C&P Guardian
Hammers hampered by recruitment
West Ham’s recruitment has ruined their season. They lack energy in midfield, suitable cover for injured players in attack and now have a crisis in central defence. Tim Steidten, the club’s under-fire technical director, can hardly complain that rumours of him being shown the exit door are gathering steam. Graham Potter, the new head coach, has inherited a mess from Julen Lopetegui.
Going into the season with three senior centre-backs has backfired. The injury-prone Jean-Clair Todibo has no return date from a calf problem and the clumsy Konstantinos Mavropanos is suspended after his red card during West Ham’s 2-0 defeat by Crystal Palace, leaving Maximilian Kilman as Potter’s only centre-back for Sunday’s trip to Aston Villa. “We’ve got some options internally,” said Potter, who will consider handing a first
Premier League start to the 20-year-old defender Kaelan Casey. He did not sound optimistic about his chances of signing a new centre-back this month.
Jacob Steinberg