Owners have created a volatile situation from a rare period of serenity for West Ham and it could get ugly again

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Some West Ham United fans were incredulous when Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson claimed they have had the best winter window in the Premier League.

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It has been a quiet January window with the Covid pandemic having a clear impact on even the biggest clubs.

West Ham fans had hoped to see the club sign a striker before the deadline.

Particularly after Sebastien Haller was sold to Ajax for £20million last month.

But it was clear long before the clock hit 11pm last night that wasn’t going to happen.

West Ham’s hopes hanging by Antonio’s hamstring

David Moyes must now keep everything crossed that Michail Antonio – who was only converted to a striker seven months ago – can buck a career trend and stay fit for the rest of the season.

Antonio has never played more than 30 games in a season for West Ham. Indeed he has only managed more than 23 once – when he played 29 back in 2016/17.

Moyes has suggested new boy Jesse Lingard can fill in up front if needed as a false nine.

But that has cut little ice with West Ham fans.

Many are furious with the already unpopular co-owners David Sullivan and David Gold.

They feel the owners have left Moyes down. And just when he had got the club in a brilliant position to achieve something truly memorable.

Merson at odds with angry West Ham fans after declaring Hammers ‘won the window’

Of course West Ham still might.

But as always seems to be the case with West Ham, they are just one or two injuries away from a crisis.

When delivering his transfer window verdict on Sky Sports, Merson declared West Ham had ‘won the window’.

It was a bold statement given the lack of a striker arrival.

In what was one of the most quiet winter windows on record, many might argue he has a point.

Overall transfer fees paid for players in the winter window was its lowest since 2012. According to Carteret Analytics, £68m was spent this time – way down on the £188m paid out last year.

West Ham accounted for around £29million of that after signing Frederick Ibsen Alves, making Said Benrahma’s £25m move permanent and bringing in Lingard on an expensive loan.

Benrahma’s deal was also officially the most expensive of the window.

Hammers top transfer window at nine-year low but owners have somehow made a volatile situation from a rare period of serenity for West Ham fans

Merson’s verdict was perhaps typical of a media neutral who fails to see the bigger picture at West Ham.

He made some salient points too. Cynical West Ham fans will point out it took a global pandemic to act as a leveller for West Ham to be deemed to have had the best window of all the Premier League clubs.

“I do like the Lingard signing at West Ham,” Merson said on Sky Sports.

“I watched them (against Liverpool) and they looked a bit lost, I feel they just needed that burst.

“He has played for the biggest club in the world so if he can rediscover his form, I feel he could be the one where other teams are scratching their head thinking, ‘why didn’t we sign Lingard?’

“David Moyes has brought younger players in who are full of energy and he has got them playing his style of football. I was disappointed in them against Liverpool and I expected more from them.

“But he’s still getting his team together. Lingard’s still a good player and has been training well at United. West Ham could have a diamond there.”

Striker failure has lit fuse on West Ham powder keg

The jury is out.

But once again the situation with the fans is volatile.

An injury to Antonio or Delcan Rice or Tomas Soucek would be devastating given West Ham’s lack of depth in those areas.

Throw in a few poor results and the toxic negativity between the supporters and owners will quickly explode again as a result of the lack of a replacement for Haller.

It could all have been avoided if West Ham’s owners had pushed the boat out for a striker MOYES wanted.

Instead the fuse is lit on the West Ham powder keg even in this, the club’s best season for 35 years.

Sullivan and Gold’s actions – and inaction – has created a volatile situation from a rare period of stability and serenity at West Ham. That takes some doing, even by their standards.

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