Fan's column: Remarkable turnaround for West Ham in the past year
Kwame Boakye
West Ham United's Tomas Soucek celebrates scoring his side's first goal of the game during the Premier League match at Goodison Park, Liverpool. - Credit: PA
With almost half the season gone we find ourselves seven points from the summit of English football and 15 from the dreaded trap door. The turnaround of fortunes in just 12 short months is truly remarkable.
Last season we only won 10 games, this campaign we already have amassed seven and there’s still 21 to go.
The triumph at Goodison Park was a showcase of what West Ham under David Moyes have become; we’re a gritty side, horrible to play against, difficult to beat and we always carry an attacking threat.
West Ham United's Declan Rice and manager David Moyes celebrate after the Premier League match at Goodison Park, Liverpool. - Credit: PA
Tomas Soucek is now our top scorer in the Premier League with five goals. Signed last January to help the fight against the drop, he is now spearheading an unlikely charge for a Europa League spot.
With the transfer window now open thoughts inevitably turn to who we can recruit to strengthen, as the lure of European nights looms large on a season that has all the hallmarks and unpredictability of the infamous 2015-16 campaign.
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It’s hard to see the powers that be getting their collective chequebook out in the manner they did last January. They didn’t have a choice then as we toiled in yet another relegation struggle; but with us in the comfort of mid-table serenity where is the urgency and incentive to spend?
Attentions now turn to the FA Cup and Stockport away. After our recent history of going out of cup competitions to lower league opposition nothing can be taken for granted.
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However, for the first time in many moons we are not embroiled in a relegation battle and can afford to take the cup seriously and not see it as a distraction.
Whilst it’s important to give squad players a chance, we need to field a relatively strong side. Going out of the cup would deflate what has been the most encouraging campaign we have witnessed since the last season at Upton Park.
Why can’t we go on and win it this season? In recent years the likes of Wigan, Birmingham and Swansea have all tasted cup glory; why can’t we add our name to that list?
We can beat anyone on our day, this side has proven its character consistently this season; now is the time to attack the cup and try to win it.
