I have lost count of how many strikers West Ham United have been linked with in this window. The current favourite occupying the media is Tammy Abraham, the English striker still based in Italy apparently recovered and raring to go, dodgy knee apparently fixed and ‘just’ the twenty something million. Jhon Duran, the perennial Youssuf En Nesyri, the list goes on.
I suspect our Head Coach and Technical Director have now made their decisions as to bringing in another striker in this Window: Niclas Fullkrug was deemed perfect for one simple reason. Roshane Thomas writing in The Athletic summed it up well: He is not just a goalscoring target man but is more about “linking the play — holding up the ball and making sideways or backward passes to keep attacking moves flowing.”
With the re-emergence of Tomas Soucek apparently re-programmed to play as West Ham United’s second striker, there is now a clear change of strategy which has probably removed the need to purchase another traditional target man. It is probably bad news for one long serving West Ham forward: Indeed, it could spell the end of his Hammers Career.
Arriving late into the box against Crystal Palace, Soucek scored by way of picking up a loose ball that had already cannoned off Bowen, Paquetá and Fullkrug, in a change of style from the first half that had seen Mikey Antonio operate – poorly- as the traditional number nine.
It has to be said that Antonio’s touch and movement has been very ordinary this last couple of games, not controlling or passing to those around him. One memorable through ball ended up 50 metres overhit in the Aston Villa game.
I am surprised that he started, presumably Fullkrug is either not yet fit or will play for West Ham as an impact striker much the same as he does for his national team. If anything, The re-emergence of Tomas Soucek would, I’d argue, suit Danny Ings – who cannot play an isolated role in the same way Antonio does – far better.
Time to consider moving Antonio on whilst he is worth a few million and get his wages off the books? Probably not, but increasing time sat on the bench beckons. Certainly now West Ham’s style is being redefined to the point where Fullkrug, Ings and Soucek can between them operate well in this ‘new era’ Hammers attack using the skills of inverted wingers Bowen Summerville and Kudus far better.
Ings has hardly had a look in since JL took over. I think you could be onto something with Fullkrug as an impact player. Ings surely gets game time in the Cup midweek and while Antonio has been a great club servant the game has passed him by now.
Tammy Abraham is a home grown ex-Chelsea youth? Ings, Antonio and JWP are all possibly off and all home grown. If any go they need replacing with home grown talent…
Tammy Abraham is a home grown, injury prone disaster waiting to happen . No Thanks!
We’ve already been told here that we have zero interest in Tammy Abraham. And also that we’re‘skinny’.
Fair enough. What’s strange is that it’s taken until the final week of the window to realise that two of our three strikers are nowhere near good enough.