West Ham United’s hopes of success in their Europa League quarter-final were hindered by their limited squad depth. In contrast to Bayer Leverkusen, who saw both of their goals scored by substitutes, West Ham’s manager David Moyes was not as trusting of his attacking options. This lack of faith in his bench ultimately proved to be their downfall.
Momentum shifted in favor of Leverkusen, who are currently unbeaten in all competitions this season, after the introduction of substitutes Jonas Hofmann and Victor Boniface. Within six minutes of entering the field, Hofmann scored a breakthrough goal, and Boniface sealed the 2-0 victory in added time. West Ham had defended well until that point, but their inability to augment their attacking options cost them dearly.
Moyes had offensive options in Danny Ings, Divin Mubama, and Maxwel Cornet on the bench. Ings, who has struggled to make an impact as a starter, has shown his ability to score from the bench in previous matches. Cornet has also provided assists as a substitute. However, Moyes chose not to make any substitutions during a crucial period of the match.
The failure to strengthen their attacking options during the January transfer window has come back to haunt West Ham. Despite attempts to secure signings like Jota and Ibrahim Osman, the club only managed to sign Kalvin Phillips. Interest in other players like Emile Smith Rowe and Steven Bergwijn was unsuccessful. The departure of Said Benrahma and Pablo Fornals without adequate replacements has left West Ham lacking squad depth.
This is not the first time West Ham have failed to strengthen during the January transfer window. In the 2021-22 season, they also did not sign any players despite being in contention for a top-four finish and reaching the latter stages of the Europa League. The lack of depth cost them in the remaining league games of that season.
There are clear parallels between that season and the current one. West Ham’s failure to strengthen in January could ultimately be viewed as a missed opportunity. While they are still in the hunt for a top-six finish, reaching the semi-finals of the Europa League for a third season looks challenging. Suspension and injury concerns further complicate their chances.
Despite their loss to Leverkusen, there were some positives for West Ham. Michail Antonio caused problems for Leverkusen’s defense, Lukasz Fabianski made important saves, and Tomas Soucek made crucial goal-line clearances. However, the absence of injured Jarrod Bowen and suspended Edson Alvarez affected both their attacking and defensive attributes.
Moyes remains optimistic about their chances in the second leg and believes they have a chance of turning the tie around. West Ham have a history of overturning first-leg losses in the Europa League, and Moyes will hope his side can capitalize on any complacency from Leverkusen.
In order to secure a positive result in the second leg, Moyes needs to show more trust in his attacking substitutes. Just as Andriy Yarmolenko had a significant impact coming off the bench in a previous match against Sevilla, someone else in the squad could step up and make a difference.
As West Ham prepare for the second leg, their limited squad depth remains a concern. The lack of reinforcements in January has come back to haunt them, and they must now rely on their existing players to overcome Leverkusen’s strong challenge. With the fans behind them at the London Stadium, West Ham will be hoping for a memorable comeback.