West Ham United: Are Hammers Nailed On For Safety?

2012/2013: 10th

Transfer(s) In: Stuart Downing (Liverpool, £5 Million), Andy Carroll (Liverpool, £15 Million), Adrian (Atletico Madrid, Free), Razvan Rat (Shakhtar Donetsk, Free), Danny Whitehead (Stockport, Undisc)

Transfer(s) Out: Carlton Cole, Gary O'Neil, Frederic Piquionne (Released)

Transfers Review:

                                              Big Sam has been active in this transfer window, bringing in several new faces, a couple of which are truly impressive captures. If we look at my West Ham season review from last season, we can see that I suggested the area that they most needed to strengthen was in central defence. However, West Ham have done exactly opposite, choosing to sign more attack minded players. Andy Carroll was a signing that we all knew was on the horizon at the end of the last season. After a successful loan spell at Upton Park, the tall Geordie was always likely to go where he was wanted. The more impressive signing is that of Stuart Downing for a fee of just £5 Million. Having said publicly that he felt Downing was priced out of their league, Allardyce must have performed well in the negotiations, as he got his man. After a much more encouraging season last campaign, the formed England winger has a chance to carry that form into his new club.

                                               Other than raiding Liverpool, the Hammers have brought in an attacking midfield in the shape of Atletico Madrid's Adrian. He looks a prospect, with an eye for goal, as well for a pass, and I am certain he will chip in with a goal or two this season. At the back, one of the earliest signings of the summer was Shakhtar Donetsk's experienced wing back Razvan Rat. Having experienced World Cups with Romania, as well as Champions League and Europa League football, he will be a valuable asset to West Ham, both on the field and off it.

                                               Another transfer area that Big Sam will be pleased with is that fact that they have managed to retain their core squad from last season. The impressive Matt Jarvis remains with club, as does the defensive duo of James Collins and James Tomkins. This will allow the Hammers to build upon their relatively comfortable season from last time around, and they will hope to consolidate and push on this time around.

Pre-Season:

                                                West Ham have had a pre-season that has been undertaken mostly in the British Isles. Starting with a trip to Ireland to play Cork City Foras, a game that the East London club won emphatically. Goals from Diarra, Cole, Taylor, McCallum, Noble and Morrison left the scoreline at a comfortable 6-2. 3 games against lower league English opposition followed in July, with the Hammers seeing off Boreham Wood 3-0 before beating Bournemouth by 2 goals to 0, and finishing the mini-tour off with a 2-1 success over Colchester. The games in July came thick and fast, and the Hammers finished their unbeaten month with the best result yet. A trip to Germany to face Hamburg resulted in a 3-1 success, setting them up nicely for their tour of Portugal in August.

                                                 That tour, however, did not start as successfully. Against Champions League opposition in the form of Braga, the Hammers tried valiantly, but eventually had to succumb to a 1-0 defeat, ending their 100% pre-season record. Just one match remained in West Ham's preparations for the new season, against Portuguese top division side Pacos Ferreira. Allardyce's side will be pleased to have ended in the manner they did, with a 2-1 success. This will give them confidence going into the opening weekend of the season.

Key Players:

                                                 Jussi Jaaskelainen was, in my opinion, the club's best player last time around, and the Hammers will need the veteran keeper to be at his best again this term. He led the league in terms of shots stopped, and the ex-Bolton man seems to like the East End, as he is playing some of his best football. His reflexes are superb, and his understanding and anticipation make him one of the most respected goalkeepers in the league.

                                                  Sam Allardyce has spoken at length about how expects this to be the breakthrough season for youth prospect Ravel Morrison. After several troubles at Manchester United, including run-ins with the police, Big Sam insists that the young man has changed his mindset, and is now able to deal with the pressure of the Premier League. He clearly has talent, but whether he will simply become another Mario Balotelli is yet to be seen. It will certainly be a interesting watch though.

Key Fixture Dates:

24/08/2013: Newcastle vs West Ham United
15/09/2013: Southampton vs West Ham United
02/11/2013: West Ham United vs Aston Villa
30/11/2013: West Ham United vs Fulham
14/12/2013: West Ham United vs Sunderland
01/01/2014: Fulham vs West Ham United
18/01/2014: West Ham United vs Newcastle
08/02/2014: Aston Villa vs West Ham United
22/02/2014: West Ham United vs Southampton
29/03/2014: Sunderland vs West Ham United

Top Goalscorer:

                                                   After he bedded in so quickly at the Hammers last time around, I think that this year could see Andy Carroll back to his Newcastle form that saw Liverpool pay £35 Million for his services. The Hammers' style of play suits the big powerful striker, and we will see him terrorise defences in the air lots this season. Not many of his goals will be the pretty kind, but they all count!

Prediction:

                                                   Threats of the 'Second Season Syndrome' will always be ever present, and I feel this will have an effect on the Hammers this season. However, they have the squad to deal with the pressure, and after a couple of worrying times in the season, I am certain that they will finish in a very comfortable mid-table position. They may not hit the heights of a top-10 finish, but I am sure that they will be safe from the drop, which I am sure will please Hammers' fans.

West Ham United 2013/2014: 13th

Fulham: Comfortable Safety or Mid-Table Mediocrity?

2012/2013 Season Review:

                Fulham began the season with what appeared to be one of the signings of the summer. At £3.5 million, Dimitar Berbatov seemed an inspired acquisition, and after a long spell warming the Manchester United bench, Fulham gave him a chance for first team football. The Londoners started the season with a bang, with a comprehensive 5-0 victory over Norwich on the opening day, putting them top (albeit only thanks to alphabetical order). A narrow defeat to Manchester United and a disappointing exit of the Capital One Cup to Sheffield Wednesday followed, but Fulham remained consistent throughout September, winning 2 and losing 2. The start to the season already indicated to many what they knew to be true, that Fulham were in no danger of relegation or qualifying for Europe this season.

                Significant transfer losses on deadline day certainly did little to aid Fulham’s push for a top 10 place, with both Moussa Dembele and Clint Dempsey departing across the city to Spurs. Draws away at relegation candidates Reading and Southampton perhaps suggest their departure had an impact, however, subsequent draws against Everton and at the Emirates tends to imply no such pattern. The vast majority of Fulham games were relatively low scoring, and often decided by just a single goal either way. Dimitar Berbatov at times gave us glimpses of his past glories, but all too often he cut his usual disinterested and sulky figure, leaving Fulham rather toothless going forward.

                Unlike most Premier League sides, Fulham performed vastly as we would have expected them to this season, with little in the way of shock victories or surprise defeats. Draws away at Arsenal and Chelsea before the turn of the year, and a later victory at White Hart Lane, is all that really should be considered surprising in terms of results. Like Everton, Fulham mostly steered clear of controversy, rarely making the back pages with either their performances or off field antics.

                The second half of the season remained practically identical to the first, with Fulham winning the majority of home games they would expect to, and drawing and losing the majority of games against the top sides in the league. At the turn of the year, Fulham’s away form seemed to be the area which needed the most improvement, as they only managed 1 win in 10 away league matches up to that point. A New Years Day victory away at high-flying West Brom seemed to be just the tonic that was required. However, soon they fell back into the same pattern, winning only 1 of 7 away games up to April, including an FA Cup Fourth Round exit at the hands of Manchester United.

                Normally, Fulham’s home form had been consistently good enough to keep them out of trouble. However, such was the competitive nature of the relegation battle this season, that a small dip in form could see the ordinarily considered safe Fulham dragged back into the relegation picture. Unfortunately for the Whites, they picked the wrong time to go off the boil at home. Despite having reached the 40 point mark, home defeats to Arsenal and Chelsea left Fulham fans looking nervously over their shoulders for the final few games. Whilst these results are not particularly surprising given the relative strength of the sides involved, it certainly did both their survival aspirations, and their nerves, very little good. Even worse for Fulham, they lost the following three league games. Fortunately, their fellow relegation rivals failed to capitalise on Fulham’s slip-ups, and their position in the Premier League was mathematically assured with a couple of weeks to go. A final day comprehensive 3-0 away win over Swansea will have sent the fans home happy, albeit in 12^th place and just 7 points from relegation.

                Overall, Fulham’s season has been a relatively quiet one. Despite a little last minute panicking, it was never really foreseeable that Fulham would be relegated this season. Expectations at the beginning of the season may have been to break into the top 10, but their away form continues to plague them. Without an improvement, I fear that Fulham could find themselves in deeper trouble in the coming years.

 

Player of the Season: Dimitar Berbatov – The enigmatic Bulgarian can, on his day, be the difference between 3 points and nothing. We saw clear evidence of his talent in his technique for some of his goals this season. He does appear distant and disinterested at times, and Fulham need him to be at his best more often. But for £3.5 million, a good bargain for Martin Jol, and he repaid his faith with vital goals.

                 

Game of the Season: Fulham 3-2 QPR – The game that, in hindsight, practically sewed up Fulham’s Premier League survival, and illustrated the majority of Fulham’s season. A first half where Fulham dominated, scoring thrice (albeit with a little help from Clint Hill and Chris Samba), showing all that is good about Fulham’s game. Then, a self-destructive second half, allowing QPR to reclaim some momentum, scoring twice within six minutes to put the game on a knife-edge. Should have been comfortable, ended up nervy. That sums up Fulham’s season perfectly.

 

Summer Transfer Targets (What I Think They Need): In players like Berbatov, Bryan Ruiz, and Mark Schwarzer, Fulham have a core of quality players that should see them into the top 10. However, it is in central midfield where I perceive the most of the problem to be. Steve Sidwell is good, but with little cover or support, Fulham often find themselves overrun. Players such as QPR’s Stephane M’Bia or Celtic’s Scott Brown would be perfect at breaking the play up before handing to more flair players like Berbatov and Ruiz.

 

Transfer Gossip Links:

In:

Aleksandar Dragovic (FC Basle, RB), Yohan Mollo (AS Nancy, RW)

Out:

Dimitar Berbatov (Galatasaray), Giorgios Karagounis (???, CM)