West Ham United midfielder Mark Noble has been full of praise for striker Marko Arnautovic since his arrival from Stoke City last summer.
Noble believes that the Austrian forward now feels at home at the London Stadium since his move from the Potters, and feels like he is not being judged any more due to his high price tag.
Noble adds that the first team figure is now a central part of the team, and he revealed what he said to the 29-year-old ace when he first stepped foot in East London.
“West Ham fans have always loved a maverick player — Billy Bonds, Julian Dicks, Paolo Di Canio — and now, Marko Arnautovic,” he said in his Evening Standard column.
“I spoke to him a lot when he first arrived and things weren’t going so well. I said: ‘Don’t worry about it, things will improve.’ He kept working hard and now I think everyone can see the benefits of that hard graft — and the fact that he feels at home. No one is judging him or his price tag any more.
“He’s an integral part of the changing room now, a fantastic person to have around.”
OPINION
Arnautovic has been a key influence on the team since he arrived last year, and he does not look like he is going to slow down any time soon. Noble is right – the attacker does work hard for the team, which has been evident in his recent performances for the Hammers in their impressive return to form. He is their main talisman and they would not be at the quality that they are at now if he was not in the box to cross balls into. He is duly relied upon to deliver the goods and it does not really come as a surprise. Yes, he is a character like Noble pointed out – but sometimes you need players like that to lift the spirits of their teammates. Many have criticised Arnautovic’s temper on the pitch, but if anything, this makes him want to work even harder for Manuel Pellegrini’s side.
