Martin Keown slammed West Ham midfielders Jack Wilshere and Mark Noble for their displays during the 4-0 loss to Liverpool on Sunday.
The BBC pundit claimed that the Hammers duo didn’t get around the pitch enough against the Reds but did opt to praise summer signing Felipe Anderson by claiming he was his side’s best player on Sunday.
Keown also opted to suggest that Noble and Wilshere didn’t pass the ball well enough in their latest display but did admit it was a tough test for the Hammers as they were playing the Reds.
“They did spend a lot of money and I thought Anderson was their best player today,” stated the pundit on Match of the Day 2 (BBC One, August 12 23:23pm).
“But you look in that midfield area, Rice started the game and didn’t finish it and when Noble and Wilshere were there I’m not sure they can get around the pitch as that was shown.
“But it is about being a unit and working together as a team and of course Liverpool are a difficult examination but they didn’t pass it very well today at all. ”
OPINION
Clearly it’s hard to judge potential midfield partnerships on one game especially when it was against a very impressive Liverpool side. However Keown comments imply that Noble and Wilshere don’t help form the most mobile of midfields and it’s hard to not see that he may have a point. Last season the Hammers’ lack of energetic legs and pace in the heart of their team was regularly exposed and they don’t want a similar problem to develop during this campaign. While Rice, who started in midfield before being subbed, could be an energetic presence in midfield for his side, he didn’t exactly look comfortable in that role against the Reds on Sunday. However he has previously shown glimpses that he might be a worthwhile defensive midfielder in the future but he’s clearly not ready to be thrown into that position against high-quality oppositions like the Reds just yet. If Pellegrini is keen to regularly play Noble and Wilshere together then perhaps he needs to find an energetic proven midfielder to accompany them in order for his side not to get exposed.
