Some fans fear a relegation battle beckons. The optimistic reading, though, is that this is the real start of the Potter era
Guardian writers’ predicted position: 15th (NB: this is not necessarily Jacob Steinberg’s prediction but the average of our writers’ tips)
Last season’s position: 14th
The danger for West Ham is that this is the season when their dysfunction catches up with them. They have regressed since winning the Uefa Conference League two years ago, too many misguided moves preventing them from kicking on, and rebuilding has not been simple. Funds are tight after a series of costly errors in the transfer market and Graham Potter is yet to demonstrate he is capable of silencing the familiar sound of grumbling at the London Stadium.
Some fans fear a relegation battle beckons. West Ham underwhelmed last season, attempts to move on from David Moyes’s pragmatism by replacing the Scot with Julen Lopetegui proving predictably short-lived. They finished 14th, their improvement marginal after Potter replaced Lopetegui in January, a subsequent run of five wins in 19 games telling its own story.
