This wasn’t the season West Ham fans hoped for. After a summer of change and promise, the 2024/25 campaign unravelled in chapters: a confident start, a mid-season meltdown, and a managerial reset that’s still waiting for its payoff. There were flashes of quality—goals from Bowen, magic from Kudus—but they were buried beneath instability and a leaky defence. It was, in the end, a campaign defined not by glory, but by transition.
Lopetegui’s Arrival and Early Promise
The post-Moyes era began in earnest with the appointment of Julen Lopetegui, a coach with European pedigree and a reputation for tactical nuance. The goal was clear: evolve the side that had plateaued under Moyes into something more expansive, more modern.
The early signs were promising. On October 5, West Ham delivered their best domestic result of the season: a 4–1 home win over Ipswich Town. It wasn’t just the scoreline—it was the intent. Antonio scored in the first minute, Kudus dazzled with a goal and assist, and the Hammers recorded 13 shots on target, their most in a Premier League game since records began.
That win was part of a solid opening act. Lopetegui’s West Ham sat comfortably in the top half through the autumn, mixing it up in attack for every fan that bought West Ham United Tickets, all the while managing results despite a still-shaky defence. Kudus and Bowen in particular looked lethal, while Paquetá remained the team’s creative heartbeat—though his form was overshadowed by an ongoing FA investigation into alleged betting breaches.
The 5–0 That Broke the Spell
The turning point came on December 29, 2024, when Liverpool visited the London Stadium and left with a 5–0 win. The visitors and now the champions tore through West Ham’s back line, scoring at will with Salah, Gakpo, Díaz, Alexander-Arnold, and Jota all on the scoresheet. West Ham looked miserable and failed to register a single shot on target.
That result wasn’t just a bad day at the office—it was a collapse. The defensive frailties that had lingered all season came to a head. The crowd turned. So did the board and Less than two weeks later, Julen Lopetegui was sacked. His reign lasted under seven months.
The Potter Era Begins
On January 9, 2025, Graham Potter was appointed as West Ham’s new head coach. The former Chelsea and Brighton boss signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with the remit to stabilise the squad and restore a clear identity.
He inherited a team with attacking quality but a structural mess. Defensively, the numbers were grim. By season’s end, West Ham had conceded 74 goals, one of the worst tallies in the division. Potter’s attempts to impose control were clear—more possession, more structure—but the improvement was modest and inconsistent.
A European Exit and a Domestic Fizzle
In the Europa League, West Ham reached the quarter-finals, including a great 5-1 aggregate win over Freiburg. Their great European ran out at this stage, as they bowed out to Bayer Leverkusen, the eventual winners. No disgrace in that, but the dream of back-to-back European trophies was gone.
In the league, West Ham never quite recovered. One win in their final six games sealed their fate. On May 18, their last home match of the season ended in a 2–1 defeat to Nottingham Forest, defined by a clumsy error from goalkeeper Alphonse Areola and a late, futile goal from Bowen. They only have one match left against the relegated weakling Ipswich and their only comfort in the domestic league will be to finish above Manchester United and their fans that buy tickets at P1 travel and Tottenham.
What’s Left?
Amid the chaos, Jarrod Bowen had a career year—16 Premier League goals, his highest tally yet. Mohammed Kudus scored 14 in all competitions and looked every bit the rising star. But beyond them, it was patchy. Ward-Prowse faded. Paquetá may yet depart. The defence needs a total rethink.
Now Potter gets a full pre-season. The expectations? Clearer identity. Fewer collapses. And a return to the standards that fans came to expect during their recent European run. Because if 2024/25 taught West Ham anything, it’s that surviving transition is one thing—but moving forward requires more than just good intentions. It takes a plan.
