West Ham have now had two back to back summer windows where they have spent big money. It’s clear that the owners are willing to support a manager like Manuel Pellegrini, who has the potential and experience to challenge with this team for the top six. Most of the signings like Felipe Anderson, Issa Diop, Lukasz Fabianski and from this season, Sebastien Haller and Pablo Fornals look to be great deals. But there is one area which the club have again ignored.
Midfield has been West Ham’s Achilles heel since last season
Last season, the club had brought in Carlos Sanchez and Jack Wilshere for the midfield position. However, both were out with injuries for the most part, and suddenly Pellegrini didn’t have anyone to partner club captain Mark Noble in central areas. Up stepped Declan Rice who was a centre back and he slotted in well in the defensive midfield position to make that spot his own.
Now he is almost untouchable, and the midfielder even went on to earn a cap for England after switching allegiance from Ireland. However, Mark Noble is now 32, and he doesn’t have the engine room as he had a few years back. He is still a good option to have, but if West ham are looking to push the big six, then the club made a big mistake by not improving the engine room of the side.
Jack Wilshere was below par in the first game against Manchester City as he failed to cope with the physicality and sharp movement of City players and was substituted around the 55th-minute mark. He had a decent pre-season behind him, but a lot is resting on his fragile hamstrings. From the pieces of evidence of the first game, it seems like the club made a mistake by not bringing in a midfielder who would drive them forward.
Indeed, the Hammers won’t face a more significant test than Manchester City this season but conceding five at home and managing just three shots on target gives a sorry reading for a side which is looking to push in the big league of teams.
With Wilshere, injuries are a big issue, and the club will probably have to manage his game time smartly. Mark Noble is not the same player anymore, but he is perhaps their best bet right now.
Pablo Fornals has come in, but he has hardly featured as a central midfielder. He is more of a player who will compete with Lanzini for first-team places. The emergence of Rice as a defensive midfielder happened by chance because the club was in dire straits last season as they didn’t have an option for that position. Even this season, the club haven’t added any options for the midfield position, and this could be their Achilles heel as the season goes by.
