While Leicester City’s remarkable 2015-16 Premier League season has attracted all the headlines, the rise of West Ham United has somewhat flown under the radar.
The Hammers currently sit just one point away from the final Champions League spot with just nine matches remaining, and have been hugely impressive under Slaven Bilic this campaign. On Sunday they face a downtrodden Manchester United at Old Trafford in an intriguing FA Cup quarter-final. There are a lot of reasons for West Ham fans to be excited.
A move to the Olympic Stadium is on the horizon, which will hold up to 60,000 fans. This will bring in unprecedented revenue for the club, prestige, and potentially the scene of a return to the glory days of the 1960s, when West Ham won the European Cup Winners Cup in 1965.
The Hammers made it three successive wins last Saturday when they came from 2-0 down in the last 10 minutes to beat Everton 3-2 at Goodison Park. This win encapsulated their outstanding away form this season against top teams, which has included away victories over Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal.
POPULAR ARTICLES
Everton with and without Romelu Lukaku’s goals [INFOGRAPHIC]
Why Inter Milan must make Adem Ljajic and Alex Telles loans permanent
While Riyad Mahrez looks a near-certainty to take out the PFA Player of the Year honour, Dimitri Payet has had an outstanding first season for the Hammers. He is the jewel set into the heart of Bilic’s squad, and has been a sensation since the outset. Signed for just £10.5 million from Marseille, he has created an average of 3.9 chances per match, second only to Mesut Ozil. For a player who in his last season at Marseille created more chances than any other player in Europe (and that includes Lionel Messi), it is clear that West Ham struck gold with Payet. He simply does things on the pitch that lift fans out of their seats and genuinely excites, whether it is the brilliant free-kick against Bournemouth, or the way he carves passes through opposition defences with razor-like precision. Last month he committed his future to the club with a new five-year deal. Exciting years await Hammers fans if they manage to keep him for the duration of that contract.
Michail Antonio has been another shrewd signing that looks to have already paid dividends. Antonio is a 25-year-old former non-league player and lifeguard, and his three goals in his last three games have taken his tally to seven for the season in all competitions. His goal celebrations of late have almost been as impressive as the threat he poses opposition defences with his pace and power. Angelo Ogbonna, signed from Juventus before the start of this campaign, has provided the defensive stability that enables players like Payet and Antonio to flourish. Aaron Cresswell has been so consistent at left-back that he must be in serious consideration for that spot for England for Euro 2016 in France. Manuel Lanzini has impressed with his pace and creativity. Bilic also has numerous attacking options in his arsenal, including Diafra Sakho, Enner Valencia and Andy Carroll.
4 – Michail Antonio has scored four headed goals from just four headers on target for West Ham this season. Bonce.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 4, 2016
The Hammers chose to part company with Sam Allardyce at the end of last season, taking a gamble on progression under Bilic over solid mid-table football under Allardyce. Croatian Bilic played for the club as a defender in the 1990s, and fans have taken to the beanie-wearing boss and the attractive attacking football his side have shown. Jamie Carragher recently mentioned on Sky Sports that Bilic epitomises “the West Ham way.” This is in stark contrast to the stubborn tactical approach and survival-first mentality during Allardyce’s reign. Bilic has mostly adopted a 4-2-3-1 formation with the wingers he has added to his squad, a formation that makes the Hammers very difficult to play against. But he also shows versatility in that he is willing to change his formation if things are not going to plan, and he has that ruthless yet thoughtful streak in his blood that West Ham fans have been crying out for. The players have bought into the manager’s philosophies and style, and the progress has been emphatic.
Wins at Anfield, the Etihad, and the Emirates this season have sent shockwaves through the league. A win at Old Trafford on Sunday would complete an impressive set for West Ham and a trip to Wembley looks on the horizon. Making the Champions League for the first time in the club’s history also looks a strong possibility. Just imagine those bubbles at the Olympic Stadium on a big European night.
What are your thoughts? Let us know by dropping a comment below via our Facebook comment box. Make sure you follow us on Twitter @Outside90 and like us on Facebook.
