The trip to the south coast on Monday night offers insights into the true situation inside Julen Lopetegui’s West Ham United. Rumours of dressing room bust- ups, want-away players, dissatisfaction with strategy- this Hammers season has so far had pretty much every negative rumour possible.
The tell-tale signs will be there when the squad is announced. Lopetegui has no Antonio to call on, so his decision is straightforward. Use Jarrod Bowen as West Ham’s emergency striker with Kudus and Summerville alongside him, or use the fit-again striker brought in by Tim Steidten at huge expense, who is now, by Lopetegui’s own admission ready to go.
Quite possibly **Niclas Fullkrug** will be on the bench- _but if he does not take any part in the game against Bournemouth then something is not ringing true_ inside West Ham.
Lopetegui claims to have the players on-side but if one of Tim Steidten’s marquee signings gets overlooked again, we will know otherwise.
Niclas Fullkrug was declared good to play by J’Lo during his own media session. Utilised by his previous cub and his national side as an impact substitute, every West Ham fan will be looking forward to seeing him stride back onto the pitch after a cameo couple of minutes- and a goal – against Leicester City.
_Scamacca-like misery even when scoring will be a tell tale sign of Fullkrug’s Intentions_
Fullkrug’s own demeanour will tell all: If he strides around with an expression as dour as [Gianluca Scamacca](https://www.claretandhugh.info/how-did-west-ham-get-scamacca-transfer-so-wrong/) on a bad night then the rumours of his ‘want-out-disquiet’ could be true: Alternatively he will have an opportunity to let his football speak for him in front of the cameras and put in a shift to prove his future lies in Claret and Blue. It’s going to be an interesting night in many ways.