West Ham owners admit root cause of club’s problems has become clear for all to see

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West Ham’s owners believe everyone has now seen the root cause of all the club’s problems this week.

• Hammers News exclusive

West Ham’s woeful season limps ever closer to the finish line with defeat at Wolves followed by a home draw with Bournemouth.

The Hammers were awful in the first halves of both matches.

It leaves Graham Potter’s side facing a fight with Wolves and Spurs to avoid being the worst team in the Premier League outside the bottom three.

There have been murmurings of unrest over Potter from some fans already.

Irritable West Ham fans still waiting for Potter spark

Many aren’t impressed by the lack of impact the 49-year-old has made on the style of the team and results.

Potter has just three wins in 12 games and has admitted his focus on trying to tighten West Ham up defensively has detracted from the attack.

The Hammers have averaged a goal per game under the Englishman, less than under Julen Lopetegui.

Potter started Jarrod Bowen up front against Bournemouth.

That’s despite West Ham fans calling for Niclas Fullkrug to start the game.

Evan Ferguson seriously struggled against Wolves and missed a golden chance to get his first West Ham goal.

The young Irishman was hooked at half-time and replaced by Fullkrug.

The big German played really well and helped the Hammers improve, leading to calls for him to start against Bournemouth.

But Potter went with Bowen again and it just didn’t work at all.

Not only could the captain not get into the game, the Hammers lost what he brings to the team from the right hand-side.

Fullkrug shows what he can bring to West Ham

Fullkrug came on in the second half and once again made a hugely positive impact.

He scored a bullet header to equalise and his all-round play caused Bournemouth a lot of problems.

The likes of Bowen and Mohammed Kudus were much improved as a result of the defence having someone else to worry about.

After the loss to Wolves there was a leak from West Ham’s board about Potter’s contract.

It was claimed the club has an 18-month break clause in the manager’s deal.

The timing of the leak – amid fan disenchantment in the wake of a defeat – was interesting to say the least.

There was been much debate among supporters as to whether Potter is the right man for West Ham long-term given the evidence so far.

But West Hams’ owners admit the root cause of the club’s problems has become clear for all to see.

It is not just Potter that is struggling to get results and performances.

Lopetegui clearly has issues hence being sacked after only 192 days in the job.

West Ham owners admit cause of club’s problems clear to see

David Moyes endured a terrible run in the second half of last season too.

You can tell West Ham have been struggling for at least the last 15 months. It’s perfectly obvious from the distinct lack of atmosphere and excitement around games.

Some of the football at the London Stadium has become a very hard watch and atmosphere is dead.

That is a big problem and only a spark on the pitch is going to turn the situation around.

Hammers News reached out to the top spokesman for the club’s hierarchy for a reaction to where the club is at and this week’s results.

It was put to the owners that fans are still waiting for lift off under Potter but the second half performance against the Cherries was more promising.

And the owners believe this week’s games have highlighted what has become West Ham’s biggest single problem at the heart of all their ills.

“We’ve needed a centre-forward all season,” the key senior spokesman for West Ham’s owners told Hammers News.

“Fullkrug is not 100 per cent fit yet.

“But he showed a lot today, about himself and why we’ve struggled.”

Hammers can’t afford to get complacent on Fullkrug return

Many fans would argue the midfield is just as big a problem.

But Fullkrug has certainly highlighted how important it is to have a proper, bona fide striker who can take the hits, bring others into play and pose a goal threat.

West Ham cannot afford to get carried away by his return, though.

While clearly an excellent, international class striker, Fullkrug is 33 next season and has spent three-quarters of his debut season out injured.

Planning any kind of team around him would be foolish in the extreme.

The only way West Ham could risk that would be by signing a top young striker who is happy to play back-up with a view to ultimately succeeding the ex Dortmund ace.

And that must be a top priority if Fullkrug is to be retained for next season amid West Ham’s need to raise funds for signings and interest from Italy and Germany for the Germany star.