OPINION
For much of this season, for whatever reason, West Ham United manager Manuel Pellegrini has appeared to be immune from criticism from a section of the club’s supporters.
Now, though, questions must be asked about the Chilean. His team’s desperate 2-0 defeat to Everton on Saturday saw them plummet to new depths in what’s been a frustratingly inconsistent campaign.
None of this is to say that the former Manchester City boss should be sacked. No, he needs time to implement the changes needed to turn the Hammers into a more consistent week-to-week proposition. But he certainly shouldn’t be considered above criticism.
He got it badly wrong with his team selection on Saturday. Starting the likes of Pedro Obiang and Lucas Perez is inexcusable given their form this campaign.
His selection backfired almost instantly as the Toffees gained an earlier lead, and Pellegrini’s side simply couldn’t recover. 2-0 doesn’t sound like an overwhelmingly negative scoreline, but there’s no doubt that this was one of the worst performances of West Ham’s season.
The players didn’t deliver on the pitch, there’s no doubt about that, but you have to put some of the blame for that at Pellegrini’s door. He didn’t set his team up to win the game and it was no surprise to see Everton beat them with ease.
Pellegrini has an excellent track record and is a former Premier League-winning manager. However, you cannot judge him on his past accomplishments. He’s not done enough this term considering the vast spending the club engaged in last summer.
This was an embarrassing display and, ultimately, the blame for that lies with the boss. The supporters have been patient with Pellegrini so far, but this was pushing it.
