OPINION
Some things take time, and nowhere is that more evident than in professional football.
While some players and managers are fortunate enough to hit the ground running, there are others who need to chip away at their development to ensure that they are a success at any given team.
That is the challenge facing Pablo Fornals at the moment.
The Spaniard arrived at West Ham over the summer with bright reputation and a handsome price tag hanging round his neck.
Thus far, he has done little to justify that expenditure.
The 23-year-old has started just four Premier League matches this season, and has completed a full 90 minutes on just one occasion.
More usually, he is deployed as a substitute, and has made six appearances from the bench this term.
But he is failing to have the required impact.
Writing in a piece for the Athletic, Roshane Thomas highlighted just how little Fornals is affecting matches with one damning stat.
He said: “West Ham and Newcastle United are the only teams in the Premier League not to have had a substitute score a goal this season.
“West Ham’s lack of impact from the bench has cost them dearly in recent weeks.”
Now, obviously, Fornals isn’t Manuel Pellegrini’s sub, but he is more often than not his go-to guy, and he’s doing very little to repay that faith at the moment.
So far this season he has just 0.6 key passes and 0.4 successful dribbles per game to his name, as per Whoscored.
There’s little point in having an attacking player who can’t attack, especially when you’re relying on them as an impact sub.
As such, Fornals needs to turn things around as soon as possible, or risk becoming a serious flop.
