Fullkrug could save Lopetegui from West Ham sack after injury news
Ian Ladyman believes that Niclas Fullkrug’s return from injury could be the key to turning things around at West Ham this season.
Despite his £27million arrival at the London Stadium in the summer, things have been slow to start for the German who had to settle for a place on the bench at the start of the campaign before missing 10 games due to injury.
However, he made his return against Leicester City on Tuesday [3 December] coming on as a substitutee and scoring his first Hammers goal in the 93rd minute.
Although it was too late to have any impact on his side’s 3-1 defeat, his goal caught the eye of some and Ladyman has made the case that he could be the difference going forward, changing the fortunes of Julen Lopetegui’s side as he wrote in the Scottish Daily Mail [6 December, page 74]: “As for Julen Lopetegui at West Ham, the situation feels more nuanced. In losing 3-1 at Leicester on Tuesday, they had 31 shots, yet the bloke they hired to score goals in the summer is only just back from injury.
“West Ham paid £27million to sign Niclas Fullkrug from Borussia Dortmund. He is a Germany international who played in last year’s Champions League final. He is also a traditional No9, a target man, which suggests Lopetegui has a certain way of playing in mind.
“Injuries mean Fullkrug has played only 74 minutes of league football so far, but he is fit now. Surely we should see how all that plays out before hurrying Lopetegui out of the door?”
Julen Lopetegui past the point of return at West Ham
There is no denying that Fullkrug’s return to the Hammers was an impressive one and getting his first goal after 74 minutes of football and being plagued with injuries is certainly a sign of how eager the German is to get going in claret and blue.
However, it is hard to see anything turning around Lopetegui’s future at the London Stadium now as the pressure continues to pile on the manager’s shoulders.
It’s worth noting that despite his fitness at the start of the campaign, the boss still chose to start Michail Antonio which could suggest that there is no grand plan to adapt the way his side play with the 31-year-old in the side.
That being said, we know the Hammers have a player on their hands who is more than capable of scoring and after a period on the sidelines will no doubt be keen to prove himself.
In addition to this, with their upcoming game against Wolves on Monday [9 December] a very winnable one, if the player can add another goal to his tally then it may well give Lopetegui more time to turn things around.
In other West Ham news, Lopetegui has shared his stance on being sacked at the London Stadium.
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