West Ham United are looking for much improved performances and results following a disappointing first campaign at their new London Stadium home.
Every manager has his favourites, every manager has a soft spot for a player and the fans just don’t get it.
But if the Hammers are to improve on last season’s showing – they actually did reasonably well to finish 11th in the end after flirting with relegation at times throughout the campaign – then Slaven Bilic must wake up to his blindspots.
The Hammers have made five signings so far this summer and have been just as busy clearing out the deadwood too.
Pablo Zabaleta, Joe Hart, Marko Arnautovic, Javier Hernandez and young prospect Sead Haksabanovic have all joined the club.
But the East Londoners have look unfit, disjointed and off form in pre-season. Of course that won’t mean anything unless it carries over into the season proper.
However, the manager must address his continued selection of players who are not good enough to push West Ham on if his team are to grow.
1) Arthur Masuaku
Castigated last season for one horror showing after another despite initially impressing on his debut against Chelsea, Arthur Masuaku has somehow become the club’s first choice left back over the summer.
Careless, at times lazy and often caught out at the back and very rarely gets beyond his man to deliver a telling pass or cross in attack.
If Masuaku starts the season at left-back ahead of Aaron Cresswell then it will be a rod with which West Ham fans beat Bilic if things don’t go well because the Frenchman WILL cost the Hammers goals.
2) Jose Fonte
Signed at an extortionate £8million as a replacement for the injured Angelo Ogbonna back in January, Jose Fonte’s reputation was enhanced immeasurably by Portugal’s European Championship win.
But most West Ham fans are still waiting for a European Championship winning defender to turn up rather than the Championship defender they have witnessed so far.
If one of the newly promoted clubs or an ambitious Championship side show an interest West Ham should bite their hands off.
3) Andre Ayew
Now Ayew is technically good enough for the Hammers and he is good for 10 goals a season. He was unlucky with injuries last season and the club could well see the best of him this time around. But he just does not seem to fit anywhere and other than the odd tap in does not actually do much in games. West Ham paid way over the odds at £20.5m and Ayew can’t play as the striker or in midfield, he can’t beat his man and spends much of his time pointing at where his teammates should be.
Bilic doesn’t seem to know what to do with him, his best bet would be to sell him to the highest bidder or use him as a sub.
4) Robert Snodgrass
Another disastrous signing from last season was Robert Snodgrass who was rather laughably signed as a replacement for Dimitri Payet back in January for the same £10m fee as the France star too. The Scotland international has been woeful every time he has pulled on a claret and blue shirt and the fans want to see the back of him. In fact supporters would rather see him leave than Sofiane Feghouli – another flop who looks set for a move to Turkey.
Another player Bilic must look to move on this summer.
5) Mark Noble
A player that literally splits West Ham fans down the middle is their homegrown hero Mark Noble. The captain is an important part of the dressing room and probably one of the most consistent performers over the course of a season but in harsh reality Noble is holding West Ham back on the pitch.
The Premier League is becoming increasingly competitive and unforgiving and midfielders who don’t possess pace are a rarity.
Noble would be a superb Championship player but if West Ham truly want to challenge the Premier League elite they need a much more talented and imposing figure at the heart of their midfield. He rarely lets West Ham down, but Noble must be realistic himself and perhaps a sub role and concentrating on his captain’s duties around the dressing room and training ground is more realistic from now on.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
