The focus on Niclas Fullkrug has been growing as West Ham’s season gets off to a rough start. The team needed a solid striker in the summer, but so far, things have not gone well. Many fans thought they should have signed a young, quick, and powerful forward. Instead, West Ham spent £23.5m on Fullkrug, a 31-year-old who has struggled with injuries in the past. They could have signed Jhon Duran for £45m, but chose Fullkrug instead.
So far, Fullkrug has made only a few short appearances in the Premier League. He hasn’t had a strong impact, and he has been sidelined since September due to a serious Achilles and calf issue. Reports suggest he may not return until 2025. His injury is even worse because he lost fitness during his time off. Fullkrug has been traveling back and forth to Germany for treatment, which kept him out of the team’s recent photograph, and West Ham had to edit him into the image.
This situation has added pressure on West Ham’s technical director, Tim Steidten, who brought Fullkrug to the club. Fans are also turning on manager Julen Lopetegui, who has faced criticism for the team’s poor start, with only three wins from 11 games. He confirmed that Fullkrug is out for the foreseeable future and that any recovery must be cautious to avoid worsening his injury. Some fans believe that once Fullkrug is fit, he will improve West Ham’s attack.
However, the belief that Fullkrug’s absence is the main reason for West Ham’s struggles is misleading. In reality, West Ham has had fewer injuries than most teams in the Premier League this season. According to data, they have had the fewest days lost to injury. The team has only lost 84 days due to injuries, mostly because of Fullkrug’s situation. The next closest team is Bournemouth with 115 days. In contrast, many other clubs, like Brighton, have lost hundreds of days to injury. Brighton, despite their injuries, are performing much better in the league under a young, innovative manager.
West Ham’s injury record is not a major issue. They are the least affected by injuries in the Premier League. In fact, West Ham has one of the deepest squads they’ve had in years, with plenty of talent at Lopetegui’s disposal. Blaming the team’s poor form solely on Fullkrug’s absence is not reasonable. Other teams, even those with many more injuries, are performing better. West Ham must find a way to improve, with or without Fullkrug, or Lopetegui’s position will continue to be under scrutiny.
