This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…
The signing of Andriy Yarmolenko is proving better and better with each passing game, and he has started to produce after being ruled out for almost the entirety of last season with an Achilles injury.
Over the last few years players such as Felipe Anderson, Manuel Lanzini and Dimitri Payet have grabbed most of the headlines, but the Hammers now appear to have another positive wide player, and if the former Borussia Dortmund player can maintain his early-season form then West Ham could be in for a successful season.
The Ukranian has scored three goals from his six Premier League games, but such is his form that he will likely keep Michail Antonio out of the starting line-up when he makes a return from injury.
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To make matters even better, West Ham only spent £17.5m on him in summer 2018, and given the current climate in which Declan Rice has an asking price of £100m, that can be considered a very good deal.
His form hasn’t gone unnoticed from pundits, too. Darren Bent’s comments to Football Insider show that he has particularly been impressed since the start of the season.
“I saw that Yarmolenko a few years back and I remember thinking: ‘Who is this guy? What a player he is.
“Since he’s been fit, he’s been good, his finish at the weekend was brilliant.”
– Darren Bent
Alongside Lanzini and Anderson, the trio playing behind Sebastien Haller offer West Ham significant threat and variety in attack, evidenced by the fact they have scored two or more goals in four league games so far.
Given their success in attack it is little surprise that the Hammers have lost just once this season, and having been criticised for many years for poor recruitment and not spending money, David Gold and David Sullivan deserve plaudits for their backing of Pellegrini.
It is positive to see the Ukraine international make such a positive return after so long out, and he seems to have adapted very well into the current West Ham set-up, taking up great positions in the box and acting as the perfect support for Haller, who so has the same record in front of goal.
