The decision to sign Nikola Vlasic in the summer transfer window by West Ham boss David Moyes is looking ever more baffling with each week that passes.
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Hammers manager Moyes brought the Croatia international, 24, to the London Stadium from CSKA Moscow on transfer deadline day in the summer for around £25 million (The Guardian).
It seemed like a strange decision at the time.
West Ham’s desperate need for a proper centre-forward was clear and obvious for everyone to see.
Moyes chose to sign Vlasic instead, however. We all got behind that decision because the 58-year-old had earned the respect and trust form the fans having guided us to a miraculous sixth placed finish in the Premier League table during the previous campaign.
Moyes bringing in the 24-year-old instead of an established striker is looking more and more crazy with every week that passes though.
David Moyes signing Nikola Vlasic for West Ham seems like a crazy decision
It’s not that the Croatian is a particularly bad player.
I mean, he hasn’t done anything of note but at the same time he hasn’t been given a fair crack at the whip either.
Vlasic barely been given a chance – especially in the Premier League. He has just 611 minutes to his name in a West Ham shirt spread across 13 appearances. Only 147 of those minutes have come in the league.
Moyes must have seen something in Vlasic otherwise he wouldn’t have brought him to the London Stadium. So why isn’t he playing him?
What makes the decision to sign him even more frustrating is Michail Antonio’s worrying recent dip in form. The Hammers are crying out for an established centre-forward.
Moyes has to keep playing him though. He has absolutely no other option.
The Scot claimed that there weren’t any strikers out there who could replicate what Antonio does. I’m sorry but that just doesn’t wash with me.
Any striker would have been better than nobody at all. Patson Daka, Adam Armstrong, Danny Ings and Tammy Abraham were all available but to name a few.
And nobody can tell me that had we signed any of them we wouldn’t be higher up in the table now.
Moyes chose to sign Vlasic instead. That’s fine but his actions now don’t back up the decision he made. The Scot needs to give the Croatian some game-time. Allow him to show us what he can do.
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And aside from that, the West Ham manager must sign at least one striker in January. There can be no excuses this time.
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