West Ham’s strikers and their suitability for the Premier League has been occupying us and many readers in the ;art few weeks as West Ham have struggled without Crysencio Summerville’s goal threat.
Are West Ham really that one-dimensional without Summerville? Has Jarrod Bowen been asked to take up a more defensive role? Is that playing to his strengths?
Here several of our Claret and Hugh readers have their own opinions highlighted:
Guest post from Peter WHU:
Think Taty is an accomplished forward with plenty of skill and technique, who does not lose the ball, ok at playing others in, but he’ll only score a few goals a season, while Pablo is effective closing down and in his movement, but coming from a lesser league, he could improve. They are what they are.
From the start I see them as a duo, with good interplay, movement and allowing Summerville & Bowen more freedom by occupying defenders and pressing. They enabled the team to switch to a 4-2-4 when attacking.
Without Summerville’s creativity, speed and ability to open a game up, nothing happened against Aston Villa. Against City it was purely defensive with 5 at the back.
We need goals and they are not scoring and that is what coaches need to work on, including Bowen who is less involved and the general lack of creativity from midfield by Fernandes & Soucek.
Against AV NES put Pablo out on the wing I think and that cannot work, while he put Potts in who is having a bad time of it in the middle. 4 defenders and 2 defensive midfielders against a team as good as AV? It is like the spectre of a defensive NES coming back, when WHU gave points away as freely as advertising tracts.
Manager has to make the most of it. Team are short on wingers but otherwise we have
No 9 Wilson/TatyPablo/Bowen No 10: Taty/Pablo/Fernandes (Fearon/Ajala?)
Defensive midfielders Kante, Soucek, Magassa, Fernandes, Potts, (Orford?).
To pick out Taty & Pablo is not hitting the nail on the head in my opinion
Pablo : Criticised unfairly?
========================================
Guest post by “D’:
I don’t think either player is a genuine striker. But not sure we can blame them too much for Sundays performance as I’m struggling to know where they were supposed to be playing in the rear guard disaster-class. Pablo looked like he was playing as part of the defence. They both had 1 chance Tatty didn’t do to bad with his header Pablo blazed over and should have scored but it would help if they were playing in positions where they may have some impact. Playing the sort of formation we did against city is okay when it works when it doesn’t it’s dire.
========================================
Guest post by “Timbo”
Well we can’t afford to spend hundred of millions on Wirtz, Ekitike and Isak and still not meet expectations that’s for sure. Due to well documented previous mismanagement, we are operating in the bargain basement. They are players that have improved the team but unsuprisingly there was no silver bullet available for the prices we could afford. Plenty of strikers that cost alot more struggling to find the net at the moment, great player Harland but when did he last score and didn’t plenty of us want Delap at the start of the season. If we do stay in the Prem then they will be good players to have in and around the team but Nuno will also know that we will need a bigger goal threat.
And you? What is your opinion? Castellanos, Pablo, West Ham’s goal threat, Callum Wilson, Bowen etc? Get involved, leave your own comments and we’ll pick a selection to feature later in the week.
It’s all about perspective. Villa went off the boil with McGinn out of the team. As soon as he’s back in the team, they start playing like a top 4 side again so no surprise WHU struggle, particularly if our game plan gets iced with an injury before the game and there are no viable alternatives given the uneven squad that NES has inherited.
Man City pounded us – no shock, they are second in the league.
You’d expect us to get a result when we play Wolves as long as the team are up for it, as Wolves certainly will be. Those are the teams and the games that need to go under the microscope.
Far worse if you’re Spurs, playing at home to a team in 17th place and getting tonked despite having a decent squad. Irrespective of whether Summerville plays, I’d rather have NES and a hard-working team that’s together and fighting than Tudor and a bunch of individuals who don’t look up for it.
On present form if whu had shelled out big bucks for Wirtz or Isak fans would be crucifying them.
Ekitike (linked to whu under Moyes) is only one performing like was expected.
Pablo and Taty have brought something to team but neither have brought their past goal scoring with them.
So reliant on Bowen scoring when this drops off there’s no backup.
Nuno is reluctant to try academy strikers perhaps first call is academy squad.
Remember footballers are human not AI robots and will have off periods/injuries.
Article suggests Ajala/Fearon/Landers/Cummings and Orford which would give him striker options.
Needs to broaden his outlook at least for last 7 games.
Killman is not going to Villa game proves that take him off bench..