A seventh-place finish the year before, an England World Cup star in midfield and a relegation battle amid struggles up front. That could be West Ham this season, but it could also be West Ham 20 years ago.
Back then, with Glenn Roeder in the dugout, the Hammers missed the chance to kick on from an impressive finish. Fredi Kanoute and rising star Jermain Defoe had impressed in the final third, while Trevor Sinclair was coming off a breakout World Cup with England.
There was a chance to invest and push for an even higher finish, but the influx of loans and free transfers left Roeder's team in severe trouble when injuries hit them hard up front. The London side were regularly dubbed 'too good to go down', but by the time they rallied in the second half of the season it was too late.
