It has been a strange 2024 for West Ham star boy Mohammed Kudus and it just got a little bit stranger it seems.
There are not too many West Ham players who have played consistently well in 2024.
But Mohammed Kudus has, in fairness, been one of them for the most part.
Since that 2-0 win at Arsenal on December 28th last year, the Hammers have won just eight games from 36 in all competitions.
West Ham will be hoping the latest of those – the 4-1 victory over Ipswich – marks the turning of the tide.
Kudus scored his first goal of the season in that game to ease pressure that had been building on him and the club’s new boss Julen Lopetegui.
The Ghana star enjoyed a brilliant debut season with the Hammers, scoring 14 goals and laying on six assists.
It was punctuated by a dismal African Nations with his country, though.
Despite climbing off the treatment table to single-handedly put Ghana on course to make it out of the group stages, Kudus saw his team throw it all away as they crashed out.
That cost Chris Hughton his job and resulted in a backlash against the team in Ghana.
Hammers star boy Kudus going through difficult spell
This season Kudus had done everything but score for West Ham.
The pressure around West Ham had been building and it bubbled to the surface at Brentford recently when Lopetegui had a widely publicised bust-up with star player Kudus.
Passions spilled over during a tense half-time team talk in which the Spaniard singled out Kudus for criticism.
He accused the 24-year-old of not playing for the team.
Kudus took exception to being criticised and was ruthlessly hooked by Lopetegui at half-time. The manager then confirmed it was a tactical substitution for the benefit of the team.
The incident raised eyebrows and left some supporters puzzled. Understandably so as Kudus was far from West Ham’s worst player on the day.
And it has since emerged Kudus is in the top 10 across the entire Premier League when it comes to duels won this season – after finishing second in that particular table last term.
Many Hammers fans have questioned the wisdom of Lopetegui singling out Kudus.
Firstly because the player has been played out of position by the Spaniard since he arrived.
And secondly because Kudus has been carrying West Ham for the best part of a year.
Kudus’ problems have continued with Ghana, though.
And national team fans have a theory as to why West Ham star Kudus is struggling.
Ghana fans have theory on why Kudus is struggling
West Ham’s most talented player was named captain by Ghana.
But the Hammers ace had a contender for miss of the year as Ghana drew 0-0 with Sudan at the weekend.
The country’s passionate fans were angered by the result. And Ghana will now face Sudan again on Tuesday night.
Some Black Stars fans think they know why Kudus has not been hitting top form.
It has nothing to do with being overrated, tired or played out of position by West Ham.
And everything to do with the weight of the shirt he has been given according to some supporters.
Ghanaians are blaming the iconic number 10 shirt Kudus is wearing for his struggles.
The passionate and emotionally charged rant has to be seen to be believed.
But some Ghana fans are adamant the 10 shirt – worn by many of the country’s greats down the years – has affected their ‘star boy’.
“Our star boy, somebody who knows how to play football, and we all know they gave him that number 10 jersey,” the fan says surrounded by a large group of supporters nodding in agreement.
“They gave him (the) captain(cy), fine. (But) allow him to use his number 20 jersey.
“Never put the 10 jersey on him. We see our leaders, they don’t learn from their mistakes (of the past).
“We used the 10 jersey to give another boy in Morocco, on neutral ground, the boy didn’t play anything and in that match we played out a draw.
“Today too, they give 10 jersey to Kudus, they force the 10 jersey on him. Look at the chance Kudus had – that is because of the 10 jersey!”
West Ham take note. Keep Kudus in the number 14 shirt.
The Hammers will now be keeping their fingers crossed he comes back unscathed for the huge game against Spurs this weekend.
One thing fans do want to see is Kudus played in a more central role. Or at least on the right hand side where he is much more effective.
Related Topics