Julen Lopetegui has been given a major headache after an injury to new striker Niclas Fullkrug on international duty.
What is it about West Ham and strikers.
The Hammers have signed 53 strikers since 2010 and very few have worked out.
They either completely flop, suffer with injuries or do well and leave West Ham as a result.
Debate has raged in West Ham circles over the international break about the latest of those 53 strikers – Niclas Fullkrug.
The Hammers paid £23.5m to sign the big German from Borussia Dortmund in the summer.
The move raised eyebrows among some fans because of Fullkrug’s age.
He turns 32 this season but West Ham technical director Tim Steidten explained one of the big reasons he signed his compatriot was because he was ready to go now.
Except Julen Lopetegui has seen things differently.
Fullkrug has been on the bench for each of West Ham’s first three Premier League games.
After the first – a defeat at home to Villa – Fullkrug spoke out to make it clear he had not joined the Hammers to play back-up to Michail Antonio.
But that’s exactly what he’s done in the two Prem games since.
Antonio had a particularly poor game in the 3-1 defeat to Man City before the international break.
And West Ham fans have been calling for Lopetegui to finally bring Fullkrug into the starting line-up at Fulham this Saturday.
Especially after he scored yet again for Germany in a 5-0 rout of Hungary.
But for those doubting it, the Hammers striker curse is still alive and kicking it seems.
Because disaster has struck for West Ham as new star Fullkrug withdraws from the Germany squad with injury.
The Germans are due to play Holland on Tuesday night to conclude their international break.
Fullkrug will be going back to West Ham early, though.
That’s after a Sky Sports Germany reporter Kerry Hau posted video confirming worrying news for the Hammers.
In a bitter for Germany and West Ham, Fullkrug had to abandon the final training session in Amsterdam after just 15 minutes after problems with his Achilles tendon and calf.
And Hau says it is now very unlikely that the striker will play against the Netherlands.
That undoubtedly makes Fullkrug a major doubt for Fulham too.
It means Antonio will likely once again be leading the line for West Ham at Craven Cottage.
But he is away with Jamaica and not due to play until the early hours of Wednesday morning.
So the chances of Antonio being back fit and fresh for that game look doubtful too.
It seems Lopetegui may now be forced into making a big change many Hammers fans have wanted to see.
To push Jarrod Bowen back up front with Mohammed Kudus on the right and bringing Crysencio Summerville into the team on the left.
Fingers crossed Bowen and the rest of West Ham’s internationals make it back in good health ready for an important game.
