OPINION
For all the quality of West Ham United’s front three in the team’s 3-1 win against Everton on Sunday, it was the midfield trio who really shined.
Manuel Pellegrini has struggled to find a cohesive midfield unit from the moment he signed on at the London Stadium, but his choice of Mark Noble, Declan Rice and Pedro Obiang against the Toffees was inspired.
And it’s the latter who can really go on to cement himself in the first team picture in the coming months. Obiang’s task was made easier, too, when Jack Wilshere was ruled out for around six weeks on Monday.
The former Arsenal man has struggled for form since joining the Hammers but he appeared to be a favourite of Pellegrini’s, starting all four of the team’s opening Premier League games until missing out on Sunday through injury.
With the England international’s somewhat chequered (to put it mildly) injury record, it’s sensible for Pellegrini to give Obiang a good run of games in Wilshere’s stead.
The Spaniard showed against Everton that he can be a genuine powerhouse in the West Ham midfield. He covered every blade of grass on Sunday and showed that he is capable of being the box-to-box midfielder that the Hammers crave.
He is a very well-rounded player, capable of operating as a holding midfielder if required while also being able to push forward as a marauding, Yaya Toure-type.
In fact, he could end up being the player the club thought they were getting in Wilshere. He is better defensively than the 26-year-old, and is comparable technically.
He may not have scored some of the eye catching strikes that Wilshere has over the years, but he is a more consistent and powerful player.
No one wishes injury on any man, but these next six weeks are about taking advantage of an opportunity for Obiang. At 26 years of age the former Sampdoria star, on a reported £55,000-per-week at the London Stadium [Source: Spotrac], should only now be hitting his prime.
Consistency is the key, and that’s what Obiang needs to demonstrate over the next month and a half in order to nail down a long-term place in Pellegrini’s team.
This is a real chance for the Spaniard, who hasn’t seemed a favourite of Pellegrini’s as of yet, to show what he can do and secure his Hammers future.
