New West Ham striker Sebastien Haller has “got the lot” according to Football.London journalist Sam Inkersole.
The Frenchman had a nightmarish start to his home debut on Saturday, slicing a clearance dreadfully into his own net to open the scoring in a 2-2 draw against Athletic Bilbao – with the Hammers eventually losing on penalties.
But Inkersole has been quick to focus on the positives rather than the negatives.
Writing in a piece for Football.London, he said: “Haller looks to be everything West Ham thought and hoped Andy Carroll would be when he signed for the Hammers for £15m seven years ago – but just a whole lot better.
“He’s got the pace, he’s got the touch, he’s got the aerial ability, he’s got the strength, he’s got the lot – he just needs to settle.”
OPINION
This is just what West Ham fans will have been wanting to hear. Haller has been brought in to fill a position that has been desperately lacking for far too long now, and by all accounts, he could be the right man for the job. Calamitous own goals aside, he has impressed in preseason, and it’s refreshing to see a player like him – physically imposing and not afraid of a scuffle – who can do more than just put himself about. Make no mistake, he can do that too, and his colossal 6.9 aerial duels won per game last season is proof of that [Whoscored], but this also a player who scored 11 of his 15 goals last season with his right boot. Haller is more than a target man, he is a thoroughly modern, well-rounded centre-forward, and he is surely destined to become a real hero in east London.