Alan Hutton has blasted Jack Wilshere for his efforts in West Ham United’s 4-0 defeat against Oxford on Wednesday night.
Wilshere was named in the starting lineup after only managing to complete 122 minutes in the Premier League in two starts under Manuel Pellegrini.
The pundit singled out the England international as one of the players who should have been able to take the game away from the League One side at the Kassam Stadium.
Hutton claimed that Wilshere failed to do that, and his performance was simply unacceptable as he was substituted after 66 minutes in the Carabao Cup clash.
“It’s unacceptable,” He told Football Insider.
“I think every person who stepped on that pitch should be (held accountable). If they’re waking up this morning thinking: ‘Did I play well?’ I don’t think any would say yes.”
“The likes of Wilshere, these guys that people around him would look to him to be doing good on the pitch, driving the team forward, creating chances, helping out. He’s a big player, a big, big player.”
“He should be a driving force, he should be a standout. No disrespect to Oxford, he should be a standout performer and for whatever reason, none of them have been on the night.”
OPINION
Hutton is right to single out Wilshere for criticism, as he was a bystander when watching his side get dismantled easily. The 4-0 defeat was simply embarrassing for everyone involved with the Hammers, and the England international was at the heart of that. Wilshere was poor, and that was highlighted when he was dragged off after completing an hour in the game. Pellegrini will have been expecting the former Arsenal man to act as a playmaker in the game, and he had nothing in response to the ruthless Oxford. Wilshere has been poor all season for West Ham and has offered little in an attacking sense for the Londoners, having failed to register a single shot or key pass so far in the league according to WhoScored, which is simply not good enough. Wilshere should be back on the bench against Bournemouth next time out, and he only has himself to blame for that.
