Sunday 30 October 2016 17:39, UK
Graeme Souness thinks West Ham are 'crying out for a striker' after seeing them lose 2-0 to Everton on Sunday.
The Hammers signed both Andre Ayew and Simone Zaza over the summer, but the former has only just returned from an injury suffered on the opening day, while Zaza has yet to settle after joining from Juventus.
In a bid to solve the issue, the versatile Michail Antonio has been used as a forward in the last two matches.
But he was unable to make an impact in the defeat at Goodison Park, leaving boss Slaven Bilic with much to ponder
"West Ham are crying out for a striker," Souness said on Sky Sports. "They are playing without a centre forward.
"Ayew is short of match fitness and that is the hardest place to play - you have to be bang on it to get goals at the highest level.
"Zaza runs around with no real thought to his game, and they are playing without any real threat at the moment."
The Hammers had chances in the early stages against Everton but Pedro Obiang, Dimitri Payet and Manuel Lanzini failed to convert.
"West Ham played so well in the first half, but I don't know what happened to them in the second half," said Jamie Redknapp. "They stopped doing all the right things and they were so poor."
Zaza runs around with no real thought to his game, and they are playing without any real threat at the moment.
Hammers boss Bilic also rued his side's inability to capitalise on their bright start.
"I am disappointed because we should have taken something," Bilic said. "We should have done better, especially after the start we had for the first 20-25 minutes.
"We were much better and should have built on that. When we offered them a little they took it straight away, they offered us a lot, in the first half especially, but you have to be more cruel and penetrate better and score goals. If you don't score you have a big chance of losing the game."
