It’s been a difficult season for West Ham but the club have managed to stop the rot in recent weeks, picking up crucial points against Swansea and Sunderland.
Those results have left the Hammers nine points above the relegation zone, which should be enough to secure their status, and Slaven Bilic’s side can now look up the division.
The Hammers are now just three points behind tenth-placed Watford and could mathematically finish as high as eighth, which would see the campaign end on a positive note.
Whilst a strong finish wouldn’t erase the problems of the season, January signing Jose Fonte has stated finishing in the top-half of the Premier League remains as one of the club’s targets.
Speaking to West Ham’s official website, the Portuguese defender said:
“Finishing in the top half of the table is obviously one of the targets we have. We can’t look down, we have to look up – we have to be ambitious and we have to be strong, to fight for the best for the Club and to fight for the fans.”
“We have to focus on our next game against Everton and if we win it we will be in a good position to finish the season on a high. I’m aware that it was a tough period at the start of the season.”
“If we finish in the top ten it will end up being an alright season.”
“We have to take the positives from Saturday. We can’t be too down, we’re in the Premier League and every game is tough. Sunderland are fighting for their lives, they have good players up front – Jermain Defoe is one of the best strikers in England – so it’s not easy.”
“We’ve taken four points from two games, and considering the run we were on before I think that’s positive, but of course we’re disappointed because we should have won on Saturday.”
West Ham will now be preparing for a difficult end to the campaign, which sees them clash with Stoke, Liverpool, Spurs & Burnley after this weekend’s home tie with Everton.
