Players who are playing for their West Ham futures
- Michael Oliver
- @MichaelOIiver
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West Ham sit 12th in the Premier League with their season meandering towards its uninspiring end.
Really, West Ham’s best move now is to plan for the future and the 2017/18 season and what comes with that is a squad assessment.
If this season has told us anything, it’s this: a number of first-team players are simply not up to the challenge and the rigours of the Premier League.
Who needs to go and be replaced in the summer you ask?
Well, we’ve taken it upon ourselves to outline the players whose place in the squad next season is under threat if they don’t significantly up their game in the final nine games of the season.
Havard Nordtveit
The Norwegian was signed on a free transfer from Borussia Monchengladbach in the summer and has failed to impress thus far.
Shafted in at centre-back, right-back and holding midfield (his natural position), Nordtveit has lost the trust of Slaven Bilic as a result of his poor outings.
With Pedro Obiang and Winston Reid out for the foreseeable future, Nordtveit may get a chance to prove his worth in the coming weeks and he needs to take it or risk being let go of.
Sofiane Feghouli
Feghouli has flashed ability in moments this season but for the most part, he’s failed to live up to the hype following his move from Valencia.
In and out of the team due to poor form, the Algerian will be handed a first-team recall after Michail Antonio was ruled out for up to a month with a hamstring injury.
Feghouli needs to grab at this chance with both hands with reports already out there that the Hammers are looking into offloading him.
James Collins
The veteran defender can’t even beat out midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate for a role in the back four lately and he’s another who could be off.
However, Reid’s injury offers him an opportunity to stake his claim for a role in the side.
Collins has been linked with a move away and with some promising young defenders at the club, this could be his final campaign in east London.
Diafra Sakho
I wouldn’t blame you if you said you’d forgotten what Sakho looks like.
The Senegalese has missed pretty much the entire season through injury but is expected to make his return after the international break.
West Ham have lacked options in attack and Sakho’s timely return gives him a chance to remind us what he’s capable of or he could be shown the door.
Sam Byram
Byram has struggled with injuries since arriving but his outing last week was impressive and illustrates why he needed to play sooner.
However, the fullback hasn’t always been putting in great shifts for the Hammers and there are reports that Bilic simply doesn’t have much faith in him.
Expected to get an extended run at right-back over the next few weeks, Byram’s time has come to nail down his place in the side or risk being sold.
Andy Carroll
Once our record signing, Carroll has again struggled with injuries which has led to the coaching staff losing patience with him.
While the club turned down a big bid from China for him last month, they may be persuaded to sell him in the summer if they can bring someone else in.
It’s up to Carroll to stay fit and score goals, thus staking his claim to be the team’s main forward next season.
Darren Randolph
The Irishman has done well to usurp Adrian in goal but that hasn’t solved the Hammers’ defensive issues.
While Bilic says he is content with his goalkeeping options, only a fool would think we can’t improve in this area.
Unless Randolph can seriously up his game down the stretch, the Hammers should be looking to improve between the sticks.
Ashley Fletcher
The young striker has been handed a role in the first-team squad this season and hasn’t really made the most of it.
Now back with the U23s, Fletcher has an uphill battle ahead of him if he wishes to return to the first-team next season.
The time is now for the 21-year-old to impress the coaches or risk being sent out on loan next year.
Enner Valencia
Not actually at West Ham, Valencia had struggled for goals in east London.
Rejuvenated at Everton, the Ecuadorian has found his role as a support striker/winger at Goodison Park and impressed in limited minutes.
West Ham do lack forwards and Valencia, if he continues to impress for Everton, could battle his way back into the first-team discussion next season.
Jonathan Calleri
Calleri has been nothing sort of a failure in east London and has struggled for minutes.
West Ham will be without Antonio for a number of weeks, presenting an opportunity for Calleri to feature in the matchday squad.
If he can get on the pitch and put in some decent outings then the club may think about keeping him, but that is a big if.
Alvaro Arbeloa
Signed out of desperation late in the summer window, Arbeloa is very much an afterthought at West Ham right now.
Investment in another right-back is surely needed.
Gokhan Tore
The winger was awful early in the season prior to his knee injury and it’s safe to say the club will be looking to replace him in the squad.