WHZ View: Expect different atmosphere when West Ham fans return
The London Stadium has become a bit of a fortress in the absence of the fans. Since the restart in June 2020, West Ham have lost just five times at home in 18 matches.
There are no secrets to be made of the initial teething problems with the stadium move. It is never going to be Upton Park, but the transformation at the club in the last 12 months has been amazing. The players and staff have made West Ham away a difficult fixture again for the rest of the division, and they should be proud.
David Moyes has changed the whole mentality of the football club, and has signed very well in the transfer market. There are a whole host of heroes who are yet to really experience the sort of atmosphere and support that we’re famous for giving out players. And a kick up the back-side, if necessary.
If everything goes to plan with regards to the Government’s road map, we may not have to wait much longer. Finally, the likes of Coufal, Lingard, Benrahma, and Dawson will receive the welcome they deserve from our fantastic fanbase.
We could see 10,000 fans back inside the London Stadium for the last game of the Premier League season. It could be a huge game, too, as we host Southampton.
Ironically, the last team we played at home in a full stadium were the Saints. There’s something poetic in the story of them being the last and next visitors (with more than 2,000 fans). Feelings at the club were certainly different, though, the last time the two sides met in London.
Ahead of the 3-1 home victory, West Ham were without a win in five league matches. Losses to Leicester, Manchester City and twice to Liverpool made from grim viewing, as we were 18th in the table on 24 points. An astonishing 15 league defeats in 27 matches.
The 3-3 draw at home to Brighton in the middle of that run left the fans at breaking point, after we conceded two late sloppy goals to throw away a win. We hadn’t picked up three points since January 1st, nearly two months prior.
This Southampton clash was a shining light in our season, and a sign of things to come under Moyes. Jarrod Bowen, starting in the Premier League for the first time for the Hammers, scored early to give us the lead. He was the second signing made by the boss in his second reign, after Tomas Soucek.
What we’ve achieved since then with Bowen, Soucek and the rest of the arrivals has been extraordinary. Surely then, the atmosphere and general feeling around the club will be in much better spirits up our (hopeful) return before the season is out.
The players of this campaign, and those in the last who kept us up, deserve a heroes reception and we’re sure we’ll give it to them. This season could be the start of something beautiful at West Ham. We never thought we’d say it, but we can’t wait to get back into the London Stadium.
In other West Ham news, is there hope for Antonio with the England squad?