Ogbonna claims West Ham did not fall below Premier League expectations this season
West Ham defender Angelo Ogbonna has claimed that West Ham did not fail to deliver on expectations in the Premier League season, in an interview with Corriere dello Sport.
The Italian is preparing to take on a familiar opponent from his homeland as West Ham prepare for the huge occasion of the Europa Conference League final against Fiorentina on Wednesday 7 June.
In Europe, the Hammers have gone the distance to give themselves a shot at glory but it comes on the back of a 14th-place finish in the Premier League.
When asked about their domestic campaign, the former Juventus player provided a perspective that will come as a surprise to many, when it was put to him that they failed to deliver.
“Below the expectations of the fans, but I don’t think of the insiders,” he said.
“Seven new players have arrived, some with no experience in the Premier League, such as Gianluca Scamacca, held back by an injury, and Lucas Paqueta.
“It was a year of transition, but with a precise plan, which gives the coach time.”
Too close
It seems foolish to suggest that battling against relegation for much of the season was the expectation this season at West Ham, certainly not for David Moyes.
They will have had ambitions to finish further up the table, but the campaign was also impacted by the commitments of playing in the Europa Conference League on a Thursday evening.
In the end, it has worked out okay. Moyes’ men secured their top-flight status with time to spare, while they have taken themselves to the brink of major success.
Fiorentina stand in the way of West Ham and their first significant trophy success since 1980.
The expectation within the club won’t have been to win the trophy but they would have had the aim of going far. The finish line is now in sight and the Hammers have it in their own hands to go above and beyond.
That is something everyone can agree on, with the players tasked with the responsibility to seize the opportunity.