West Ham’s injury crisis does not seem like ceasing anytime soon. While they have had to deal with players being out of action since the summer, the curse has not run into January as latest reports are suggesting that Andre Ayew has been diagnosed with Malaria while on AFCON duty and will face a period on the sidelines.
West Ham also have the added worry with the transfer saga concerning Payet proving difficult being solved. With the player refusing to play, there is not much a club can do other than sell him. But the Hammers are playing hardball and are refusing to budge on their asking price, which is right from their perspective.
There is seemingly a perennial issue regarding West Ham and strikers. Ever since Sullivan and David Gold have come into the picture, they have invested in 32 strikers in 7 years and surprisingly none of them has been outright successful. They have scored a total of 128 goals in 643 games which is nowhere near satisfactory.
Let us take a look at 3 strikers who can duck the trend and be a success at the London Stadium.
SCOTT HOGAN
The Brentford striker is on the radar of a number of Premier League clubs, especially that of West Ham. He has scored an impressive 14 goals already this season and was left out of the latest Matchday squad amidst murmurs of an impending transfer. Hogan can complement Carroll up front and can also play as a lone striker. He might not be the tallest but is physical enough to take the brunt of the League.
JAY RODRIGUEZ
Rodriguez burst onto the scene in the 2012-13 season and caught everyone’s attention but it was the next year in which he showed that he belonged amongst the best. Scoring 15 goals and assisting a further 3, he was inevitably linked with a move to one of the big guns in the League.
But a horror injury saw his career screech to a halt and after 2 years, he is back in business once again. He can bring in a much-needed dynamism and individual quality to the Hammers which they lack up top.
MICHY BATSHUAYI
The well-built Belgian has failed to settle at Chelsea after his big-money move in the summer. West Ham were in for him at that point of time and after failing to muster the expected success at Stamford Bridge, he might be interested in a move to the local rivals. The Hammers have the resources and this will certainly be a statement of intent if they do go back for him.
