Credit: Imago

West Ham Zone Speaking to Ian Darke

Sat 1 March 2025 7:10, UK

West Ham United have rekindled some form as they look to finish as positively in the Premier League this season as possible.

Clean sheets in each of their last two wins – the 1-0 success at Arsenal followed by the 2-0 win over Leicester City on Thursday night (27 February) – have injected some glee back into the support-base at the London Stadium.

Graham Potter is figuring out who to build his team around ahead of next year, which is expected to be when the Irons can have a proper crack at it after nosediving under Julen Lopetegui during the first half of 2024-25.

West Ham got it ‘wrong’, summer approach interesting

West Ham will not be able to spend to the extent they did last summer when the end of the season rolls around, according to Ian Darke.

The TV commentator exclusively told West Ham Zone that after the £100million-plus spree of the last off-season, the Hammers will have to apply more care around financial constraints and PSR.

Darke predicts Potter will “mould what he’s got” in the summer, having masterminded an upturn in fortune since Julen Lopetegui’s sorry spell of just 22 games in charge.

“I think this season’s in danger of just dribbling away into nothing, so it’s a case now of giving the fans something to cheer and get excited about for what remains of this season,” he said.

“Maybe they can climb the table a few places. They spent huge amounts last summer and it hasn’t happened – they made the wrong appointment in Lopetegui and Potter came in too late to save their season.

“It will be interesting to see what they can do but I would expect with financial regulations being what they are, there won’t be a huge splurge again – more just Potter trying to mould what he’s got.”

Hammers look to end season strongly

West Ham have enjoyed six points within the past week, and now have some time off before hosting Newcastle United on 10 March.

Trips to Everton and Wolves then take place either side of the turn of the month, with barely any football to be played on the Premier League scene throughout March due to breaks for cup competitions and internationals.

In terms of any kind of push for the top half, the Irons are still nine points behind 10th-placed Aston Villa but have played a game fewer, while sitting five points behind Brentford in 11th having both played 27 matches.