Manager Graham Potter’s pronouncement in July that [‘he didn’t want to sign a striker’](https://www.claretandhugh.info/west-ham-exclusive-potter-makes-massive-season-defining-call-on-striker-bid/) went down predictably badly with the Hammers fan base following last seasons dreadful goal scoring stats. For anyone watching the Hammers last term, entertainment – let alone goal threat – was in short supply as the Irons stumbled and bumbled their way to fourteenth position.
In hindsight – with a modest budget and huge issues to correct – was that such a bad decision from Potter? The way his side is shaping up it is clear he’s planning to do a David Moyes and convert out and out winger Jarrod Bowen to more of a striker role, with he and Fullkrug sitting in traditional ‘inside right’ and ‘inside left’ positions during pre-season.
David Moyes famously converted Marko Arnautovic from moody winger into decent striker, whilst Michail Antonio started out under Bilic as a wing back if memory serves me right. Potter seems determined to take a leaf out of Moyes’ manual and use his wingers as front men.
Which means he can spend the transfer budget on refining the midfield. Might not be perfect. Might not even be pretty. But with negotiations on-going this week for Mateus Fernandes now that Mads Hermansen, along with el Hadji Malick Diouf are already purchased this summer, it seems that the Hammers manager has recognised the biggest flaw and compromised.
‘That’ midfield needs urgent surgery, as without creating more and defending better, buying _the best striker in the Premier League would be a waste of money._
With pace available in the squad with Guilherme, Summerville and Bowen himself all available to combine with Niclas Fullkrug, Potter’s calculated risk is that _one of them will shine up front_ IF he can fix the midfield. It’s a big gamble and, as they say, by Christmas he’ll either be lauded or out on his ear.