West Ham United 25/26 relegation thread

[muskie]

Odds slashed from 5/1 to 7/2.

Watch this space.

I think we're fucked.

[THUNDERCLINT]

Got a load of grief a month ago for calling it an asset strip and Sullivan happy to go down whilst pocketing cash. 

After that window leaving our squad thinner and a negative net spend.....

Where is the intent to stay up and where is the money?    Anyone care to explain..... 


 

He threw in the towel after Forest.

I hate myself for saying it, but from a financial perspective he was probably right, no point digging this hole any deeper.

[Rossal]

Got a load of grief a month ago for calling it an asset strip and Sullivan happy to go down whilst pocketing cash. 

After that window leaving our squad thinner and a negative net spend.....

Where is the intent to stay up and where is the money?    Anyone care to explain..... 

 

[Manuel]

"In West Ham's case, despite a gut-wrenching 3-2 defeat by Chelsea on Saturday night, the numbers make for slightly better reading, with the Hammers' chance of safety rated at 17.06%.

With a game against strugglers Burnley to come next week, West Ham - who looked dead and buried a month ago - are now starting to play with the freedom of a side with nothing to lose and everything to gain"

The beeb puts a stat and a bit of hope.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/arti ... dgjj6e31mo

There is no doubt at all we are looking a lot better right now, and if we carry on playing as we are we WILL win games, the question is will we win enough. We will know a lot more come Saturday tea time on our survival chances.

[Mex Martillo]

"In West Ham's case, despite a gut-wrenching 3-2 defeat by Chelsea on Saturday night, the numbers make for slightly better reading, with the Hammers' chance of safety rated at 17.06%.

With a game against strugglers Burnley to come next week, West Ham - who looked dead and buried a month ago - are now starting to play with the freedom of a side with nothing to lose and everything to gain"

The beeb puts a stat and a bit of hope.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/arti ... dgjj6e31mo

[Manuel]

I've long thought Leeds would be the one's to catch realistically. They are the newly promoted Club with a manager who will feel the pressure and someone who has struggled in the past to keep them in the division (Leeds and Norwich) so he doesn't have the know-how, Dyche does who also has a better set up at Forest. We play them last game of the season at the cesspit and I think is our best bet of staying up. What I don't want to see Friday is Leeds winning, a draw or Forest winning would feel the better outcome for me.

What a desperate fucking mess though to be in thanks to Nuno and the Owners. 

Exactly what I think, it's Leeds or no-one. All this talk about Palace and Spurs is just fanciful. They have a tough Feb and we have them at home still. We do not want them to win on Friday.

[Sir Alf]

Bless you lads. While its mathematically possible to survive, fans can still hope I guess but for me its been over since xmas. Too weak in key areas of the squad before the season began and not addressed this window.  Burnley will see us as a chance for 3 points and beat us I think especially since Kilman and Mavropanos will start. 

Sullivan is only interested in managing the cash flow now to keep the listless ship, that is West Ham, afloat for the immediate term before we go down. 

Sullivan, when we go down, will officially become the worst owner in our 126 year history.  Screwed the club over financially and as a footballing force and we will be back to where we were in the 1950s, a second tier club.

[Leonard Hatred]

Can't really see us getting out of this.

Gannin doon like a homesick mole.

[Massive Attack]

I've long thought Leeds would be the one's to catch realistically. They are the newly promoted Club with a manager who will feel the pressure and someone who has struggled in the past to keep them in the division (Leeds and Norwich) so he doesn't have the know-how, Dyche does who also has a better set up at Forest. We play them last game of the season at the cesspit and I think is our best bet of staying up. What I don't want to see Friday is Leeds winning, a draw or Forest winning would feel the better outcome for me.

What a desperate fucking mess though to be in thanks to Nuno and the Owners. 

[Mad Dog]

We're 6 behind them and a shot goal difference, they can actually win home games.
what on earth makes you think we'll overtake them?  

[Mad Ferret]

Fancy us surviving over Leeds.

[Mex Martillo]

Just a point conceded to Forest, not a great change. Still time and points. Take it game at a time blar blar blar.

[twoleftfeet]

What Burnley need is a match against us

[Sir Alf]

White flag being raised over the bowl as we speak.   

Funeral march to replace Bubbles before each game.  

A slow “death march” to the championship gets fully underway now.  

Only positive might be that it wakes up a few fans to the protests.

[Mad Dog]

Doesn't really matter if we get anyone in today to be honest.
we arent staying up, its too big of a task especially if we  dont learn from mistakes and keep throwing away leads using cowards tactics
so it makes no fucking difference

[Sir Alf]

“Thats about it”. I meant

Nothing gonna change under this owner. Will only get worse now imo.

[Sir Alf]

Thats about Leroy.

RIP West Ham Disunited

[LeroysBoots]

The club have clearly thrown the towel in, the support of the manager has been shocking. We had one of the smallest squads anyway and since Jan 1st they have asset stripped the squad in readiness for the relegation. Fullkrug, JWP, Irving, Guillherme, Paqueta, Earthy, Rodriguez,  Marshall, all shipped out. 4 after today brought in. 2 non scoring strikers, a busted flush either and a defender who has not kicked a ball in the Prem all season. Sullivan is a cսnt of the highest order 

[Westham67]

I was not a regular at Upton Park since 1998, when my work took me all over the North of England and then overseas. From memory, in the second division, depending on who we were playing, the gate would be 19,000 to 25,000, but there was an atmosphere there. It wont be there at the London stadium when it's half full

[Far Cough UKunt]

Have to beat Burnley saturday and then a huge game v Bournemouth when teams around us have harder fixtures. 

Sadly though, if we can't keep a clean sheet we have no chance of staying up. 

I also suspect the Todibo red will be something we look back on. We simply can not afford at this point to lose him for 3 games. Thankfully is one of them Burton? 

Yep. one includes Burton.

So Todibo has gone for a Burton?

[Manuel]

Have to beat Burnley saturday and then a huge game v Bournemouth when teams around us have harder fixtures. 

Sadly though, if we can't keep a clean sheet we have no chance of staying up. 

I also suspect the Todibo red will be something we look back on. We simply can not afford at this point to lose him for 3 games. Thankfully is one of them Burton? 

Yep. one includes Burton.

[Rossal]

Have to beat Burnley saturday and then a huge game v Bournemouth when teams around us have harder fixtures. 

Sadly though, if we can't keep a clean sheet we have no chance of staying up. 

I also suspect the Todibo red will be something we look back on. We simply can not afford at this point to lose him for 3 games. Thankfully is one of them Burton? 

[Sir Alf]

Yeah seems like we get slapped down quickly to remind us not toget above our station Zico.

The whole problem we all know is the owners or in our case, the controlling owner which is David Sullivan. He is not qualified to run a business like West Ham, a modern era PL elite level football club. Its really that simple. Get the right leader ( doesnt have to be an investor and can be appointed) and we have a chance of getting out of this “Groundhog Day” style loop every decade or two. Easier said than done of course as we have seen plenty of owners do even worse than Sullivan. Im convinced he’s a narcissist and that is ultimately what prevents him from beimg successful in running the club. He wants success but also has to have adoration and appreciation ( narcissistic supply or “fuel”). He cannot let go. One of the primary aims of narcissism or NPD is “control” unfortunately. He is unable to recognise he is the biggest problem and likely believes he is doing a great job.  Its the players, the managers, Steidten, Macaulay, Kretinski’s and of course the fans fault why its all gone “tits up” for a second time under his stewardship.  All very sad really for everyone connected to West Ham including Sullivan.  But we all know, some of us consciously, some unconsciously ( in denial etc ), that real footballing success, next level or whatever we want to call it, is impossible under the current owners. Accept that, try and hopefully enjoy the odd good period of results.

Anyway, Im the best part of 10 years younger than him and like many of us on WHO, we just have to hope to outlive him. But knowing our luck he’ll go on well into his 100s. 

[twoleftfeet]

We have been a candidate for being relegated most seasons in my life time ( 65 - 70 years ). We have finished top 8 in successive seasons only a handful of times across the last 70 years.  We have never reached our potential like say Villa, Everton ( pre PL era ), Spurs ( pre PL era ), Chelsea, Arsenal the North West clubs etc and that is now even more difficult in the TV money / commercial revenue era football has been in for 25-30 years.

Sullivan and Gold wanted / do want success but their hubris/egos/narcissism meant they over promised and  under delivered. But that is because, in the current era, football clubs are a business more than anything else. A brand not the factory teams of the industrial age that were lost forever in the 80s. Cearns, Pratt, Brown all underachieved because they wouldnt spend. And that was a huge factor back then.  Since the 90s its about making the most revenue and spending it well and where long term planning and a business approach matters much more.  

West Ham are in fact a failing or failed business. Our latest relegation has come because of what undermines most businesses regardless of industry. Lack of leadership, insight, long term planning and above all else the ability to listen to others.  Success comes from that and executing a well thought out long term plan.

Sullivan and Gold, want / wanted football success for West Ham but simply did not, do not and will never have the leadership qualities, foresight, vision, insight, know how on how to achieve it. Sullivan tbf has spent money but because of the aforementioned issues its all been wasted and totally ineffectual. 

This season its finally caught up. The xmas period was where we accelerated towards what will very likely be a relegation season. This Jan transfer window was the last chance at trying to avoid something that really traces back to the second half of the 2022/23 season in the league under Moyes.  The PL has got stronger every season and we have relied on there being 3 weaker teams. That has been the strategy. Short term, make it up as you go recruitment, spending. No modern infrastructure ( organisation and fixed assets ), an owner who has been totally left behind and unaware what needs to be done to modernise the club and / or simply refuses to cede control.

If a miracle occured and West Ham survived, it would be nothing more than a one season or short term reprieve. Sullivan is incapable of learning because he doesnt think he makes mistakes. His narcissism tells him its eveyone elses fault.  

We fans, of course, will keep supporting the club as its an emotional tie to our past, our families, heritage etc. We just have to hope some multi billionaires with business sense or sense enough to get in professionals and experience, buy the club before we die.  Sullivan will pop his clogs eventually so there is hope.

Only thing we can all do is try to outlive him but until then be prepared for more underachievement and disappointment. 

[zico]

Sir Alf - I find it strange that in my lifetime supporting the club failure and relegation strangely seem to follow a period of success, certainly as a club we have failed to build on a period of success. 
75 Cup Final - Relegation in 1977–78. 
85/86 we finish third - Relegation in 1988–89
01/02 finish 7th - Relegation in 02/03
05/06 9th and a Cup Final - Relegation 10/11
22/23 Europa Winners -  ??? 25/26

You could name other years when we have done ok but not built on it, under Sullivan obviously Slaven's first season stands out..  I'm sure it happens to other clubs as well but for us it's always bad recruitment or a lack of it.  Srangely the only periods of stability came over years where we didn't really have much success but were always fairly safe in the League and that came under Harry and  Allardyce ironically total opposites of the football entertainment spectrum! and Moyes until towards the end.

[Sir Alf]

We have been a candidate for being relegated most seasons in my life time ( 65 - 70 years ). We have finished top 8 in successive seasons only a handful of times across the last 70 years.  We have never reached our potential like say Villa, Everton ( pre PL era ), Spurs ( pre PL era ), Chelsea, Arsenal the North West clubs etc and that is now even more difficult in the TV money / commercial revenue era football has been in for 25-30 years.

Sullivan and Gold wanted / do want success but their hubris/egos/narcissism meant they over promised and  under delivered. But that is because, in the current era, football clubs are a business more than anything else. A brand not the factory teams of the industrial age that were lost forever in the 80s. Cearns, Pratt, Brown all underachieved because they wouldnt spend. And that was a huge factor back then.  Since the 90s its about making the most revenue and spending it well and where long term planning and a business approach matters much more.  

West Ham are in fact a failing or failed business. Our latest relegation has come because of what undermines most businesses regardless of industry. Lack of leadership, insight, long term planning and above all else the ability to listen to others.  Success comes from that and executing a well thought out long term plan.

Sullivan and Gold, want / wanted football success for West Ham but simply did not, do not and will never have the leadership qualities, foresight, vision, insight, know how on how to achieve it. Sullivan tbf has spent money but because of the aforementioned issues its all been wasted and totally ineffectual. 

This season its finally caught up. The xmas period was where we accelerated towards what will very likely be a relegation season. This Jan transfer window was the last chance at trying to avoid something that really traces back to the second half of the 2022/23 season in the league under Moyes.  The PL has got stronger every season and we have relied on there being 3 weaker teams. That has been the strategy. Short term, make it up as you go recruitment, spending. No modern infrastructure ( organisation and fixed assets ), an owner who has been totally left behind and unaware what needs to be done to modernise the club and / or simply refuses to cede control.

If a miracle occured and West Ham survived, it would be nothing more than a one season or short term reprieve. Sullivan is incapable of learning because he doesnt think he makes mistakes. His narcissism tells him its eveyone elses fault.  

We fans, of course, will keep supporting the club as its an emotional tie to our past, our families, heritage etc. We just have to hope some multi billionaires with business sense or sense enough to get in professionals and experience, buy the club before we die.  Sullivan will pop his clogs eventually so there is hope.

Only thing we can all do is try to outlive him but until then be prepared for more underachievement and disappointment.