(High) Hopes for the season ahead (2018/19)

MrsGrey

Comments split from 'transfer rumours' thread.

epsom_bubbles

My worry is that if we bring in too many players, and ship out too many familiar faces (for good or bad), we look like we have got rid of West Ham and bought a new team, just to call them West Ham. I guess if we start winning, and get up near the ‘good’ end of the division, my worries will fade and die ;wink

Cuz1

true Epsom but I’d like to be out the bottom six and start playing football with a bit of style every now and again not with fear all the time and maybe a good cup run along the way

imagelost

A good cup run, that would nice ;clap

WHU_Champo_league_in_7_years

Gonna be relaxed with my predictions for this season

It could take a while to get up to speed under Pellgrini but i still expect us to comfortably match this seasons final position

But yes, a cup run would be nice

sweepy23

A cup would be nice

claretandbluesky

I think this is the summer window we hoped for when we first moved, and had it come we would have all got very excited and optimistic about our future in the way we were encouraged to before the move.

I think last season the owners were called out about raising the supporters expectations and delivering very little so far, and so fair play to them as they have dug deep and entered this window with some ambition. Spending money is no guarantee of success but without doing so you need an awful lot of good fortune in bargains coming good. To get success we will need the manager to now play his part and the players theirs, and of course that bit of luck with injuries etc, but after the demonstrations of last season we can at least say the board have backed the manager and spent properly*.

* I will of course withdraw this view if our net spend ends up being 5m after Arnie, Mani and Ogbonna leave next week.

whupathman

This will be the test of West Ham being doomed or not, years of hope for a short time then worry about going down. Top rated manager and an exciting new squad, is this the year we start fulling dreams, or do we flirt with the bottom half again, I hope we have now moved forwards

Moojor

This is what really gets you as a supporter, we have had 8 years of "meh", Avram. BFS, Slaven, Moyes.
Now we have a manager who appears to have a plan, we are signing players who sort out our issues who also appear to actually be good and for once our owners are actually just keeping quiet.
Once again, hope rears it's ugly head. I am looking forward to the start of season, I have the feeling that THIS year is going to be the ONE.
Cups runs, no relegation fears...it is almost to much to bear before the season has already started!

Bazshuayi

I think if we had an easier start fixtures wise (to build up momentum and confidence) I'd be very confident we'd have a great season.

claretandbluesky

My hope is that we look to finish no worse than 8th with a good run in one of the cups, but most importantly that in each match we supporters feel that as the teams line up for the first whistle that we have a chance of getting something regardless of the opponents home and away, just as it was in our last season at Upton Park.

MIAHammer

I’ll be happy with a top 10 finish and safe sometime in March.
That’ll be a good start under Pellegrini and something to build upon. We need to become a consistent top 10 side before setting our goals higher.

alderz

MIA

I agree. Honestly, if we see a clear evolution in the way we play and we aren’t in relegation trouble at all I’ll be happy

Pearces_Left_Foot

I think 10th and later rounds of cups would be a good starting point then hopefully push on next season guardiola took 2 season to win the premier league with all the resources of Man City behind him

EXETERHAMMER

I do not see why we can't have a season like the first under Bilic Opening win away from home and a top 8 finish.

Cuz1

I’d be happy in a comfy top ten finish and a game plan executed with a plan b, with this in place we can then play the nice football again

Bazshuayi

With our new signings (and assuming Anderson too on Monday), outside of the top 6, who should we be afraid of? We should be aspiring to fight it out with teams like Everton for 7th

grey_til_I_dye

Baz

Aspiring, yes; expecting (not that you said you were) no.

It will almost certainly take a while for the side to gel, and to adapt to Pelle's ways.

It would be great if this were a top 8 year, but as others have said, as long as we show a clear sense of development, I'll take that.

SuzanneClaret

I’m always optimistic at the start of each season.

Let’s hope that this time I won’t be disappointed.

Yeoldhammer

Aim for 7th and a good cup run all we can ask for.

Lukerz

As last season showed, 7th is anybody's who wants it. Burnley got it last season.

The top six are more or less unreachable, unless Arsenal have a complete malfunction. The league is pretty much top six and everybody else battling to reach 40 points asap.

Deanscaleshammer

A season with no relegation worries and no self inflicted negative media stories will do me.

WHU_Champo_league_in_7_years

Id sacrifice a good few league spots though for an actuall cup run though

8th and a 5th round cup vs 15th and a final....no question what i'd pick

grey_til_I_dye

Champo

I understand what you are saying, but for me, whilst it is realistic to target a range of league positions (e.g. 8-10th), given that you have 38 games to manage it, I don't see how any team can target a cup run.

Even if the manager decided to play the strongest side available in each round, there are just too many variables.

IronHerb

We haven't spent £90m for a cup run, a high league finish is the target. The by product is that we have a much stronger squad so should we make changes for the cups we will still put out a decent team, which in itself enhances our chances.

imagelost

Can’t wait
coyi

WHU_Champo_league_in_7_years

Grey

Im not saying we should be 'targetting' a cup run nor should we be doing anything other than trying to win every game, but you always get a team every year that get to the quarters and have to make a choice whether to start resting players in the league in the hope of pushing on

My comment was more to say what i would consdier a good season as I hope we are in a comfortable enough position in the league to prioritise the cup should we get that far

whupathman

Champions ;scarf

imagelost

grey_til_I_dye said:

Champo

I understand what you are saying, but for me, whilst it is realistic to target a range of league positions (e.g. 8-10th), given that you have 38 games to manage it, I don't see how any team can target a cup run.

Even if the manager decided to play the strongest side available in each round, there are just too many variables.

Why are you against a cup run?

Brother_Sledge

this time , more than any other time ;scarf coyi

PrestonHammer

Ron's 22 or in this case Pelle's 25.