Tony Cottee: This is where West Ham will finish, summer investment is key
By Will Butcher
Tony Cottee believes a top-half finish for West Ham is the best they can achieve after a poor start to the Premier League season.
Slaven Bilic has masterminded a spell of resurgent top-flight form that currently sees them sit in 10th place, after their early form hinted at a relegation fight come May.
Speaking to Sky Sports News from the London Stadium during the Hammers’ open training session, Cottee claimed the top six is a step too far and said summer investment is crucial.
“I think they’ll be difficult to finish in the top six,” Cottee said. “It was always going to be hard to repeat what happened last year. They’ll finish in the top 10, maybe eighth or ninth.
“Slaven knows his stuff, he’ll turn things around. Hopefully they’ll have a big transfer budget in the summer and bring in some top new players.”
West Ham have now lost just one Premier League match in their last five league encounters, securing three wins against Crystal Palace, Middlesbrough and Southampton.
However, the Hammers failed to hold on to a 2-1 victory against West Brom on Saturday after Gareth McAuley scored a late equaliser to secure a 2-2 draw.
Now, Bilic takes his side to Walter Mazzarri’s Watford on February 25th, as they look to continue the run of form that has seen them enter the top half of the table.
A win at Vicarage Road could see the Hammers climb to ninth if Mark Hughes’ Stoke fail to secure three points against Tottenham at White Hart Lane.
In other West Ham news, co-owner David Gold has revealed that this 23-year-old defender is set to return to the squad to face Watford.
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