Are West Ham Still Slipping Backwards?

Looking back to November it was abundantly clear that our Summer transfer campaign had failed miserably. With Andy C out again on the sick list, leaving a bunch of hapless strikers who hadn't managed a goal between them and our woes further compounded by a defence that had lost its confidence after trying to compensate for a San Andreas faultline at right back, Hammers faithful took solace in the looming January transfer window and the opportunity to bring in some new recruits.

Then came a couple of (very) scrappy wins and we dragged ourselves out of the relegation zone until Arsenal and both Manchester sides delivered thorough spankings to bring us back to reality. Then Dimitri Payet went loco...

Since then we have circled the wagons and found a couple of decent results, but the cracks remain. At right back Sam Byram has returned and so far looks decent, but he's inexperienced and we have no back up plan apart from the Michail Antonio crazymadness option. Hmmm. Up front we got rid of Zaaaaaaaaza and Calleri may possibly depart (let's face it - his breakthrough goal came by virtue of a fortuitous deflection) leaving just Ashley Fletcher as back up to Andy Sicknote. Again, Fletcher is a prospect but he's still a kid.

Still we look to have captured Robert Snodgrass - a decent signing but hardly up to Payet standards. And then there's Jose Fonte - clearly recruited to allow Angelo Ogbonna to get a much-needed operation. In reality, we have fallen further backwards in the past month and have done nothing to address the screaming deficits at right back and striker positions.

Still there's 5 days still to go before the curtain descends. David Gold tweeted today that you never know what you might get before the fat lady sings.......Take your time you oversized chanteuse, we've got work to do!