IT WOULD BE fair to say that Taty Castellanos arrival has come at the perfect time for West Ham. Infamously missing out on successive windows for permanent signings, the Hammers entered this January 2026 window determined to land a goal scorer and in the event brought not one, but two forwards into the club within hours of the January window opening.
The Hammers’ uptick in form after Christmas looked largely due to Taty and Pablo Felipe’s immediate impact on the side.
The duo brought the best out of Summerville and Jarrod Bowen with their high energy pressing being nothing short of a revelation to Hammers fans who have previously had to endure games under Nuno and his predecessor where West Ham started without even one centre forward.
Along with Taty Castellanos, West Ham fans are keen to see Pablo return in time for the crucial ‘run in’.
Sadly, Taty’s frontman colleague Pablo Felipe has been ruled out with a calf injury but the Argentine admits freely that his choice would be to play as one of a pair of strikers: Speaking earlier Taty explained:
“I like it more with a two number nines. I feel more comfortable… Inter [Milan] plays [with two strikers]. We vary it from time to time [at West Ham],” Castellanos adds. “In the first few games, we played with another nine too, with the kid Pablo who just arrived.
“And well, he got hurt. Now, I’m playing alone.
“My second year with Lazio, I had a blast because we played with two strikers and a playmaker behind with Pedro. I played a lot with Pedro or Dia and, honestly, we got tired of scoring goals and playing well! We finished first in the Europa League [group] and everything!”
Supporters can see for themselves the difference Castellanos makes when paired with Pablo: The duo’s impact on the Club’s Premier League survival may yet be dependent upon Pablo returning in time for the run in.
Callum Wilson offers a different kind of threat but doesn’t offer the high energy press that the Hammers had started using with such effect. West Ham must be counting the days until he’s fit and ready to partner Taty once again.
Have we not got a youngster like Cummings to play along side Taty, or another young player to get us firing again. The last game was so flat, no pace to the game.
We need to sort this and quickly or we are doomed
Hope coaches think up something and Liverpool have Van Dijk with Konate…
Pablo & Taty together seem to have a great understanding. They both have a lot of movement and interchange positions (no9 & midfield), while Wilson stays closer to the penalty area. You can see them interchange positions quite freely, playing off each other, also combining with Bowen & Summerville who now can play as wingers, drifting inside or outside fullbacks as they do..
Sometimes, you’ll see Pablo in the box waiting for a cross alongside Taty and the team has effectively transitioned to 4 in attack (4-2-4). It is great to watch and very difficult for the other team to mark/close down I would say. Makes WHU dangerous in attack.
Liverpool have a strong CB pairing (like many PL teams) and they can easily mark one forward while the other covers. Ajala in the U21s also seems to range around that area between the centre circle and penalty area. Not suggesting they use him.
The team shape and how they play all changes when have a mobile Pablo on the pitch I think – just from watching. Now it seems team play more a 4-3-3 and we have Soucek as well as Magassa who are willing to run into the box and add numbers, but I wish we had more creativity in midfield asides from Fernandes who has his hands full covering & defending. Unless they play him further forward as a no 10 as defence is performing better?
Has he brought the best out of Bowen or is your earlier article more accurate that Bowen is struggling for form? You’ve lost me I’m afraid 😊⚒️⚒️