The 2015/16 season has been a joy for all West Ham United fans.
We have experienced many highs and so little lows (which for a West Ham season is a surprise!). But as the season slowly rolls to a finish I would just like to summarise how I think the mighty Hammers will do in this completely unpredictable Premier League campaign.
Europe is definitely still on the cards, and I believe we will qualify for the Europa League. Any West Ham will know we are on an outstanding FA Cup run and I do think we will lift the FA Cup this season, too. And with the great shape of our Premier League standing I believe, along with many others, our qualification will be safe with both the league finishing place and as champions of the FA Cup.
This season, our squad has really stepped up a class and it is showing in our performances.
And where do we start with Dimitri Payet? My word! Isn’t he just amazing? He’s tricky, fast, nimble, skillful and seems to be in love with West Ham, which is why we love him. But what he does is mesmerising. Little flicks, turns, nutmegs, cross-field passes, clever reading of play – it all adds up to one of the best players to ever embraced the Upton Park pitch.
He really is brilliant and by far one of the best players in the Premier League. It’s amazing to see the love for him in such a short time, which it’s some thing I’ve never seen so drastically and on this scale before. Everybody is genuinely in love with him! Watching him dart in and out of defenders reminds me of playing FIFA against my mates. Everything just looks so easy!
But our squad depth in general is just brilliant and we really do have some gems on our hands, such as Lanzini, Kouyatè, Obiang, Sakho, Enner Valencia, and Michail Antonio, who is turning out to be a brilliant player. Meanwhile, Cresswell, Ogbonna, Reid, Byram and the likes of Tomkins and Noble have really stepped up this year and proved just how good and deep this West Ham squad is.
But let’s not forget the man in the technical area, in his beanie hat and his hands-on-knees crouching tiger stance. Super Slav! His passion is next level and the fans really enjoy the passion.
What Slav has done to West Ham this season is truly inspiring and I’m sure, like me, the rest of the West Ham fan base are excited for a long and successful reign under Super Slav!
Not only has our squad strength and depth increased, the passion has too. I really enjoy waking up on a Saturday morning knowing West Ham will put in a good shift and battle right to the end. Norwich home and away is a perfect example, 2-1 down at home, deep into additional time. A West Ham team of five years ago would have liked to see the game out and accept they lost but this year everything is different. We were pushing forward and setting Norwich on the back foot, and bang. The goal came and the crowd erupts knowing we deserved that point.
And away, 2-0 down just after half time. A bit of tactical magic from Billic changed the game and that gorgeous strike from Noble really showed how much he loves West Ham and the passion he has for the club, the players and the fans.
All in all, as a religious watcher of West Ham, I’m very confident this season will be a good one!
