There were two big positives for West Ham in the wake of the dismal 5-2 defeat to Arsenal and one was Niclas Fullkrug.
The Hammers were a shambles again as they found themselves 4-0 down after 36 minutes against their London rivals.
From a West Ham perspective the big question before the Arsenal game was whether Julen Lopetegui and his side had truly turned a corner after the shock 2-0 win at Newcastle.
The answer was an emphatic ‘no’.
Many West Ham fans are again calling for the manager to be sacked.
The Hammers now go to Leicester on Tuesday night.
On paper that is just what West Ham need, facing a team who are just as bad as them defensively.
In reality, though, the King Power will be fired up for new manager Ruud van Nistelrooy’s first game in the dugout.
There were two major positives as the dust settles on the Arsenal hammering.
West Ham’s best player Mohammed Kudus has completed his five-game ban and will be available again at Leicester.
More misery from top West Ham source
On Saturday’s evidence it would be nothing short of farcical if Kudus did not go straight back into the side.
The other positive was the fact Lopetegui stated Niclas Fullkrug might make his return in the same game.
Lopetegui has pleaded publicly with David Sullivan to hold off judging him until he has Kudus and Fullkrug back.
West Ham fans have criticised technical director Tim Steidten for the Fullkrug signing.
At 31, with a lack of pace and a lengthy history of serious injuries, supporters questioned the wisdom of spending £25m on the German.
Ahead of Arsenal, though, Lopetegui claimed Fullkrug could return to the West Ham squad for the crucial Leicester game.
Well now there’s more misery as a top West Ham source shares a depressing new twist to the Fullkrug saga.
Last month Sean Whetstone reported that his top source inside West Ham revealed disastrous striker signing Fullkrug was feeling unsettled in the UK and wants to leave.
Fullkrug had made just three cameo sub appearances for the Hammers before picking up a serious Achilles injury on international duty in September.
He hasn’t been seen since. Not even in training.
Depressing new twist to West Ham’s Fullkrug saga
Fullkrug is now closing on three months out injured.
Lopetegui seemed quietly confident the summer striker signing would return at the King Power for what is now a must-win game.
But leading Hammers source Whetstone has revealed Fullkrug will be out for another two games at least.
Not only that, but Fullkrug may only then feature in four games before being sold in January.
Given he will clearly need time to regain match fitness when he does return, that raises the prospect Fullkrug will never start a league game for the Hammers before being shipped out.
“Niclas Fullkrug is targeting a mid December return to action and could be available for the Bournemouth Away game on December 16th,” Whetstone said.
“All eyes will be on his performances after his return with a sale over January not ruled out after the German striker has failed to settle in London.”
Should Fullkrug return at Bournemouth he may feature in just four more games before being moved on when the January transfer window opens.
Fullkrug would add to an ever-growing list of failed West Ham striker moves including Danny Ings, Gianluca Scamacca and Sebastien Haller in recent years.
On one hand that news that Fullkrug could be moved on should be welcomed by West Ham fans.
If the club is holding its hands up and admitting it has made a mistake then it’s refreshing to see them actually proactively doing something about it to try and retrieve the situation.
But only if Steidten goes out and gets the right man to replace him – preferably a young, quick forward with some much-needed athleticism.
The club’s owners have today given an exclusive update on the Lopetegui situation to Hammers News.
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