West Ham United’s low key start to life at the Olympic Stadium could be a blessing in disguise for Slaven Bilic and his players even if it is somewhat boring for fans.
West Ham United’s Michail Antonio scores the first Premier League goal at the new stadium
The Hammers edged out Bournemouth 1-0 with a late goal from Michail Antonio to sign off the first ever Premier League match at their new home with a win.
It was a poor game with Bilic’s side’s injury list the biggest talking point.
West Ham are missing a host of attacking players including Dimitri Payet, Manuel Lanzini, Andre Ayew, Sofiane Feghouli, Andy Carroll and Diafra Sakho not to mention key player Aaron Cresswell.
And it has had a major impact on their performances in defeat to Chelsea and that win over the Cherries last time out.
West Ham have been missing Dimitri Payet and Manuel Lanzini
Injuries and performances hit entertainment levels
With Ayew, Carroll and Sakho out for a while yet and Bilic keen to ensure he does not rush Payet and Lanzini back into action too soon, the Hammers are struggling to play the kind of inspiring attacking football that won them so many friends and points last season.
A lot of scrutiny was on the atmosphere at what is officially being called the London Stadium and whether it would compare to Upton Park.
Many pundits, players and fans felt it was good for a Sunday afternoon game against a relatively small club like Bournemouth.
And the decibel levels certainly raised in response to the more exciting moments on the pitch, which were few and far between.
The London Stadium
Not much to look forward to for fans on fixture list
Looking at the fixture list there is not a great deal to get excited about on the horizon for the West Ham faithful, though.
Bilic’s side play Watford, Southampton, Middlesbrough, Sunderland and Stoke City in their next five Premier League home games at their 60,000 seater home.
Hardly the most tantalising run of games the fixture list has ever produced with Arsenal the first true rival to visit all the way in December.
West Ham United manager Slaven Bilic
Blessing in disguise to help build fortress
But that could be the best thing for the club given the injury situation as those five matches all represent very winnable fixtures for Bilic’s side on home turf.
Should the Hammers take three points in those it would make the London Stadium something of a fortress and would set them up perfectly to take on the big guns like Arsenal and the rest of the top teams in the new year.
As we all know in the Premier League, though, every game is tough in its own right and no games are a gimme.
Of course punctuating those fixtures could be Europa League matches should the Hammers see off Romanian champions Astra this Thursday night after a 1-1 draw away from home in the first leg.
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