What started as a season of deadly attacking football is drawing to a stuttering close. The early plethora of goals from new signings Diafra Sakho and Enner Valencia, supported by the revelatory playmaking of Stewart Downing, have all but dried up. The reintroduction of Allardyce favourites Andy Carroll and Kevin Nolan in November saw the team return to the ugly long-ball of the 2013/14 season, which had left the side teetering on the edge of relegation.
The brilliance of the new boys, contrasting vividly against poor performances from more established players, has only served to highlight the growing inadequacies of a large portion of the squad. Vestigial remnants of the club’s Championship days, along with a number of ageing athletes, can no longer provide the squad depth needed to keep the side challenging for a top-half finish.
With an impending move to the Olympic Stadium, and the possibility of the Europa League becoming ever more plausible, the Hammers desperately need to reinvigorate the side with more fresh blood. The first step towards a solution is to streamline the squad, freeing up both registration places and wages in order to reinforce the team with the new talent it so desperately needs.
Players no longer needed, ranked by order of urgency:
Kevin Nolan
This 33-year old is the first name on every fan’s lips when discussing the team’s inadequacies. Though his leadership and poaching helped the club achieve promotion in the 2011/12 season, the midfielder has consistently demonstrated both a lack of fitness or ability to positively contribute to the game. The decline of his performances is reflected in the statistics, having made only 0.4 key passes per game this season compared to his 0.9 in 2013/14. In addition, Nolan has scored only one goal in 18 starts this season, whilst last year he was the club’s top scorer with seven goals in 33. The increase in his number of long-balls from an average 0.7 last season to 0.9 in the present also indicates a failure to adapt to the new attacking system. Too often is he seen exhaustedly meandering in the centre of the pitch, offering little except for the odd pass or an occasional effort inside the box.
Verdict: Too slow, too unfit, and has lost his edge.
Possible destinations: Championship, retirement.
Joey O’Brien
At 29, O’Brien still has a good few years of football left in him. Unfortunately, the quality of summer signings Aaron Cresswell and Carl Jenkinson have highlighted the importance of a decent set of full-backs. In the few appearances O’Brien made this season he has offered very little going forward, and looked unsteady when providing cover at centre back. Statistically, even during his best season at West Ham in 2012/13, O’Brien made fewer key passes, fewer crosses, and more bad touches than Jenkinson has in his first at the club. In January, O’Brien’s introduction as a late substitute during the third round of the FA Cup disrupted the defence, and his poor positioning directly contributed to Lukaku’s late equaliser. Though he would provide adequate cover or possibly a starting berth in most Championship sides, O’Brien is simply not good enough for a team that may soon be playing in Europe.
Verdict: Not good enough.
Possible destinations: Championship, cover for newly-promoted side.
Guy Demel
Fast approaching 34, Demel no longer offers the club decent cover at full-back. Having failed to play for 90 minutes since the 2013/14 season, Demel is on a steep age-related decline. In the few matches he has played this season, the right-back made only 0.7 tackles and 0.5 interceptions per game, compared to last season’s average of 1.7 and 1.1 respectively. Carl Jenkinson’s quality has only further highlighted Demel’s inadequacies, and regardless of whether the club fail to keep the Arsenal defender next season, it is certain that they will seek a replacement for the position.
Verdict: Too old.
Possible destinations: Retirement, Ivorian league.
Matt Jarvis
Turning 29 this month, Matt Jarvis is one of the less obvious choices for the chop. Having signed for approximately £11,000,000 in the 2012 summer transfer window, the winger represented a significant investment for the club. However, Jarvis has yet to live up to his sizeable price tag. Though he offers good pace and fairly decent crossing, he does not contribute enough to the game to warrant a starting position. The club’s newly favoured 4-3-1-2 diamond does not particularly suit a winger of Jarvis’ nature, and with the purchase of Morgan Amalfitano, Nenê, and Enner Valencia, West Ham has a number of wide options to choose from. Furthermore, having failed to play more than 75 minutes since his return to fitness in October 2014, it is clear that he is not destined for a significant role at the club. A move to a side at the lower-half of the table would be the best option for both parties, offering much-needed minutes and an opportunity to return to the form which saw him purchased from Wolverhampton Wanderers in the first place.
Verdict: Too one-dimensional.
Possible destinations: Lower-half clubs, Championship.
Andy Carroll
Perhaps a controversial choice, as the 26-year old striker has demonstrated an almost unparalleled aerial dominance when fit. However, since signing for the club permanently in the 2013 transfer window, Carroll has managed to play just over 2000 minutes of football. The heel problem which kept him out until January 2014 was only the start of a multitude of lower leg injuries. This season Carroll was only fit to play from November until February, though managing to score five goals in the process. His ability to win an average 8.6 aerial duels per game since joining West Ham means that, were he able to keep fit, Carroll would be an extremely useful squad player. However the regularity of his injuries, coupled with the enormous £15,000,000 outlay from the club, has rendered the striker poor value for money. West Ham should attempt to cut its losses and sell Carroll at a reduced fee to any team willing to put up with his injuries. The spectacular form of Diafra Sakho has demonstrated the importance of a consistent striker, and the club should seek more of the same in the upcoming window.
Verdict: Too many injuries, poor value for money.
Possible destinations: Patient middle or lower-table clubs.
