The going hasn't been great at West Ham United in recent months but Monday night's resounding romping over Brentford in the Premier League has sparked fresh optimism in David Moyes' leadership.
West Ham secured their first victory in 2024 as Jarrod Bowen's hat-trick provided some blistering offensive success that has been scarcely seen throughout this tough spell, but now this result must be followed by a sustained purple patch.
Awaiting Freiburg in the Europa League last 16 and still perched in eighth place in the league, behind Brighton & Hove Albion only on goal difference, Moyes' men will need to muster all of their firepower to secure a triumphant end to the campaign.
Bowen might be one of English football's finest forwards but he's not exactly supplemented by the most prolific of peers, with Maxwel Cornet guilty of ineffectual performances in east London for too long.
Why West Ham signed Maxwel Cornet
West Ham signed Cornet from Burnley for £17.5m back in August 2022 after the Ivorian's stunning season in Lancashire.
Despite the Clarets' relegation from the Premier League under Sean Dyche, Cornet shone from a principally left-sided role, scoring nine goals and placing one assist across just 21 starting appearances.
Versatile and fleet-footed, it appeared to be a shrewd piece of business from the Hammers for a player proven in tough conditions at Burnley, but his career at the London Stadium has not gone to plan.
In fairness, Cornet won the Europa Conference League during his first campaign with West Ham and contributed with three assists in the group phase, though his chances in the English top-flight were severely affected by injuries and he started only two times, failing to earn a goal contribution.
The 5 foot 10 winger has not enjoyed much better luck since the summer, starting just three matches across all competitions and scoring once, in the Premier League against Sheffield United in January.
Maxwel Cornet's salary at West Ham in 2024
Given that Cornet takes home a healthy salary of £65k per week, it might be wise for Moyes to consider cashing in on him sooner rather than later, with his lack of potency contributing to a rather dull frontline bailed out by Bowen and Mohammed Kudus.
Maxwel Cornet
£65k-per-week
Nayef Aguerd
£50k-per-week
Aaron Cresswell
£50k-per-week
Konstantinos Mavropanos
£50k-per-week
Vladimir Coufal
£35k-per-week
Ben Johnson
£20k-per-week
Salaries sourced via Capology
He's earning more than stars such as Nayef Aguerd and Konstantinos Mavropanos despite his woeful return in front of goal, with his lack of success marking him down as a flop to mirror Danny Ings, a player currently goalless in 2023/24.
Of course, Ings is on a far greater salary – £125k-per-week – but the former Southampton sharpshooter at least offers more in his all-round play, supplying a remarkable four key passes in the aforementioned draw to Sheffield United and bagging ten times in 2022/23.
Owen Hargreaves described Cornet as a "fabulous goalscorer" during his stay at Turf Moor but it's clear that he has failed to capture his former form with West Ham, and while he deserves sympathy for his injury-hit 2022/23 term, a continued fringe role this season suggests that he should be axed after the close of the campaign.