Former West Ham striker Dean Ashton believes the performance of the club’s strikers are the key for the Hammers turning around their fortunes this season.
To say that the club’s forwards have performed poorly this season would be an understatement. It took 18 matches for the five strikers in the squad to break their duck this season when Diafra Sakho scored after returning from injury against Manchester United in a 1-1 draw.
Since then both Ashley Fletcher and Andy Carroll have also scored, and Ashton believes that the latter’s form could be crucial in turning the Hammers’ season around. Writing in a post on West Ham’s official website, he said:
“When I look at the squad I believe there is enough quality to turn the situation around but we need the strikers to start scoring again. We obviously need players like Andy Carroll to come back and it will make such a difference.”
The club pinned their hopes at the start of the season on new signings Simone Zaza and Jonathan Calleri after Sakho, Carroll and Andre Ayew all suffered long term injuries. Both have yet to score for the club, and it is likely the pair will depart the London Stadium in the January transfer window.
West Ham have been linked with the likes of Daniel Sturridge, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Carlos Bacca and Napoli’s Manolo Gabbiadini to come in and improve the team’s firepower but it’s apparent that the Hammers will need to sell before they buy.
