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West Ham’s Forgettable Season: A Tale of Underperformance and Apathy
As the final minutes of the match tick away, West Ham fans begin to desert the London Stadium in droves. Evan Ferguson’s shot, comfortably saved by Brentford’s goalkeeper Mark Flekken, is the catalyst for this mass exodus, even though there are still 15 minutes of play remaining. This scene of apathy is not an uncommon sight when a struggling team is on the field, but it’s particularly jarring to witness it in the 80th minute.
By the final whistle, the stands are dotted with thousands of empty white and claret seats, and the mood among the remaining fans is one of quiet resignation. “Bring back Lopetegui,” one fan shouts, as a smattering of boos greet the end of an utterly miserable afternoon. The remark is likely made in jest, but it reflects the growing discontent among the Hammers’ faithful.
West Ham’s fall from grace has been swift and unforgiving. In 2023, they won a European trophy, but the following year, they finished a disappointing ninth in the Premier League. Now, in the 2024-25 season, they find themselves mired in 16th place, out of both cups, and with no realistic chance of European qualification. This is a far cry from the progress and ambition that the club had promised its supporters.
A Season of Underachievement and Confusion
The current state of affairs at West Ham is both perplexing and depressing. The club has enjoyed a consistent spending power, with only six Premier League clubs outstripping their £271 million net spend over the last five years. They have also boasted the second-largest attendances in the country, with an average of 62,371 fans filling the London Stadium.
Yet, despite these advantages, West Ham are enduring what can only be described as a “pointless season.” They spent £120 million on new players last summer, but the results have been underwhelming, with the team scoring just 29 goals in 25 league matches and languishing in the lower half of the table.
The club’s management has been in a state of flux, with David Moyes departing at the end of last year, Julen Lopetegui being sacked in January, and technical director Tim Steidten being dismissed in February. The arrival of Graham Potter has not provided the promised new-manager bounce, with the team managing just one win in six games under his stewardship.
This defeat to Brentford is a microcosm of West Ham’s futile season. The game starts badly, with Brentford scoring early, and the visitors could have easily been 5-0 up by half-time. The atmosphere at the London Stadium is as lifeless as a funeral, with the players walking onto the pitch in near silence and the away fans chanting, “You sold your soul, for this s***hole.”
The London Stadium itself has been a major factor in the team’s struggles, with the vast distance between the stands and the pitch creating a disconnect between the players and the fans. The lack of atmosphere and the corporate feel of the stadium have further eroded the sense of community and belonging that once characterized West Ham’s home games.
All of this reflects poorly on the club’s ownership, with David Sullivan coming under increasing scrutiny. While Daniel Levy, the chairman of Tottenham Hotspur, is facing a barrage of criticism, Sullivan appears to be spared similar levels of scrutiny, despite Brentford – a club that spent 66 of the previous 67 years at least one division below West Ham – now having a better-run organization, a better team, and a better atmosphere.
The only glimmer of hope lies in the performance of Evan Ferguson, the young striker on loan from Brighton. His energetic debut and the brief period of positivity it inspired in the stadium suggest that there may be a way forward for West Ham, but it’s a long way from the club fulfilling its potential.
Call to Action:
As West Ham’s players trudge off the pitch, the realization sets in that this is a season the club and its supporters will want to forget. With 13 games still to go, the challenge for the team and its new manager, Graham Potter, will be to find a way to restore some positivity and purpose to the club’s campaign. Only then can West Ham start to rebuild and reclaim their rightful place in the Premier League hierarchy.
