West Ham are in chaos following the closure of the January transfer window on Thursday. The Hammers have lost three straight games in all competitions conceding nine goals while scoring just two. Since Marko Arnautovic’s failed transfer to China, West Ham have looked in disarray on the pitch.
West Ham lacking leadership
Shanghai SIPG had offered £35 million for Arnautovic during the transfer window. Despite the forward being tempted to leave West Ham for wages of around £200,000 a week, the club refused to sell.
The saga that unfolded left the club in chaos and was the catalyst to West Ham’s sudden poor run of form.
Following West Ham’s recent 3-0 loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers, full-back Pablo Zabaleta blamed the club’s three-game losing streak on Arnautovic’s transfer saga.
Arnautovic was injured against Wolves in midweek but is expected to play against Liverpool on Monday night.
It isn’t just Arnautovic’s failed transfer to Shanghai SIPG that has the team in chaos, however.
Why is West Ham struggling?
The goals have dried up for Manuel Pellegrini’s team.
Arauntovic is second in goals for West Ham with seven. However, he hasn’t found the back of the net in the Premier League since January 2nd against Brighton.
Top goalscorer Felipe Anderson (eight goals) hasn’t scored in the league since December 27th against Southampton. He has gone five games without scoring or providing an assist.
Despite the two forwards being out of goalscoring form, it is striker Javier Hernandez who has upset West Ham fans the most. Following the club’s 3-0 loss to Wolves, Hernandez retweeted a social media post about compatriot and Wolverhampton striker Raul Jimenez’s top-class performance.
The Wolves player had scored twice against the Hammers and the retweet infuriated fans.
Hernandez last scored in the Premier League in early December against Crystal Palace.
West Ham’s Hernandez a bust
Hernandez joined West Ham from Bayer Leverkusen for £16m in the summer of 2017. The Mexican international scored 39 goals in 76 games for the German club.
Hernandez failed to bring his Bundesliga form to London and he finished his first season at West Ham having scored eight Premier League goals.
The striker has scored four goals this term and has made his unhappiness known at the club. He attempted to leave West Ham in January, but the club was unwilling to accept Valencia’s £7m transfer bid.
Despite starting just seven Premier League games, Hernandez has scored in over half of his appearances.
West Ham supporters furious over lack of transfer activity
After spending heavily in the summer, West Ham made just two transfer signings in January. Both were free transfers as Samir Nasri and Mesaque Dju arrived.
West Ham reportedly passed on an offer to sign Chelsea’s Michy Batshuayi on a six-month loan. Crystal Palace snapped up the Belgian after the Hammers passed.
While the club passed on Batshuayi, it did hold on to Andy Carroll. The English striker has not scored this season in 10 Premier League appearances.
Carroll’s contract will expire in the summer but could be offered a new deal. The former Liverpool striker has the second highest salary at West Ham. Carroll makes £4.68m a year.
