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Andriy Yarmolenko – a tale of West Ham inconsistency

By Adam Smith

LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 31: Andriy Yarmolenko of West Ham United celebrates after scoring his team's second goal during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Norwich City at London Stadium on August 31, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 31: Andriy Yarmolenko of West Ham United celebrates after scoring his team's second goal during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Norwich City at London Stadium on August 31, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images) /
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The signing of Andriy Yarmolenko at West Ham was surprising and a bit of a coup. However, two years on the Ukranian can’t find health or form as he is struggling to get any minutes. What happened?

It’s all too familiar for West Ham supporters. Sign a very good player -> get excited about their play -> they have a strong start -> team looks good -> player gets injured -> team form drops. I’m not suggesting that the teams’ success is dependent on Andriy Yarmolenko, but as form has dipped for him, so too has it for the entire team.

His wicked left boot has treated Hammers fans more than a few times and when his name appears in the teamsheet thoughts of a rocket shot from outside the box dance through all of our heads. It’s clear he has world-class talent in that foot, but consistency is the name of the game with this player.

This season, Yarmolenko has had four goal contributions in 15 matches. These three goals and one assist came in a seven-game stretch and since his assist against Sheffield, the Ukranian winger has gone cold in the following nine matches, picking up and abductor injury in the process. This follows his massive Achilles injury sustained last season that saw him miss most of the campaign, furthering along the narrative of West Ham has injury FC.

His two goals last season and three this year put him tied with Andrey Voronin for third (last) all-time for Ukranian goal scorers in the Premier League. Only Andriy Schevchenko (9) and Serhiy Rebov (10) sit ahead of him, but Yarmolenko catching either seems a stretch now.

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With the manager who signed him now gone, Yarmolenko’s future at West Ham looks uncertain at best. His lack of pace makes him less than ideal as a wide midfielder, and his injury history suggests he’d struggle to play consistently anywhere. It will be a situation of ‘what could have been’ looking back at the Ukrainian, as he never reached the heights expected.