Another year over and a new one just begun

Well it's the end of 2024 and some unwanted records for the Irons. West Ham conceded 87 goals in the calendar year, the most of any Premier League club and the most goals the Hammers have conceded since 1967 (when we had Bobby Moore, strangely enough). 

The year began with West Ham sixth in the league and going well under David Moyes. But form has been poor since and you do wonder what might have happened if West Ham hadn't employed a technical director and alienated Moyes, who has just received a OBE. Could Moyes have turned it round with his own signings rather than Tim Steidten's? Though the defensive malaise definitely started under Moyes last season as Zouma's knees creaked and WHU let in six against Arsenal and five at Palace, Fulham, Liverpool and Chelsea.This time round under Lopetegui we've also let Liverpool score five twice and Arsenal beat us 5-2.

But there were some highlights of 2024 most notably a run to the quarter-finals of the Europa League and the epic 5-0 demolition of Freiburg and running unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen very close in the 1-1 draw at the London Stadium. Plus there was Bowen's hat-trick at home to Brentford and a 2-2 draw with Liverpool and George Earthy's goal against Luton, though there's not been too much to enjoy this season. 

On a personal note it was also the year we lost our fellow season-ticket holder Fraser Massey, so thanks to Sinead and all at the Saint Francis Hospice in Havering for their great care of him in his final weeks. Fraser is hopefully now telling Ron Greenwood to play a few more forwards.

Let's hope 2025 is a better year for the Hammers — and at least we're (hopefully) not going down like Man United. Happy New Year!

A good year for the Irons

2021 has been quite a year for West Ham. We've seen the Hammers finish sixth in the Premier League and 10,000 fans return to the London Stadium for the final game the 2020-21 lockdown season. West Ham have played six games in the Europa League, with more to come. Declan Rice has emerged as the best midfielder in England, Antonio has become a great striker and more importantly his hamstrings have stayed untwanged, Ogbonna (until his injury) and Fabianski have remained quietly consistent, Cresswell has provided bags of assists and Fornals and Benrahma have emerged as quality midfielders, while Jesse Lingard had an exceptional loan spell at WHU.

This season the crowds have been back and the London Stadium has started to feel more like home. Astonishingly we've seen West Ham beat Man United, Spurs, Man City, Liverpool and Chelsea in cup and league games. We've ended the year with a 4-1 win at Watford and some of the away wins have been most impressive; 3-2 at Palace, 3-2 at Wolves, 3-1 at Aston Villa, 2-1 at Burnley, 3-1 at West Brom, 4-2 at Newcastle, 2-1 at Leeds, 1-0 at Everton, 4-1 at Villa. Not the sort of thing a West Ham side normally does. Well done to David Motes and his men and a Happy New Year to all readers of Hammers in the Heart.