Premier League season preview: West Ham
By James Dudko
Smart signings and a new stadium can help West Ham build on Slaven Bilic’s promising first season in the Premier League.
Related Story: Premier League season preview: Southampton
INS: Andre Ayew (£20.5 million, Swansea City), Sofiane Feghouli (free, Valencia), Ashley Fletcher (free, Barnsley), Arthur Masuaku (undisclosed, Olympiakos), Manuel Lanzini (£9.4 million, Al Jazira), Havard Nordtveit (undisclosed, Borussia Monchengladbach)
OUTS: James Tomkins (£10 million, Crystal Palace), Joey O’Brien (released), Elliot Lee (released)
THE STORY: There’s a healthy buzz about West Ham entering the 2016/17 Premier League season. The good feeling is a result of the strides made under manager Slaven Bilic last season, as well as a move to the brand new London Stadium.
The feeling that it’s a good time to be a Hammer should be amplified by a summer of shrewd spending that’s yielded several intriguing signings so far. Chief among them is former Swansea forward Andre Ayew, who became the club’s record buy when he swapped Wales for east London for a fee of £20.5 million.
There aren’t many attackers as intelligent in their movement as the 26-year-old Ghanaian. Ayew makes perceptive runs, links well with others, offers an underrated aerial threat and can play anywhere across the front. His cerebral wanderlust will work well with the artful technique of last season’s star, Dimitri Payet.
The Frenchman finally got to show a big European league what’s it been missing after years toiling in France’s Ligue 1 — an outrageously gifted flair player blessed with a mercurial footballing brain and perhaps the best free-kick technique in Europe.
Ayew and Payet’s smart positional rotation and slick passing will form a potent creative trident with attacking midfielder Manuel Lanzini, who made his loan deal permanent this summer. This trio will ensure Bilic’s team plays a stylish brand of football that’s in keeping with club tradition.
Yet, there is a danger of an overload of half-forwards and attacking midfielders. Bilic has stockpiled No. 10-types, including ex-Valencia man Sofiane Feghouli, and may not even be finished yet. West Ham are currently linked with a £6.8 million bid for young Lyon schemer Rachid Ghezzal, per Jonathan Johnson of the London Evening Standard.
Admittedly, though, Bilic may have little choice but to bloat his team with advanced playmakers. It’s the best way to compensate for the club’s failure to sign a marquee striker so far this summer.
There are few strikers on the market the Hammers haven’t tried to seduce, but as things currently stand, Bilic is still left with the same options as last season: Diafra Sakho, Andy Carroll and Enner Valencia.
It might be that target man Carroll is a better fit for the platoon of forwards playing off and around the front. By contrast, the more mobile Sakho always promises much, but too often fails to deliver.
There are also some question marks at the back, where left-back Aaron Cresswell is set to miss four months after suffering a horror tackle in preseason. New boy Arthur Masuaku is expected to replace Cresswell, but the Hammers will miss what the England man offers going forward.
At least Bilic will still be able to count on a physical and resourceful midfield, where Mark Noble remains a steadying influence and Cheikhou Kouyate’s brawn and versatility are invaluable assets.
KEY PLAYER: Payet is the obvious choice here, and a case can certainly be made that his form will again make or break the Hammers’ season. However, it’s Ayew who can yield the more immediate benefit for a manager lacking confidence in his strikers.
Ayew’s main strength is the subtle movement that often puts him in a center forward position. He’s almost a false 9, and his ability to get goals and draw markers away from Payet will prove crucial in West Ham’s season.
MANAGER: Bilic is one of a new breed of managers who are defined almost as much by their animated mannerisms in the dugout as by the performances of their players on the pitch.
The Croatian is never one to shy from confrontation or controversy, but often times his enthusiasm belies a sharp tactical mind dedicated to attractive, attacking football.
Bilic wants his players to dominate the ball whenever possible, but he’s also proven adept at tweaking his game to upset the division’s big boys. Wins over Arsenal and Chelsea last season showed his knack for getting a team to punch above its weight.
Next: Premier League season preview: Everton
BEST CASE: The Ayew and Payet combo ties defenders in knots all season, while the midfield ably protects a suspect back four, enabling the Hammers to secure a top six finish.
WORST CASE: The striker issue wastes all of the stylish approach play and marked man Payet regresses in his second campaign, leaving the goal-shy Hammers two or three places short of last season’s seventh place finish.