Before delving into the minutiae of West Ham United’s upcoming campaign, it’s worth noting that this is a hallmark season for the London club. It’s their last season at the iconic Boleyn Ground before they become the new tenants of the capital’s Olympic Stadium and they’ll be desperate to sign off with a sequence to be proud of.

While the club are saying farewell to a familiar venue during this term, there’ll be a lot new about West Ham when they do take to the field this time out. Slaven Bilic’s rockstar style of management is fair few shades removed from the functionality of Sam Allardyce and some glamorous signings are a sign of the club’s ever-growing gravitas.

But there have been small signs in pre-season that things may not go according to plan. After all, the Hammers have already been knocked out of the Europa League after some turbulent matches and the tone set coming into the Premier League grind isn’t an overwhelmingly positive one.

Bilic should be a breath of fresh air, though, and with a bolstered squad, West Ham will be hopeful of capping what’ll be an emotional few months with some standout displays.

 

Best XI 

 

Reasons to be Positive

As aforementioned, West Ham have picked up some reputable talent from the continent. Angelo Ogbonna was rated as one of Italy’s best young defenders before moving to Juventus and having his playing time cut down, while Dmitri Payet is an effervescent creative midfielder. They’ll both immediately improve the core of this side.

Question marks do still linger over Bilic, but his extroverted antics and attacking team selections should awaken a fanbase that have been in something of a lull in recent seasons. They’ll want to savor every remaining minute at the Boleyn Ground and a team that plays daring football will make things a lot sweeter for the supporters.

 

Reasons to be Negative

There are already signs that this team will lose the disciplinary streak which Allardyce was so revered for. In the previous four Europa League matches the Hammers have picked up three red cards; Bilic will want his sides to play in a high-octane and aggressive style, but there’s a line which the Croatian will need to ensure his plays don’t cross.

The manner in which the squad faded so badly late on suggested there wasn’t enough depth available to Allardyce. Bilic has been active enough in the window, but there remain voids in various areas of the squad, most notably up front and in central midfield, where Bilic may find it tough to replicate the influence of last season’s star man Alex Song.

 

Key Player – Dmitri Payet

The most exciting summer purchase for the Hammers is Payet, who brings a glittering reputation with him from southern France to east London. Looking at the squad, the Frenchman is likely to be the player that shoulders the bulk of the creative responsibility, especially with Stewart Downing leaving the club.

Payet does have all the tools to rejuvenate the West Ham attack, though. Not only does he possess quick feet and a sharp turn of pace, but the 28-year-old has a visionary eye for a pass and should relish being handed a central role off the striker. If he can settle in quickly, Payet has all the attributes to light up the Boleyn Ground in 2015-16.

 

Prediction – 12th

Bilic is unproven as a Premier League manager but has the vim and vigor to steer the club to a strong start. The worrying thing is whether there’s anything left underpinning the Croatian’s motivational skills, not to mention if the creaking squad can cope with playing what’s likely to be a much more energetic style of football.

There are some very good players for West Ham to call upon and Payet has all the makings of a Premier League star. So expect plenty of moments to savor in what’s a hallmark season in the club’s history, but at the moment a top half finish is beyond the Hammers.

 

 

Expert Opinion – Robin Burt (World Soccer Talk)

For the football romantics out there, the upcoming season represents an emotional one for the claret and blue fans, as they finally say goodbye to the Boleyn ground, the Hammer’s home for over 110 years.  For the 2016/17 season, West Ham’s new home will be at the recently renovated London Olympic Stadium, increasing the capacity from 35,000 to 54,000. These are exciting times for West Ham, you can smell the expectation from the owners as they look to bolster the squad with better quality players, the introduction of Slaven Bilic and a possible European adventure for those that care for it.

The hiring of Slaven Bilic represents a bold move by the owners, bringing in a manager that has never managed in the Premier league before. Personally, I believe it is a masterstroke by the owners to acquire a quality, forward thinking manager and a fan favorite when he played for the Hammers back in 1996/7. West ham should also be grateful for what Big Sam did for them over the past 4 seasons, he brought them up from the Championship and helped to stabilize the club in the Prem.

As for the summer signings, there has been no shortage of incoming players.  The biggest signing to date has to be French international, Dmitri Payet from Marseille.  He represents the main cog in what will be a new look West Ham team. Bilic will look to build the team around him, a player that loves to play on the front foot and play a quick vertical ball. Other notable acquisitions include Manuel Lanzini from Al-Jazira another quality talent that loves to take on players, Pedro Obiang, U21 Spanish international from Sampdoria to help bolster the midfield, another loan deal with Carl Jenkinson and the purchase of Angelo Ogbonna from Juventus to bring some extra steel to the back line.

All signs are pointing to a team that is being molded in the “West Ham” way.  Aside from the activity in the transfer window, West Ham are currently in the process of qualifying for the Europa League. The hipsters among us with enjoy those midweek trips to eastern Europe should they qualify, which right now looks questionable based on their recent performances.  Prediction for the season: West Ham finish 8th, respectable and an improvement on last season. COYI!

 

Follow Matt on Twitter @MattJFootball