Of the recruits so far brought into West Ham, one has been a left wing back, one has been a right wing back and one – just about – a striker. The next acquisition is, by all accounts, a new goal keeper to replace Fabianski and compete with Alphonse Areola who is average at best just now, and in any case, just one more back spasm away from a lay-off.
Despite the relentless criticism of the midfield last season, (christened the ‘midfield that could not run’), no changes were made last winter and the Hammers suffered as a consequence.
Under two weeks away from the start of the season, and the addition of – however well he’s played- Freddie Potts -could not be seen as the sole solution on his own to the Hammers midfield torpor, could he?
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We spoke with our high-ranking West Ham source and suggested- surely– that the lack of pace and mobility in the midfield still needed addressing in this transfer window:
“Agreed” was the blunt admission that came back.
Bringing in the goal keeper upgrade and a midfielder with decent pace would still seem, then, to be on the summer window ‘to do’ list. And still within West Ham’ grasp financially depending on the choices made over how much is to be shelled out on a new shot-stopper.
What is clear is that Graham Potter’s existing midfield team selections are being made on reputation alone: Increasing observations are being made that Soucek, Ward-Prowse and Rodriguez have all lost whatever mobility they had and are now urgently in need of an upgrade.
The worry for many fans is that the Irons will have to make do and mend with yet another free signing to get the midfield through next season. Mentioning no names. But having been proved right about Callum Wilson, just about every Hammers fan can name the ‘almost’ thirty-something ex-Burnley free signing who is lurking and would be just another late-career ‘sticking plaster’ signing without moving West Ham forwards.