The vast difference between our goal-shy attack of 2013/14 and the free scoring front line of 2014/15 has been impossible to ignore. Perhaps it is new attacking coach Teddy Sheringham’s guidance or maybe his appointment is just coincidental but we have nearly eclipsed last season’s goal tally despite it only being February. We acted very well in the summer transfer window but failed to secure the extra striker we desired on January’s deadline day. In this article, I will evaluate our striking options for next season and assess if we need strengthening.
Arguably one of the best pieces of business in the Premier League last summer was West Ham’s capture of relatively unknown striker Diafra Sakho from FC Metz. Sakho had been playing in France’s second tier and not much was thought of his arrival (especially after the disappointment of our last signing from the French League – Modibo Maiga). But he got the ball rolling with a headed goal against Sheffield United in the cup and was rewarded with his first start in the Premier League against Hull.
The Senegalese frontman managed to get on the score sheet and went on to score in six consecutive Premiership starts; matching Mickey Quinn’s Premier League record and beating Leroy Rosenior’s West Ham record. He was named the Premier League player of the month for October. His record – at the time of writing – stands at a remarkable 10 goals in 16 games (with 4 coming from the bench). Despite his reoccurring back problems, he has proved to be an instrumental part of our successful start to the season and we should try our absolute utmost to hold onto him this summer. Sakho seems to have settled straight into life as a Hammer and embraces the fans with an irons gesture after every goal so hopefully he sees his future at our club.
Sakho formed a formidable partnership up front with Enner Valencia towards the start of this season. Valencia arrived from Mexican outfit Pachuca following a personally successful World Cup and works well with Sakho as a hard-working, fluid front pairing. Since Sakho has been injured he has looked evidently less comfortable and his performances have dipped but, considering that he is still adapting to the English game, he has shown promising signs. In January he was subject to reported interest from Chelsea for a fee in the region of £20m though and we may well be tempted to offload him for that sort of price.
Perhaps the most contentious striker that we have is Andy Carroll; he splits opinion like no other player but the reality is that he has the potential to be one of the world’s most effective aerial threats on his day. The target man has recovered his career at West Ham after his £35m switch to Liverpool proved disastrous and he has been getting back in the goals this season. He provides a very different dimension to our attacking play and is a handful for any defender.
However, injuries have continuously plagued his career and he will now sit out the rest of this season with an ankle injury sustained at Southampton. We must evaluate now whether it is cost effective to keep Carroll as he is always at risk of injury and his absence is annoyingly apparent at times. Whether or not he will be fit at the start of next season is anyone’s guess but, if we can keep him injury free for the whole of next season, we might just start seeing the best of Carroll.
Our other strikers include Carlton Cole and Mauro Zarate. Cole almost completed a deadline day move to West Brom, only for us to cancel the deal against his will. The target man is a fantastic servant to the club having stuck by us through the highs and the lows; but the stark truth is that he is not good enough. He is right down the pecking order at West Ham and used mainly as an aerial presence if we are trailing in a game.
I think it is time that West Ham and Cole part ways for the sake of his own career and we will always have fond memories (and some not so fond memories) after he leaves. Zarate has been disappointing following a bright start. It has been clear from the outset that he was not Allardyce’s preferred choice and, after showing glimpses of brilliance in his few cameo appearances, Zarate has now found himself on loan at QPR, where he has been declared worryingly unfit. Zarate’s future at West Ham depends on how well he can apply himself but, sadly, also on Sam Allardyce departing; I cannot see Zarate in next season’s plans if Allardyce stays on.
