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West Ham transfer delays could 'haunt' them - Roshane Thomas
West Ham have famously left the majority of their transfer business until very late in the window in both the summer and the winter but it isn’t sustainable.
January of 2022 was a much-needed reminder for David Moyes and the club’s owners that they can’t keep waiting for the right deal because it won’t always come around.
The deadline struck at 11 pm on 31 January and there was no new faces through the door at the Hammers, leaving them short in a couple of areas.
The Athletic’s Roshane Thomas thinks the club have missed a trick and that their failure to add to their squad could haunt them later this season.
“In the short term, the squad is still thin and fatigue could creep in when the Europa League schedule returns in March,” Thomas wrote. “They will also reach the fifth round of the FA Cup if they see off non-League Kidderminster Harriers.
“The failure to address long-standing issues at centre-back and up front could come back to haunt the club. January was a reminder that leaving it so late is a big risk.”
One name would have been enough
Of the two problems areas within Moyes’ squad, one is far more important than the other.
Craig Dawson, Issa Diop and Kurt Zouma are all currently available for selection in defence and they are all fit enough to play twice a week for a number of weeks in succession if required.
One person who isn’t, however, is striker Michail Antonio and he has far less cover behind him.
He is the only recognised senior striker Moyes has to choose from and his previous injury problems mean he needs to have his game time managed.
But with no one behind him to take some of the workload off his shoulders, and playing three games in six days for Jamaica, he is being run into the ground.
It seems only a matter of time before Antonio breaks in some way and Moyes will be left playing either a winger or a youngster as his number nine.
Any capable striker would have been enough to satisfy Hammers supporters regardless of their other business not coming to fruition but it could be a long few months to the end of the season.
In other West Ham news, Claret and Hugh have revealed the latest on Alex Kral’s curious situation at the London Stadium.