West Ham manager David Moyes could now hand more opportunities for a player to revive his career at the London Stadium, according to reports.
Frustrating international break for Moyes
Following a torrid run of internationals for members of the Hammers squad, Moyes is now having to cope with a few injury problems to key players. Star winger Jarrod Bowen pulled out of England duty with a knee problem and is a small doubt to face Burnley at Turf Moor on Saturday, though Moyes is hopeful to have him, while striker Michail Antonio is a certain absentee after limping off for Jamaica (pre-Burnley press conference).
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Mohammed Kudus was absent for Ghana at points but played the second half of their final international game of the break, with the summer signing apparently suffering from back problems these past few weeks. Antonio, though, will come as a big miss for Moyes and West Ham are now very short of natural striker options as a result.
Kudus can play in a more central attacking role when required, as can Bowen, with the Hammers boss not exactly showing much faith in back up forward Danny Ings this season.
Indeed, Kudus in particular has been tipped to become more and more of an Antonio rotation option this season than the former Saints star.
"I think it makes most sense that he goes in to alternate the forward role for a little bit," said journalist Dean Jones to GiveMeSport last month.
"We know that West Ham are going to start looking towards signing a No.9 in the January market. We know that they're looking for somebody to alternate with Antonio a bit.
"Before he came in, I was told that's a role they had earmarked for him. It wouldn't be just that position that he would play, but the two things I was told was to look out for him as a striker rotator and also don't expect him to come in all guns blazing."
Fellow option Ings has featured over just 68 minutes in the Premier League so far, indicating that he just isn't quite fancied, but Antonio's injury problem could hand him a brief opportunity.
Ings tipped for "late, last" West Ham chance
Signed from Aston Villa in January earlier this year, Ings just hasn't quite managed to justify his transfer over the minutes he has played. Scoring just three goals throughout his entire West Ham career, time is running out for the 31-year-old to showcase his true ability, but reporter Jones believes Ings may be handed a "late, last" opportunity to do so amid Moyes' injury crisis.
"I don't think that there are that many West Ham fans right now who have got much faith in Danny Ings being the answer to this solution based on what they've seen so far," said Jones this week to GMS.
"I think that Danny Ings was heading for a January transfer. Maybe this is a late, last opportunity for him to prove that he can make this work out at West Ham.
Indirect set-piece threat
Plays the ball off the ground often
Likes to tackle
"Certainly, he is going to get more opportunities now than he would have had before. But it'll be interesting to see if that's definitely the route that West Ham want to go down and how much they even trust Danny Ings."
