Saturday’s clash at the London Stadium is more than just another fixture—it’s a pivotal moment in West Ham’s season. The Hammers are mired in a relegation battle, sitting 18th in the table as we head into our 18th game of the season, and there’s no getting away from it, form and morale are at a worrying low. Forget all the talk about resurgence under Nuno, we are now six points adrift (if you take goal difference into account) and how many games have we won recently? Our last six league games have failed to produce a single win and just three points from three draws. That’s relegation form.
Fulham, meanwhile, arrive in better shape, unbeaten in their last ten London derbies and with a more balanced squad. They’ve won four of their last six league games, but in a tight division, although they are 13th in the table, they are just four points away from sixth place. Recent meetings have favoured Fulham, with West Ham winless in the last three encounters and suffering heavy defeats in previous derbies.
Predictions from analysts and betting sites suggest Fulham are favourites, with West Ham’s defensive frailties and lack of attacking threat making a home win unlikely. The Hammers have conceded in every home game this season and have one of the worst home records in the league.
Our struggles are rooted in a combination of poor recruitment, tactical confusion, and a lack of clear direction from the top. The club has cycled through managers—Julen Lopetegui, Graham Potter, and now Nuno Espirito Santo—without finding stability or a coherent playing style. The squad has been reshuffled, but new signings have failed to make a significant impact, and key departures (such as Declan Rice) have left a leadership void.
On the pitch, the problems are clear, defensive lapses, especially at set pieces and in aerial duels, players out of position leading to a lack of cohesion, poor discipline with a high number of fouls and cards and a worrying inability to convert chances into goals. The atmosphere at the London Stadium has also suffered, with fans feeling disconnected and apathetic, further compounding the team’s lack of confidence.
Who is to blame? While managers have taken much of the criticism, expert analysis and fan sentiment increasingly point to the board, particularly David Sullivan and Karen Brady, as the root cause. Poor decisions in the transfer market, questionable managerial appointments, and a lack of long-term strategy have left the club adrift. The recruitment failures and boardroom mismanagement are more to blame than the managers themselves. The club’s identity has been eroded since the move to the London Stadium and promises of a “world-class team” have not materialised.
There’s also blame to be shared among the players, who have not performed to their potential, and the managers, who have struggled to impose a clear tactical identity. However, the underlying structural issues mean that even talented individuals have been unable to thrive.
The importance of retaining Premier League status and the financial and sporting consequences cannot be underestimated. Relegation would be catastrophic for West Ham. The club stands to lose up to £120 million in revenue from TV rights, ticket sales, and sponsorships if we drop to the Championship. This would not only impact the ability to attract and retain top players but could also lead to further instability and decline.
The Premier League’s financial gap with the Championship is ever-widening, and survival is essential for maintaining the club’s profile, competitiveness, and future prospects. The new financial regulations (Squad Cost Ratio) will also make it harder for clubs to recover from relegation, increasing the stakes for West Ham.
Historically, teams in 18th place at Christmas have survived two-thirds of the time, but the odds are against those in the bottom three. Our situation is precarious, but not yet hopeless; recent seasons have seen dramatic escapes, but only with decisive action and improved performances.
Saturday’s game is beginning to look like a must-win for West Ham. Unless we turn recent results around in the next six games (which are as winnable as it gets in the Premier League) then we can start to prepare for trips to Blackburn, Swansea and Wrexham and, dare I say it, Millwall (that’s if they don’t change places with us!). The team needs to show resilience, tactical discipline, and attacking intent to have any hope of climbing out of the relegation zone. The board must act decisively in the January transfer window, addressing squad weaknesses and supporting the manager. Above all, the club needs unity—between fans, players, and leadership—to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past and secure our Premier League future.
If West Ham fail to turn things around, the consequences will be severe—not just for this season, but for the club’s long-term health and identity.
Merry Christmas everyone!
Under The Hammers 
And a Merry Christmas to you too!! It’s very sad, but very true, that we are in such a hell of a mess. How one club could have made so many poor decisions seems remarkable until you think about the common thread. The stadium thing isn’t great, but it really wouldn’t matter a jot if the team was doing well. What has been catastrophic, in fact little short of criminal, is our player recruitment and retention. From A to Z – Anderson to Zouma by way of Haller and Fulkrug we have consistently and unerringly ballsed it up. The list is way too long ( much simpler to list the few successes) to go into here, and you know who they are at least as well as I do. Whatever the causes and whoever is responsible, the fact is that the next four games will decide our fate. Crumble now and we are gone. Hope springs eternal. COYI. Mike.
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Spot on Mike – the stadium wouldn’t get a mention if we were even moderately successful.
I reckon six games will decide. If we are out of the bottom three by then we’ll have a chance of staying up. But if there’s still a gap …..
All the best
Richard
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After reading that, my only reply can be, HUMBUG. LOL
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