West Ham manager David Moyes is facing increasing scrutiny over his handling of the striker situation at the club, with star forward Michail Antonio expressing dissatisfaction, writes the Hammer.News. Despite Moyes’ efforts to convert wingers into strikers, the lack of a consistent goal-scoring threat upfront has become a pressing concern for the Hammers.
Moyes, who has previously signed Jordan Hugill for £9 million during his first spell at the club, now finds himself without a potent striker after giving up on Sebastien Haller and Gianluca Scamacca in his second stint. The manager has notably transformed inconsistent wingers Marko Arnautovic and Michail Antonio into decent strikers, but the need for a dedicated frontman remains.
In Moyes’ latest attempt to address the striking dilemma, he is now turning to West Ham’s most consistent player, Jarrod Bowen, in the hope of finding a reliable goal scorer. The decision comes as many fans believe that Antonio, who turns 34 in March, may have passed his prime as a Premier League forward.
Antonio was dropped for a memorable cup win over Arsenal, leading to speculation that Moyes had found an alternative to the battering ram style of the veteran forward. However, Moyes later reinstated Antonio for the match against Brentford, and it proved to be a costly decision. Antonio’s glaring miss from a yard out is widely regarded as the pivotal moment that contributed to West Ham’s 3-2 defeat.
Moyes, facing criticism for failing to sign a replacement for Scamacca in the summer, admitted that Antonio is unhappy with the current situation. In a press conference ahead of the Forest clash, Moyes expressed the need for Antonio to find his goal-scoring form and emphasized the competition for places within the squad.
The failure to secure a reliable striker has become a glaring issue for West Ham, and fans are growing frustrated with the club’s inability to address the situation. Moyes now faces the challenge of revitalizing Antonio’s form while contemplating alternative solutions to bolster the team’s attacking options. As the striker conundrum continues, West Ham supporters are eager to see decisive action taken to rectify the ongoing issues in the squad.