Sam Inkersole has labelled the decision to hand West Ham United midfielder Robert Snodgrass a new contract in the summer a “strange call.”
The Football.London journalist did admit that the Scottish international deserved the deal at the time due to his performances in the Premier League last season, but shared his concerns over the lack of playing time for the midfielder in this campaign.
Snodgrass has only featured for a single minute in the previous four Premier League outings and has struggled when starting against lower opposition in the Carabao Cup, and in the top-flight against Brighton.
“He was handed a new contract in the summer at the club, rightfully so after his displays last season, and we were expecting a similar number of appearances this time around,” he wrote in his trending blog.
“But he’s on track to get nowhere near that so that new deal looks a bit of a strange call at this moment.”
OPINION
At the time of making the decision, West Ham will have been delighted with the progress Snodgrass had been making at the London Stadium. It has all somewhat gone downhill this season for the £40,000-a-week midfield man [Spotrac], who has struggled to make little if any impact on the Hammers in all competitions. The Scotsman has only played 20 minutes of Premier League football since starting on the second day of the season away at Brighton, and he has well and truly slipped down the pecking order under Manuel Pellegrini. The 32-year-old has not made enough of an impact to warrant more minutes in the side either, and only averages a single shot and key pass every two games this season according to WhoScored, not good enough if he wants to change his fortunes around in East London. Inkersole is right to question West Ham’s current predicament with Snodgrass, who won’t be expecting much playing time now given the strength in depth his side has in the final third around him.
