I honestly can’t believe I am writing this, but unless Slaven Bilic changes something dramatically, he could be in line for the sack, no more than four months after securing West Ham’s highest points total in Premier League history and our first top flight positive goal difference since 1986.
Yet, this season has been a shambles. An embarrassing defeat in the Europa League to Astra (again) was compounded with only one win in six Premier League games (five losses in the process), including heavy defeats to the likes of Watford and West Brom.
It is unlikely that Bilic will go – this is a board who kept Avram Grant until the day he got us relegated. Also, on a personal note, Bilic is easily my favourite West Ham manager in my lifetime and I would be gutted if he left. Unless he makes some drastic changes, he could be on his way out. Here are five things he needs to do or else he could be first over the line in the Premier League sack race.
Stop playing non full-backs at full-back
West Ham have had some rotten luck with full-backs this season. With the injury in pre-season to Aaron Cresswell and his replacement Artur Masuaku subsequently getting injured after a few unconvincing games, West Ham are without a first team recognised left-back.
However, we have 2 right-backs, Sam Byram and Alvaro Arbeloa, who can both be competent left backs. Which is why I was surprised to see Byram on the bench against Southampton with Arbeloa at left-back and defensive midfielder Havard Nordtveit at right-back.
Nordtveit was far off the pace, a sentence heard frequently this season, and it makes you wonder; what has Sam Byram done to Bilic? Did the Croatian’s newborn son bear a resemblance to Byram? We’ll never know…
Randolph in for Adrian
For most teams, dropping their first choice ‘keepr would lead to disastrous consequences. But with West Ham, we have two Premier League quality goalkeepers.
Adrian is a good player, and I’m not saying these past few games are his fault, but he does seem to prefer the spectacular rather than the simple which has cost him. 14 goals conceded in 4 games is simply not good enough, and maybe the Irishman can force his way into the number one spot.
Don't be scared to drop the captain
Mark Noble is the definition of “Captain, Leader, Legend” but this season he has been far off the pace.
As a holding midfielder, he is leaving the defence vulnerable. If he was replaced with a more defensive midfielder, such as Pedro Obiang, the volume of goals conceded could dramatically decrease.
Play a striker who can score a goal
I’m pretty sure there is a game at West Ham among the strikers of whoever scores first is the loser. No West Ham strikers have scored this season, despite the fact a striker seemed to be West Ham’s only summer priority.
Both Zaza and Calleri seem like wastes already and with Carroll and Ayew still injured, may we have to turn back to Diafra Sakho?
Give the youth a chance
What is the worst that can happen? We need a striker who can score. Antonio Martinez has scored seven in six games for the U23 side. We need a defender or a defensive midfielder. Reece Oxford ticks both the boxes. This could backfire dramatically, but can it actually get much worse?