a football specific stadium and you can see that from the distance from the benches to pitch side.
“I had to make sure I had my contact lenses in today or I wouldn’t have been able to see the far side, but it is what it is.”
Strachan told West Ham’s official website players would be finding it difficult to adjust to the new pitch and surroundings.
Meanwhile Bilic himself said in a recent interview with BBC Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker that it has been difficult to adapt to a dramatic change in sight lines and perspectives from pitch level compared to Upton Park.
So could the answer be for Bilic to move up into the stand for an elevated view of the pitch during home games.
It would certainly help tactically and is an approach favoured by many managers including former Hammers boss Sam Allardyce.
Yes the passionate West Ham faithful want to see their manager on the touchline during games.
But they are a knowledgeable bunch and if it meant Bilic had more of a handle on games from a tactical perspective then they would be the first to embrace it.
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