West Ham United
Another team whose fan base is larger than its win record would suggest, West Ham spent the past few seasons under the watch of Sam Allardyce, whose dull but effective strategy kept the team out of trouble but did little to endear him to fans. Croatian rockstar manager Slavin Billic takes over this year and it remains to be seen if he can deliver the attacking football the fans crave without sacrificing the defensive stability of the Allardyce era.
Stars: Ordinarily, Enner Valencia would be the pick here but since he’ll miss at least half of the season due to injury a lot falls on Andy Carroll. A few years ago, Carroll was another of England’s potential great white hopes. In an age of smooth passing and petite European superstars, the Brits desperately want to prove that a big, drunken oaf can still be a major force in the game, the way they were in the 70’s. They will continue to be disappointed.
