Manuel Pellegrini has made it clear that Marko Arnautovic must settle down and do the business!
Like the rest of us the manager is weary of the disruption caused by the January transfer window which on this occasion claimed the Hammers striker as one of its victims (probably not exactly the right word but you get the drift).
The outcome – as first reported here – was that the striker got a year’s extension, presumably with a rise, along with plenty of admiring hype on the official site over his decision to remain.
All well and good but it helped nothing on the pitch as he was again missing for the AFC Wimbledon match – not even on the bench – when he would surely have been able to make a massive difference alongside Felipe Anderson who looked very good when he came on for the second half.
Pellegrini is not usually an excuse maker and has taken full responsibility for the fact the team have perhaps been under motivated.
However, he is obviously pretty peeved about transfer window events and whilst not throwing Arnautovic under the bus has made his feelings crystal as to what comes next.
Speaking at his latest presser he declared: “I have a lot of excuses why we lost about Wimbldeon, one of those was that the January transfer window can cause damage to the team, for all the issues that a player wants to go, they have other options and so (on).
But I am happy that Marko has finished his issue, he is happy here. I hope that we will have the player that he can be in the coming games.
A lot of things affect the players, that’s why I don’t want to continue talking about that because I don’t want to make excuses. We made a mistake and we lost a game against Wimbledon.
I hope that now when the transfer window is closed that not only Marko but other players who are hearing some offers, they will be concentrated on what we must do. “