This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…
Speaking to Football Insider, Paul Robinson has indicated that West Ham United can finish inside the top six this season despite their recent struggles.
What did he say?
The Hammers have had two distinct periods during the current campaign: before and after the Oxford United match.
After being well beaten by Manchester City on the opening day, the Hammers went on a run of six runs without defeat before the Carabao Cup tie.
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That humiliating night in Oxford was the start of a six-game run without a win, one that is still ongoing following the Newcastle United defeat.
Speaking to Football Insider, Robinson indicated that West Ham will eventually be able to get close to the early form they had, feeling that they still have a chance of making the top six: “West Ham have always got ambitions of the top-six. Let’s say there’s a different feel this year, there’s a different feel to their ambition.
“There’s a bit of credibility, there’s solidity to the feel this year. You look at the team and they’ve got reason to [believe].
“Also, the form of Tottenham and Manchester United, there’s a real opportunity there. This is the first year I think that’s a real opportunity – Leicester for example – there is a real opportunity for West Ham and Leicester to break that top-six this year.”
Looking past the current troubles
Despite the club’s current predicament, there is perhaps good reasoning behind Robinson’s comments.
It is no coincidence that Lukasz Fabianski has only played 34 minutes during this period, with it being pretty clear that results would suffer with last season’s Hammer of the Year missing through injury.
Aside from that, the club do still have various talented players, with Sebastien Haller having shown positive signs after his record-breaking transfer, scoring 4 goals and 1 assist, as well as England international Declan Rice.
Therefore, there is every likelihood the team can force through an upturn in results, especially when Fabianski is available again.
Even with the poor run of form, Manuel Pellegrini’s side are still currently only three points off sixth, so that goal is definitely not out of reach.
