Sandwiched between an article in the Standard which spoke of West Ham’s upturn in form, there were a few words which stood out loud and clear… “After careful work in the transfer window, a once fractured dressing room has become a unifying force.”
The newspaper was making the point that the Hammers’ work in the transfer window was not so much about who came in, but rather who departed. Certainly, the evidence can be seen on the pitch, with the team looking more connected, leaders surfacing and a band of brothers seemingly fighting for one another.
It’s worth noting that the Standard (formerly the London Evening Standard) has excellent connections at West Ham and I don’t doubt what they are reporting is true. And whilst no names were mentioned, it’s impossible not to consider which players were part of the fracture.
Departures Tell Their Own Story
The obvious candidates were Lucas Paquetá and Niclas Füllkrug, the latter in particular cutting a miserable presence in the dressing room.
A training ground source told Claret & Hugh at the time: “Füllkrug is not hiding that he wants to leave.”
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So maybe Nuno Espírito Santo’s rebalancing was not what many of us thought at the time — a tactical reshuffle with more balanced personnel. Clearly, it was partly a clear-out of personalities who hadn’t bought into the fight for survival.
And it shows.