OPINION
He is usually one of West Ham United’s most consistent and reliable players, but on Tuesday night in the 3-0 loss to Wolves, Pablo Zabaleta started to unravel.
The right-back has been first choice under Manuel Pellegrini since summer signing Ryan Fredericks got injured, but even though he has returned from the sidelines, the boss has still opted to select the veteran defender.
However, on Tuesday, he is probably wishing that he had not taken a gamble on Zabaleta.
He continually tried to find Michail Antonio on the right flank, but to hardly no avail – and after half time, his recklessness almost gave away a penalty.
The 34-year-old really struggled to get going in the second half, and this is a prospect that is sure to have Pellegrini sweating profusely.
His performance has essentially summed up why it is important that the Hammers recruit some full-backs in the summer, as he is definitely starting to show signs of declining.
What did Pellegrini expect from a player of his age?
There is no denying the talent that Zabaleta has, he has demonstrated that for many years now, but the recent outing has no doubt left the fans crying out for some reinforcements.
Fredericks now needs to be thrown into the mix after his game, as the Liverpool attack will just tear the Argentine to shreds down the right if he plays the same way he did against Wolves.
Fredericks may not have had much game time recently, but he offers a pair of fresh legs and desire to get forward that was somewhat lost on Tuesday.
Pellegrini now needs to be ruthless and axe the ever-reliable ace if they are to stand a chance of getting a result against the Reds on Monday.
