Jamie O’Hara rips into West Ham for ‘problem’ they cannot avoid as relegation looks nailed on
West Ham could be waving goodbye to Premier League football for the first time since 2011 after their torrid run continued on Saturday.
West Ham were beaten 1-0 by Fulham at the London Stadium as Raul Jimenez’s second-half strike punished an Ollie Scarles miskick.
In another abject performance by Nuno Espirito Santo’s men, the Hammers extended their winless run to seven matches, while leaving themselves five points from safety.
Nuno’s side are relying on Nottingham Forest and Leeds United collapsing to stand any chance of surviving in the top-flight, and unfortunately, West Ham’s chances of Premier League survival are looking increasingly unlikely for that reason.
Jamie O’Hara says London Stadium is the biggest ‘problem’
Supporters have been unhappy with the club since moving from Upton Park to the London Stadium in 2016. The Irons were once known for creating a hostile atmosphere at their former ground, and that is the complete opposite at their current arena.
Due to the distance between the spectators and the pitch, it’s challenging for fans to create an atmosphere, making it difficult for teams to win away from home.
Unlike Leeds and Forest – who are known for their incredible home atmospheres – West Ham’s biggest ‘problem’ is how ‘toxic’ the London Stadium is, according to Jamie O’Hara, and he pins that down to the owners.
“Leeds, Elland Road can be a fortress if they get it right,” O’Hara said on talkSPORT. “Sunderland have been superb.
“The problem West Ham have got is at home, it’s so toxic, the atmosphere is so bad and the fans have had enough of the football they’re watching, had enough of the owners.
“So when they’re turning up, the atmosphere is all wrong, plus the stands are miles away from the pitch…but they can’t change that, there’s nothing you can do.
“I’m just looking at it going, they are done. Gone. This is the season West Ham go down.”
West Ham have an even bigger problem
West Ham are nailed on to suffer relegation to the Championship, and not even their appointment of Nuno has changed the tide.
Graham Potter was sacked by the club in September, and straight away, many expected to see an immediate impact from Nuno.
There have been glimpses of his style working, but sadly, the results haven’t backed up what he is trying to achieve, and Nuno is currently the worst West Ham manager in Premier League history.
| West Ham managers with worst points per game in Premier League history |
| Nuno Espirito Santo – 0.77 |
| Avram Grant – 0.89 |
| Graham Potter – 1 |
| Gianfranco Zola – 1.11 |
| Julen Lopetegui – 1.15 |
This is a statistic the Portuguese will want to change, and fast, but as it stands, the Irons are sleepwalking to relegation and not even sacking the manager again can transform their survival chances.
Enjoyed this article? Stay connected with all the latest West Ham United news, updates, and behind-the-scenes content by following us on our new Instagram account – @westhamzone247