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Moyes’ Striker Curse Broken?

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West Ham supporters can finally exhale a sigh of relief. The days of David Moyes and his seemingly endless quest for a decent striker appear to be over. Julen Lopetegui’s arrival as manager signifies a new era, and with it, a renewed focus on finding a reliable goalscorer.

Let’s not forget the Moyes era’s striker woes. Both Haller and Scamacca were brought in with high hopes, only to fizzle out spectacularly. Scamacca’s sale at a loss after a mere 10 months epitomises the frustration fans endured.

The success stories of strikers at other clubs similar to West Ham only amplifies Moyes’ shortcomings in the transfer market. It seemed good strikers were readily available, Moyes just couldn’t find them.

A clear shift in philosophy is evident under Lopetegui. He and Director of Football Tim Steidten have prioritised strengthening the attack, specifically the striking position.
Danny Ings’ struggles and subsequent availability for transfer further highlight the club’s desire for a long-term solution, not just a stop-gap option.

Reports linking West Ham with Youssef En-Nesyri, a player who thrived under Lopetegui at Sevilla, were an early indication of this new approach. Reuniting Lopetegui with a striker who knows his system seems like a sensible first step.

Thankfully, West Ham isn’t putting all their eggs in the En-Nesyri basket.

Give Me Sport’s Danny Rust has revealed a four-man shortlist, and each name is music to West Ham fans’ ears.

Youssef En-Nesyri (Sevilla): A proven goalscorer with a successful past under Lopetegui.
Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen): The reported top target, Boniface is a highly-rated young Nigerian attacker.
Serhou Guirassy (Stuttgart): Another African prospect, Guirassy brings a powerful presence to the attack.
Armando Broja (Chelsea): This promising Albanian forward, could be attainable if Chelsea budges on their price.

The quality on this shortlist is a stark contrast to recent striker signings. Any of these players would be a significant upgrade for West Ham’s attack.
Beyond the Starting Lineup:

The benefits extend beyond just adding goals. A quality striker signing could have a ripple effect on the entire attack.
Jarrod Bowen could finally return to his preferred wide position, while Mohammed Kudus could play centrally in his natural role.
Michail Antonio’s experience would be invaluable as a squad player, providing much-needed rotation options.

Compared to Moyes’ constant striker struggles, Lopetegui and Steidten have identified several high-calibre targets. Landing any of these strikers would be a major coup for West Ham and mark a new era for their attacking fortunes. The future finally looks bright for West Ham’s attack, and fans have Lopetegui to thank for it.

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16 comments

  • Stuart says:

    Why do you always have to frame everything around inaccurate criticism of David Moyes?
    If you want write an article about potential new strikers then just do so! And let’s see how many of these world beaters are actually signed and are any good

  • Bill Ryan says:

    No you’re right but it’s moyse who sold him and ruined Anderson

  • D says:

    Broja no thanks a championship player who doesn’t score many goals and is expensive.
    Guirassy looks decent and the guy from Sevilla has a decent relationship with the new man. Although one snag with signing too many African players could mean losing them every two years for a month for the African cup of nations

  • Jimbo says:

    Your attention to detail is appalling. Time and time again your facts are inaccurate. It’s like you can’t be bothered to do the research or at least Google.

    Guirassy plays for Stuttgart. 2nd top scorer in the Bundesliga.

  • Jeeps says:

    Never heard of him but he has played for 17 clubs.
    Only managed cameo roles totalling 22 minutes for whu..
    Sounds familiar.

  • SydneyC says:

    Jordan Hugill £10 million… that was a Moyes buy.

  • Morty says:

    I thought Scamacca played well enough for us but struggled with injury and homesickness. Haller was not a Moyes signing

  • Billy says:

    Haller was signed by Pellegrini but he never performed for pellegrini in the season under Pellegrini he only scored about 4 goals. He never reproduced the form he had for Frankfurt prior to being signed by Pellegrini. It ultimately led to Pellegrini losing his job. So let’s not pretend it was just Moyes who couldn’t get a tune out of him in the premier league.

  • Gary says:

    Haller!

  • Gary says:

    Baller and Scamacca are not bad strikers. The statistics tell us that as they both scored a lot of goals before joining West Ham and after leaving us. It was the system Moyes played that made them look bad

  • PM says:

    I alway’s thought Haller was Pellegrini’s transfer. Am I wrong?

  • Phil McDonald says:

    A bid for en Nesyri might seem like a Moyes-esque desire for a safety blanket. Personally I hope we get Guirassy. Broja would be a squad player.

  • kcockayne says:

    Broja, “impressed on loan at Fulham”. Did he ?

    • Jeeps says:

      Have to agree. No, no, no.
      Broja did nothing at Chelsea (yes he did sustain an injury, he’s been as much use to Fulham as Phillips was to whu.
      If he wants to sit on subs bench (as Fulham) then maybe but not as clubs main striker.
      Some better options would be Simon Banza, Angel Gomes or Steven Bergwijn (latter two able to cover other positions.

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