West Ham are 2 positions off the drop zone on the Premier League table only on goal difference, and while there are still 29 games to go, early indications hint at another season of struggle for the Hammers.
Not a lot of people have mentioned West Ham and relegation in the same sentence thus far, but Sky Sports pundit and Manchester United legend Gary Neville appears to have done something close in a recent comment.
Speaking on Sky Sports following last Friday’s Hammers’ 3-0 loss to Brighton in front of their home fans, the former Valencia manager said: “That was woeful from West Ham, when I think back of Sunderland last year, fans walking out of the ground.
“I think of that QPR team from four or five years ago who were a disgrace, I think of what I’ve seen here tonight.
“There aren’t many times when you can think of that, where there’s that disconnect where the fans just walk out en masse and that’s a real problem when fans walk out I think because that’s what owners look at, but I hope he stays Slaven Bilic.”
Both Sunderland and QPR started their last campaigns in the topflight on a poor note and ended up relegating.
None of the Championship duo looks like a team capable of returning to the Premier League anytime soon, and if there is a blueprint on how not to survive a relegation battle, West Ham are following it to a tee.
Losing to teams far below them in quality, and failing to challenge teams they recently used to provide stiff competition for have been second nature to the Hammers since last term.
They travel to Selhurst Park by weekend to face fellow strugglers Crystal Palace.
A loss and it could be the end of manager Slaven Bilic West Ham career.
It could also signify trouble for the team going forward, as they are definitely one of the worst 5 sides in the league right now.
