The greatest transformation in the Premier League this season has taken place at Southampton, but West Ham United’s startling reinvention runs them very close. Going into the new campaign, confidence in sack race favourite Sam Allardyce was on just 42% among the not-so-happy Hammers, while his squad were given the benefit of the doubt on 62%.
By the time Liverpool were beaten 3-1 at Upton Park in late September, confidence in Allardyce had risen to 66%, while faith in his team had reached 80%. By late October, having beaten champions Manchester City at home, fans’ confidence in their squad had jumped to 90%, confidence in Big Sam had jumped to 85%, and West Ham had jumped to fourth in a very strange looking Premier League table.
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