OPINION
West Ham attacker Andriy Yarmolenko would surely benefit from being axed from Manuel Pellegrini’s starting line-up after being a passenger in the 0-0 draw with Aston Villa.
The Hammers face a tough test when they host Manchester United at the London Stadium on Sunday and you feel they need to pick their best side possible.
However, considering that Yarmolenko once again struggled in his latest outing, while he is talented, the Hammers’ most formidable line-up shouldn’t include him at this time.
The 29-year-old played 61 minutes in Monday’s draw against Villa and the game effectively passed him by.
Yarmolenko managed to make only one key pass and only touched the ball 30 times which seems awful when you consider his replacement, Pablo Fornals, managed 24 touches despite playing for significantly fewer minutes. (Source: WhoScored)
The winger also didn’t make the most when the ball was at his feet as he failed to complete any dribbles during the match.
The 29-year-old’s performance was so bad that a section of West Ham fans ripped him apart on social media, and it does seem like he’d benefit from being axed.
Yarmolenko was stuck on the sidelines for 252 days last season due to a knee injury, as per Transfermarkt, and it’s no surprise he has only shown glimpses of his talent in his outings, he scored a beautiful goal against Norwich City, this season due to still getting back up to speed.
The winger may just be returning from an international break but you feel a short stint on the bench, will help him reassess where he is this season and hopefully see him able to put in a much-improved performance when called back into the side.
Also, the motivation of having to win back his starting spot may be the extra spark he needs to unlock his full potential once again.
