Your Fantasy Football Club by Club Guide: West Ham United

The overview

Last season: 10th (BWSL)

This season expectations: Aiming to climb

It was a difficult season for West Ham last time out, but Rita Guarino has used the summer to rebuild her squad and now there’s a much fresher, more balanced look to the side. The Hammers might well be a team in transition as they look to climb the table but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some Fantasy bargains hiding in plain sight.

The big blow was losing top scorer Shekiera Martinez to Tottenham, but Guarino has moved quickly to replace those goals. Ebony Salmon arrives from Aston Villa, bringing her dynamic style of play which saw her average 5.53 dribbles and 2.97 progressive runs per 90 last season. Kelly Gago comes in from Everton to add further firepower up top, and Katie Zelem joins to bring composure, creativity and set-piece quality to the midfield.

At the back, Estelle Cascarino is back, after a successful loan spell where she averaged 5.03 interceptions per 90, the French defender has signed permanently from Juventus. She is joined by Laia Codina who has moved across London, from Arsenal, as she looks for first team football.

There's a familiar face to build around, too. Viviane Asseyi remains the most Fantasy-relevant name in the squad; she’s a lively attacker who chips in with goals, takes corners and steps up for penalties.

Set-piece takers

Corners: Viviane Asseyi took the majority last season, and new arrival Katie Zelem is known for her dead ball deliveries, so the two of them could share the duties.

Penalties: Asseyi is the assigned penalty taker and that’s unlikely to change.

Direct free kicks: Asseyi again, or potentially Zelem.

Player costs

Viviane Asseyi (£8.0m) is a nice all-rounder, she can offer goals, assists and plenty of attacking involvement points if West Ham hit the ground running. Based on price, Ebony Salmon (£5.5m) is the one to target as the likely spearhead in attack, a proven scorer who could thrive with a fresh start. Katie Zelem (£5.5m) is another to consider as a creative midfielder whose set-piece delivery adds to her appeal.

New additions Laia Codina (£5.0m) and Estelle Cascarino (£4.5m) could be two defenders worth targeting, especially if Guarino’s side are looking more defensively secure in their first few games. There could be some clean-sheet value in West Ham’s backline once the new-look defence has bedded in.

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