Credit: Imago

Scott Mason

Sun 12 April 2026 7:10, UK

Taty Castellanos proved his worth against Wolves, but the West Ham United striker showcasing his qualities against the bottom of the Premier League is not enough.

The Argentine arrived to help the Hammers boost their chances of survival, and while goals have come few and far between, his work rate does deserve plaudits, and his inclusion has improved those around him.

But that has not been his job; Irons fans expected goals, and so far he has ultimately failed in that regard.

Over his 12 Premier League appearances, while he has netted four goals, three of those have come against 19th and 20th place.

Nuno Espirito Santo will need a lot more from Castellanos ahead of West Ham’s future fixtures, and the brace against Wolves is certainly the perfect launchpad.

Taty Castellanos has his best West Ham performance vs Wolves

Castellanos produced what was his best performance in the West Ham kit on Friday night, with his two quick-fire goals helping the Hammers avoid a slip-up against Wolves.

It was a level of display that supporters have been eager to see, but the level of opposition will temper any further expectations.

The Argentine has seemingly found a knack for scoring against the league’s biggest strugglers, and while his goals in those games have helped bring in six points, more impact is required further down the line.

West Ham do not face any fellow relegation strugglers until a possible relegation six-pointer against Leeds on the final day.

As a goalscorer, the 27-year-old proved he can be clinical, with just two goals netted from an xG of 0.72, according to Sofascore.

Additionally, the forward’s finishing ability helped increase the chances of scoring as his shot placement showcased an expected goals on target of 1.39.

Now, he just needs to put those talents into action against stronger opposition, and he will certainly have plenty of confidence to do so.

Castellanos must kick on to avoid West Ham flop tag

Castellanos has not provided enough end product as a striker, and ultimately that is what the Argentine will be judged on.

The Hammers are notorious for signing centre-forwards who arrive in East London and fail to make an impact. However, with Castellanos, there have been encouraging signs.

If the game against Wolves is not the moment where he starts to consistently find the net, then it really seems hard to see where he could find his form.

Matches against this level of Premier League opposition are primed for forwards to get chances and finally build momentum.

While his running and work rate have been encouraging, for Castellanos, this must be a turning point for his output.

If he doesn’t, Castellanos may end up on the long-list of centre-forward flops in E20.