The Premier League table doesn’t make grim reading for West Ham, but it’s quite telling how far the club has fallen behind in recent times.
The Hammers currently sit 14th in the EPL, and it doesn’t seem like an unjust position. In fact, when I look at Manchester United in 13th or even Brentford in 11th, I don’t see many teams that West Ham will finish above this season.
Fulham have disappeared off into the distance, but if we’re honest, they had moved ahead last season, having beaten the Hammers 5-0 and 2-0 respectively.
Aston Villa and Brighton are so far ahead in terms of club infrastructure and leadership that it’s probably not worth even factoring them in. It’s important to remember that when David Moyes was appointed for his second stint as West Ham manager, Aston Villa had just been promoted and were below us in the Premier League.
Rivals impressive infrastructure
They clearly have an excellent manager in Unai Emery, but the infrastructure behind him is immense. West Ham’s head coach Lopetegui has a match analyst based in Sevilla who reviews games and upcoming opponents. Emery, by contrast, has a team of over 20 analysts at Villa Park, all hand-picked by himself.
The difference is so stark it’s barely worth the comparison. However, the fact that clubs like Fulham, Brentford, Bournemouth, and Nottingham Forest seem to have moved so far ahead is a concern.
Whilst the Irons continue to wait for Lopetegui’s tactics to click into place, other, more agile coaches are moving forward with faster teams as the Premier League appears to have gone up a gear in intensity.
West Ham may have gone backwards, but at best, we’ve stood still. Unfortunately, this has happened at a time when almost everyone else has improved. Thankfully, there are at least three worse teams than us this season, but unless the Irons hierarchy gets their house in order, traditionally second-tier teams will be out of reach this season.
