West Ham remains one of England’s best and most loved clubs, although it’s fair to say that success has managed to elude them throughout the Premier League era.
In fact, the Hammers’ last major trophy was won in 1980, when a side that had been relegated from the top-flight two years previously lifted the FA Cup.
However, this could be about to change this season, with West Ham currently second favourites to win the UEFA Conference League. You can check out the hugestakes.com promo codes for stake bet before wagering on this outcome, at an average price of around 9/2.
But should the Hammers win this trophy this season, especially when you consider the quality of the competition and the investment made in the first team this summer? Let’s find out!
How Have West Ham Progressed so Far?
Of course, West Ham have recent form in Europe, having reached the semifinals of last season’s Europa League before being edged out over two legs by Eintracht Frankfurt.
While this was a source of immense disappointment for many, a seventh-place EPL finish in 2021/22 has ensured that the club earned another crack at Europe during this campaign, albeit in the third-tier Europa Conference League.
Still, this has afforded West Ham a much better chance of success, while the Hammers have already progressed serenely through the group stage with five wins and a 100% record.
In fact, the recent 1-0 home win against Silkeborg left West Ham nine points clear of the Danes in second place, while they’d already secured top spot in the group after beating Anderlecht 2-1 during the previous round of fixtures.
This means that West Ham will take their place automatically in the round of 16, rather than having to potentially face one of the sides that finishes third in the Europa League group stages.
How Likely is it That West Ham will Lift the Title?
Of course, the fact as many as eight sides may drop into the knockout stages from the Europa League may complicate the Hammers’ path to success, while also changing the odds published by sportsbooks.
After all, this number could include sides like Lazio, Braga, Bodø/Glimt or even last season’s Conference League winners Roma, each of whom would be fancied if they progressed deep into the tournament.
At the same time, we should note that West Ham are already only second favourites to win the Conference League, with Spanish side Villareal currently the most fancied among sportsbooks.
Although the side has recently lost their influential manager and European specialist Unai Emery to Aston Villa, they retain an experienced squad blessed with technically excellent and able players, while it should be noted that they reached the UEFA Champions League semis last season (knocking out Bayern Munich along the way).
Other dangerous sides include AZ Alkmaar and Serie A outfit Fiorentina, the latter of which are excellent in attack, porous in defence and incredibly unpredictable.
The good news is that the Hammers now have a deep and talented squad, with summer acquisitions like Lucas Paquetá, Gianluca Scamacca and Thilo Kehrer equipping the side to compete on multiple fronts this season.
The technical qualities of Paquetá and Scamacca could prove particularly important on the European stage, affording the Hammers a tremendous chance of ending their 42-year run without a major honour.