Journalist Sam Inkersole has claimed that Lucas Perez’s fine form for Alaves this season has some wondering why he was sold last summer.
The Spaniard returned to his homeland after just one season at the London Stadium, and has since hit a hot streak in La Liga. Inkersole believes his exit was baffling.
“One of the victims of [Manuel] Pellegrini’s striker cull this summer, Perez returned to Spain and joined La Liga outfit Alaves,” he wrote on the Football London website.
“Perez has hit a massive vein of form in recent weeks as he has scored seven goals in his last seven games, with two assists as well, to leave some wondering why he wasn’t either given more of a chance to show that in east London, or why he couldn’t do it when he did get the chance.”
OPINION
It’s a bit harsh of Inkersole to say that Perez didn’t perform when he had the chance at West Ham last season. Pellegrini barely gave him a chance, but when he did play it seemed like he scored pretty often. He wasn’t popular with the fans, and definitely wasn’t with the manager, but he’s the one attacker you feel like perhaps the Hammers shouldn’t have sold last summer. Javier Hernandez was on colossal wages and so he had to go, while Marko Arnautovic wanted out and Andy Carroll was constantly injured. Perez, though, was an enigma, although one who scored fairly frequently when he did play. The statistics from this campaign tell us that Perez could’ve done a good job alongside Sebastien Haller this term. As per WhoScored.com, the 31-year-old has scored more goals and grabbed more assists than Haller and Albian Ajeti combined, while he is averaging more key passes and successful dribbles per game than the Hammers duo. So, yes, perhaps Pellegrini should have given him more of a chance.
