The current squad at West Ham is drastically better than the squad we had last season. Slaven Bilic has recruited some class players, and the team now has very good strength in depth.
Any football team in the world can improve the squad in some form, if they have a very good starting eleven, there are always players who can improve and challenge the squad. In January, Bilic might consider improving the squad in some areas, however not that many because I don’t think we need many additions to the squad.
Both Carl Jenkinson and Aaron Cresswell are good full backs for West Ham and I hope they continue to impress. However, I feel that the club could purchase a better back up right back or left back. I am aware that Stephen Hendrie is a left back who we signed in the summer, but he is a player for the future and is not good enough for the premier league at the moment.
Similarly, Joey O’Brien can play both at right back and left back but he is slow and not attackingly capable. I don’t think any West Ham fan would be unhappy with his departure, because he isn’t good enough to play at this level anymore for West Ham.
James Tomkins can and has illustrated his capabilities at right back however he lacks the pace and energy a full back needs. If Cresswell or Jenkinson get injured before January, we will be left with a centre back playing at right back, a 20 year old inexperienced full back or a player who is pretty useless and isn’t getting any younger.
I appreciate that Ogbonna could play at left back as he has done for Juventus but that is certainly not ideal. Ultimately, a decent full back is required if we are going to continue to win games and progress because that is an area where there is little competition or strength in depth.
A winger might be a position which the Croatian manager considers strengthening. As Victor Moses is only on loan and the only other natural winger is Antonio, it might not be a bad idea to potentially look at signing a winger.
Keisuke Honda is a player who has been rumoured to potentially join West Ham in January or next season. The Japanese midfielder is naturally an attacking midfielder however recently he has played as a winger and been pretty effective.
If Honda was purchased in January I think the pace of either Moses or Antonio on one wing, and the vision and trickery of Honda on the other could be brilliant.
Honda is versatile, he has been effective on the wing, and he can play as an attacking midfielder or a deep lying playmaker. I thought Amalfitano was a decent squad player because he was a versatile wide player and Honda would be an upgrade on the Frenchman.
Those two positions in my opinion could do with examining in January. Of course, the club might look at more attacking options, however I think that full backs and wingers are the two positions which could do with improvement and more competition.
Who should the Hammers move for in January? Comment below
