Hammers go into the business end of the season with all their hopes and aspirations now pinned on the UEFA Europa League Cup, qualification for Europe via League position is now virtually academic given the club's inability to capitalise on other clubs poor results.
This observation is not meant to be a criticism of the players and staff who have mostly given their all for the cause, but a reality check of a club that is trying to mix it with the big boys but on a children's take away budget! It is not to say money hasn't been spent on the squad, unfortunately some of the investment has been more long term and at a low level for the Premier League.
Kurt Zouma WAS a big big signing, this shows in his on field performances which have helped the other defenders reach a different level, unfortunately the same cannot be said for Nikola Vlasic and to some extent Sáid Benrahma. The situation regarding Benrahma is still unclear, it is rumoured that David Moyes did NOT want to sign the ex-Brentford forward permanently instead of on loan but his hand was forced due to 'economic reasons'. This seems a little strange, the loan deal being made permanent ahead of schedule DID free up the club to sign Les 'Ballon' Dawson on loan which WAS an astounding bit of business, but was there more to it than that?
The club's annual accounts had an 'veiled entry' regarding a substantial player insurance pay out, the club is not obligated to detail which player was involved, it could have been for Declan Rice, but the figures involved seem much higher and indicate a 'settlement' regarding Benrahma's medical condition that was flagged up.
At the end of the day things are what they are, the club goes into the next fortnight knowing it is the biggest in over 40 YEARS! There is still a chance of glory, but it is an incredibly uphill task for such a 'big club' operating on such a tiny budget and with a microscopic sized squad compared to it's rivals.
The club has reached a turning point, in the Premier League it is necessary to invest just to maintain a club's top division status but to progress needs careful but well backed acquisitions, especially given the average age of the current squad, as they say in the business world, invest or die. - LN
