Tuesday 11 December 2018 10:46, UK
West Ham had a busy summer, spending almost £100m on players. With form on the up at the London Stadium, how are the new boys doing?
Four straight defeats was not exactly the return Karren Brady, David Sullivan and David Gold were hoping for after the club shelled out a record sum last summer, and a coup of a new manager in Manuel Pellegrini.
But from the ashes has come a revival from the Hammers, who secured a third consecutive win by beating Crystal Palace on Saturday - which is their best run of league form in more than two years.
Even the top half is now well in their sights, and they could move into the top eight if they can beat Fulham on Saturday - a far cry from where they appeared to be heading in the early weeks of the season.
How have their new recruits got on so far? We've assessed their first five months at the London Stadium.
Recently described by Hammers captain Mark Noble as an "early Black Friday bargain," only Joe Hart has made more saves than Fabianski since joining from Swansea for £7m in the summer.
Fabianski sits middle of the park in terms of save percentage - he's kept out 70.6 per cent of shots he has faced - but he is only just behind Jordan Pickford and Bernd Leno in the standings.
He's had plenty of chances to make mistakes, facing more shots than every goalkeeper in the Premier League except Hart, but has looked a shrewd signing so far.
Diop was caught out now and again in the opening weeks of the season, but he has since gone on to prove a superb signing for West Ham and has adapted to the Premier League very quickly given his young age.
The 21-year-old ranks inside the top 20 for interceptions, tackles and blocks across the league, and if he can keep the form up long term, West Ham have a real player on their hands.
Injury has halted Fredericks from making more of an impact, but in his absence Michail Antonio had to cover at right back against Cardiff last week.
But after starting the season ahead of Pablo Zabaleta at right back for the first three games of the season, Pellegrini has quickly lost faith in the free transfer from Fulham, and he has not started a league game since September 1.
Injury is currently halting any attempts to force his way back into the Hammers' defence, but with suggestions of another right back being on Pellegrini's wishlist, it may spell trouble already for the 26-year-old.
In many ways, West Ham knew exactly what they were getting when they invested in Wilshere, with the England midfielder arriving at the London Stadium with a chequered injury history.
Because of that, though, the club have yet to see anywhere near the best of the 26-year-old, who has started only four games and featured as an unused substitute in another.
Perhaps he will come good, but it's been a difficult start to life away from Arsenal for the player, and the Hammers will be hoping this isn't a sign of things to come.
Yarmolenko has been desperately unlucky; he was just coming into his own, especially courtesy of a double against Everton in September, before injuring his Achilles against Tottenham the following month.
When fit - which may not be until April - the Ukraine international could represent a dangerous partnership up front with Felipe Anderson and Marko Arnautovic, so long as he can show more of the glimmers of pace and guile we have seen so far.
Balbuena took a little longer to get up to speed than his defensive team-mate Diop, but his performances have blossomed in recent weeks, as has his partnership with the Frenchman.
He looks an assured purchase at the back and at 27, offers some useful experience to complement Diop. In addition, only two players have made more clearances this season, and three players more interceptions, across the whole league.
There was plenty to live up to when Anderson entered the London Stadium as the Hammers' most expensive player of all time and although the strain appeared to get to the Brazilian at first, he has been flying in recent games.
Anderson has scored six goals, but contributed just one assist, although he has created 28 chances so far this season - only eight fewer than Man City's David Silva, and three more than Tottenham's Christian Eriksen.
Only nine players have made more passes ending in the final third, with West Ham making full use of his attacking threat since he began to settle, and he has completed the ninth-highest number of dribbles, causing real chaos down the left flank.
The Daily Mail even compared him to departed favourite Dimitri Payet - and that looks a fair appraisal on current form.
Perez's start to life in East London has not been particularly positive, and he showed his frustration in the dugout when Antonio was chosen to come on ahead of him against Everton in September - even though the Hammers were 3-1 up at the time.
Against Cardiff last week, there was a glimpse of the quality that once convinced Arsenal to sign him with the forward scoring twice from the bench, but five months in, we are yet to see anything like his best.
Ruled out since September with a knee injury, two league starts have not really been much to judge Sanchez on, but considering he may be 33 by the time he returns, it doesn't look exceptionally promising for the veteran midfielder - especially as Pellegrini has been linked with a move for Spurs' Victor Wanyama in January.
