OPINION
To say that West Ham’s season has been something of a roller-coaster would be a huge understatement, with the players’ form fluctuating week in, week out.
No one, apart from perhaps midfield revelation Declan Rice and shot stopper Lukasz Fabianski, can be totally satisfied with their performances this season, putting in great displays one game before going missing in action the next.
One man who has been a favourite of manager Manuel Pellegrini is Pablo Zabaleta, the Argentine playing 23 times in the Premier League this season, but despite all his experience he has been unable to consistently perform for the Chilean boss.
Lining up against Everton, specifically Brazilian winger Bernard in a South American duel, the veteran defender had an absolute shocker, finding himself pulled here, there and everywhere on the way to a 2-0 defeat.
If this had been someone like Liverpool or Manchester City, with Sadio Mane or Raheem Sterling running him ragged, then it could perhaps be excused but this was a woeful display against a team who the Hammers are looking to battle it out with in the middle of the Premier League table.
Now, Zabaleta’s future is uncertain already, with the London Evening Standard claiming he is set to hold talks with Pellegrini over a possible contract extension, his current deal coming to an end this summer.
It is reported that the manager wants the experienced defender to stay but judging by what he saw on Saturday, he must be having second thoughts over offering him an extended stay in east London.
If that is the sort of performance the London Stadium can expect to see from Zabaleta, then they will not want him to stick around much longer either.
