West Ham United could be in for a long hard season after a terrible start, and former defender Stuart Peace says these five games will decide their fate.
West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic
Infighting amongst fans, resentment towards owners and concerns over safety at the club’s new 60,000 seater Olympic Stadium home have soured the Hammers’ campaign so far.
Bilic‘s side have lost five of their opening seven Premier League matches, picking up just four points from 21 so far.
The Hammers were also embarrassingly dumped out of the Europa League by Romanian minnows Astra Giurgiu for the second season running.
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.
Is Bilic’s bubble about to burst?
As a result Bilic finds himself under intense pressure for the first time since taking over last year and is the bookies’ favourite to be the next Premier League manager sacked.
Stuart Pearce was a cult hero during his short spell with the Hammers under Harry Redknapp.
And the former England Under 21 boss advised talkSPORT on Bilic’s future and insists old club’s fate this season hinges on a group of five games.
Stuart Pearce
“I don’t think you can write the manager off, he’s been a good manager and he’s been a good manager over the years both with Croatia and at club level, so he’ll do well for West Ham,” Pearce told talkSPORT.
“You mark my words now, the crucial date is this in West Ham’s calendar, December the 17th.
“Because on that date, they would have finished a run of home matches against Sunderland, Stoke, Arsenal, Burnley and Hull City.
“Now if they’ve got decent points out of that lot, all well and good, if they haven’t the alarm bells will ring.”
Pearce makes a salient point because one glance at the fixture list also reveals a worrying clutch of games on the horizon.
West Ham United’s Adrian, Dimitri Payet and team mates look dejected
The reason Pearce has highlighted that run of games is because they stand little chance of getting much change from the four games Bilic’s side face consecutively in November and December.
On current form the Hammers would not stand a chance of picking up any points during that time as they face a daunting trip to White Hart Lane followed by Manchester United at Old Trafford, the Arsenal match at home and Liverpool away.
Historically the Hammers have always raised their game against the so-called bigger teams. This season they will be hoping more than ever that trait comes to the fore.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
