Outspoken pundit Troy Deeney says one West Ham star is so finished it’s actually painful to watch and it should ring alarm bells in the boardroom.
Troy Deeney has never been one to hold back as a player or pundit and for the avoidance of any doubt his latest comments about a West Ham player prove it.
Deeney is actually one of few pundits who really “get” West Ham.
The former Watford skipper is close friends with Hammers legend and sporting director Mark Noble.
Deeney has shown in the past he knows his onions when it comes to the Irons.
Deeney’s opinion should carry weight at West Ham
When Julen Lopetegui was appointed, he raised serious doubts the Spaniard was the right man for the job.
In fact Deeney predicted Lopetegui would struggle to last 10 games at West Ham and he duly became the club’s shortest-serving permanent manager ever.
Deeney also named West Ham supporters the best in the country when asked about fanbases.
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His latest cutting insight on the Hammers also proved correct as he told West Ham they must ditch ‘nice guy’ Graham Potter and appoint Nuno.
So when Deeney speaks about West Ham, it should carry some weight.
West Ham have big problems.
Nuno Espirito Santo will have had his eyes wide open to that fact when he accepted the job.
Nuno Espirito Santo during Arsenal v West Ham United - Premier League
Photo by Rob Newell – CameraSport via Getty Images
Heading into a crucial run of matches, the Hammers now know they are stuck in the bottom three unless they beat Brentford by four goals or more on Monday night.
Games at Leeds and at home to Newcastle and Burnley follow that.
West Ham will have to make do without striker Niclas Fullkrug after his latest injury.
It means Nuno must find alternative options to set the team up in the absence of the German, who started both his first two games.
The problem is pundit Deeney says one Hammers star is so finished it’s actually painful to watch, in a brutal assessment that should ring alarm bells in the boardroom.
Deeney says one West Ham star is so finished it’s painful to watch
West Ham fans were furious when the summer transfer window closed without the club signing a younger striker with power and pace.
Now everyone is seeing why as the Hammers’ failure to act sees them gambling with their Premier League lives.
It took Nuno one game to identify his number one priority in the January transfer window – a striker.
Beyond Fullkrug, West Ham’s forward options are limited.
Ageing, injury-prone free agent signing Callum Wilson and young, hungry striker Callum Marshall are the only other recognised strikers in the first team squad.
As a result Nuno has warned West Ham’s board to sign him a striker in January.
Callum Wilson warms up for West Ham United
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
Jarrod Bowen and Lucas Paqueta have played up front for the Hammers before with very mixed results.
And moving Bowen off the right takes too much away from the team.
There is also the potential option of putting Crysencio Summerville up front.
It is already clear there are certain players whose faces do not fit under the new Hammers boss.
James Ward-Prowse and Jean-Clair Todibo are certainly two of those.
Wilson appears to be another.
The striker has spent the equivalent of three full 38-game seasons out injured in the last five years.
Deeney finds it ‘sad’ to watch ‘betrayed’ Wilson at West Ham
Nuno does not appear to fancy Wilson, who turns 34 this season, after snubbing him in both matches so far.
In fact the West Ham head coach preferred Marshall ahead of Wilson when he came on for Fullkrug at Arsenal.
Former Hammers striker Dean Ashton says he spotted that Wilson was already angry with Nuno after West Ham’s defeat at the Emirates.
And Deeney says he understands why Nuno has snubbed the former Newcastle and England man.
Speaking on talkSPORT, Deeney says he actually finds it ‘sad’ watching Wilson still trying to play at the top level.
So much so the pundit revealed he actually gets upset when he watches the West Ham player nowadays.
“They’ve got Callum Wilson in and I love Callum,” Deeney said.
“But he’s coming to the end of it.
“It’s actually sad watching him play at times now.
“His body has betrayed him.”
Nuno has stated that every West Ham player will be needed this season.
It remains to be seen whether that is the case.
Wilson looked good when the Hammers won their only game of the season at Forest.
His brilliant run and headed finish served as a valuable lesson for young strikers about movement off the ball to make space.
Many West Ham fans believe Wilson offers more mobility and pace than Fullkrug.
So that shows just how badly off the Hammers are.
Deeney’s comments should be ringing alarm bells in David Sullivan’s director’s box. Because West Ham simply must have a striker signed and ready to go when January 1st rolls around.
Some players simply don’t fit under certain managers.
With a new striker signing expected in January and Wilson on big wages if he gets on the pitch and scores, his time could already be up.