3 things West Ham United must change to return to winning ways

Lastly and perhaps the most obvious is to sort out the striker position. Not a single West Ham forward has netted for the Irons yet this term, and it is time to address that situation as soon as possible.

It’s plain to see that we need to play with a front two, Simone Zaza can’t play up top on his own, he cuts an isolated figure and it seems that the Italian thrives with a partner alongside him. I would not drop Zaza just yet; I believe he deserves a chance to impress with someone up top with him.

And for me his partner has to be either Ashley Fletcher or Toni Martinez, we need a forward who is fearless, a forward who has confidence, and there is no-one more confident in the club right now than Martinez. The kid is scoring for fun at youth level and surely deserves his chance at least off the bench.

Summer signing, Zaza – Photo: Charlotte Wilson / Offside.

Playing two up top would of course mean the Hammers lose a midfielder as Slaven would have to play 4-4-2, 4-2-2-2 or 4-1-2-1-2 (which would be the most extreme change in system, as it would see both Noble and Kouyate left out with just one holding midfielder in front of the back four sweeping things up and moving the ball on quickly, and it would see a start for Fletcher or Martinez with Antonio and Manuel Lanzini playing out wide with Payet in the hole behind the forwards).

Personally, I would play 4-2-2-2 with Obiang or Oxford alongside Kouyate, with Lanzini and Payet interchanging out wide with Antonio and Zaza as the striking duo. But importantly I would have both Fletcher and Martinez on the bench as options.

I am not claiming to be a footballing genius, but something has to give at the moment for the Irons as they are in desperate need for three points and for Bilic, who if rumours are to be believed, may only have three games to save his job, now is time he bit the bullet and attempt something new.

Come on you Irons!