West Ham can defend and attack but not at the same time. They are paying the price for the errors made in the transfer market by their former technical director Tim Steidten. They have an ageing, unbalanced squad and it is not going to be easy for Kyle Macaulay, who has been in charge of recruitment since Steidten’s departure two months ago, to fix everything this summer.
Patience is required. Money has been wasted on players with no resale value, leaving the club in an awkward spot. Finances are tight and a spending spree is unlikely. West Ham, who deserve a kicking for their failure to build on three consecutive seasons in Europe under David Moyes, could be waiting a while before they are able to push for a top-six finish again.
