West Ham have struggled severely this season and three consecutive defeats prior to the international break have left the Hammers hovering just a single point above the Premier League’s relegation zone with eight games to play.
The club’s recruitment has been poor over recent seasons and fans have had to endure seeing another experienced player struggle at the London Stadium, as the performances of Manchester City loanee Joe Hart have been extremely disappointing.
30-year-old Hart has struggled to maintain his spot in the first-team over Adrian and made another high-profile mistake in the 3-0 defeat to Burnley last time out, which led to criticism when he maintained his spot in Gareth Southgate’s England squad.
However, West Ham’s assistant manager Stuart Pearce has praised the experienced goalkeeper and believes he can be an asset at this summer’s World Cup in Russia. Speaking to TalkSport, he said:
“Gareth Southgate knows exactly what sort of goalkeeper Joe is and what his worth is to a squad as well. Joe Hart has a wealth of experience, he’s a fantastic age for a goalkeeper. Gareth will decide who he’s going to take and form will dictate that, who’s playing well for their clubs.”
“But he will look at who has got some sort of CV as well. Gareth will know the worth of having Joe in the squad as a personal as well as a goalkeeper.”
Hart has conceded 33 goals in 15 Premier League appearances this season, leaving him facing a fight with Everton’s Joe Pickford and Stoke City’s Jack Butland for England’s number one jersey this summer.
