West Ham United are sitting in the Premier League’s top six ahead of Sunday’s fixtures, with the London club exceeding many of the supporters’ pre-campaign expectations after 12 games.
A lack of transfer activity and the failure to bring in any new stars of reputation had the Hammers fans worried about 2020-21 and an opening day home defeat to Newcastle added to these concerns.
However, West Ham have certainly turned things around since then, with a hard-fought and deserved 2-1 win over Leeds United at Elland Road on Friday night another positive step forward.
One man, above all others, deserves real praise for this promising start to the campaign and leading the club to succeed in trying circumstances.
David Moyes has made the West Ham team his own, with the signings of Vladimir Coufal, Tomas Soucek and Said Benrahma clearly on his direction.
The Hammers team has found an internal belief and there is a commitment to the cause that has not been seen in recent seasons.
West Ham have also shown the tactical and technical versatility to switch formations on a number of occasions this season, with the latest team iteration a 4-4-1-1 set-up against Leeds.
There has been no bedding-in period as the shape has switched, with the side recording positive results and putting in excellent performances consistently in 2020-21.
Many West Ham fans were critical of Moyes’ appointment the first time around, but the Scottish manager kept the club in the Premier League after succeeding Slaven Bilic in 2017-18.
Many supporters questioned the logic when the 57-year-old was reappointed last year but few can doubt him now after the most promising start to a Premier League season for the Hammers in recent memory.
Moyes has not been backed financially but has got on with the job and made West Ham a compact, organised, motivated and dangerous side – he deserves all the credit for recent positive results.