By Kris Gonzo | Senior West Ham Columnist (Follow on X)
Edson Álvarez’s disappearance from the West Ham team now appears to have had a significant consequence, with the former Mexico captain set to be left out of Rafa Márquez’s first national squad.
Mexican outlet N+ reports that Álvarez will miss the new manager’s opening call-up after failing to play a single minute across West Ham’s first seven Championship matches.
The report, citing TUDN journalist Gibrán Araige, specifically points towards his lack of football under Nuno Espírito Santo, while also referencing the off-field situation surrounding the midfielder in Mexico.
Whatever the precise reasoning behind Márquez’s decision, this is a major setback for a player who captained his country and has just played in a world cup.
Álvarez Has A Serious West Ham Problem
Unfortunately for Álvarez, I can’t see an obvious route back into Nuno’s team anytime soon.
West Ham have a bloated midfield and, as I wrote earlier this month, simply remaining at the club doesn’t guarantee either Álvarez or Soungoutou Magassa a place.
Magassa is probably the biggest problem for the Mexican because they are the two specialised defensive midfielders in the squad.
Yet Magassa worked his way back into Nuno’s matchday squad for Tuesday night’s Carabao Cup tie against Fulham.
Soungoutou Magassa was reinstated to the West Ham squad.
Álvarez didn’t.
Perhaps the bigger issue is that Nuno appears perfectly happy playing Championship football without a conventional holding midfielder at all.
The Competition Is Only Getting Worse
The midfield has evolved while Álvarez has been on the outside.
Arne Engels and Divine Mukasa have established themselves, while Lewis Orford and Mohamadou Kanté provide further options. Magassa is now back in contention and Tomáš Souček is also closing in on his return.
That is an awful lot of competition for two central midfield positions.
Only days ago, Álvarez appeared to have an opportunity to work his way back into Nuno’s thinking, but even the heavily rotated Fulham fixture passed without him being recalled.
Summer Exit Failed
Claret & Hugh also spoke directly to the agent who secured Álvarez’s loan move to Fenerbahçe last season.
He told us: “Several clubs were interested in Alvarez this summer but all failed to meet West Ham’s asking price.”
That now looks increasingly significant.
West Ham couldn’t find a buyer at their valuation, Álvarez remained at the London Stadium and he now finds himself without club football and, seemingly, without his international place.
For a player who was captaining Mexico not long ago, that is quite some fall.
And unless Nuno suddenly changes his midfield thinking, it’s difficult to see the situation improving anytime soon.
Yet we need a defensive midfielder in front of that back four of ours or we will probably continue to ship goals. We are winning games by outscoring the opposition and many players are scoring but how long will that last for. Historically clubs that escape the championship concede on average 15-20 goals in the season.
It’s for Nuno to create a situation where players on the outside can be brought into the playing squad to shop window them for sale. It does seem however that his ego is a little sensitive and his feelings have more value than the club making its way to a better financial position.
Hasn’t he played as a CB before ?
Even if he hasnt he’d do better than Kilman