Manuel Pellegrini has suggested that Seb Haller may not have realised how difficult the Premier League is to play in over the last few games.
And he does not appear to necessarily put down his performance against Southampton to the fact that he had Micjail Antonio alongside him in the new two up formation.
He claims that first and foremost he believes the Frenchman simply improved his own performance adding that maybe he discovered after his early impression that the League is much tougher than he at first thought.
Talking to reporters he said: I think Sebastien first he improved his performance. He always played up there now it’s Antonio before that Felipe, Manu.
At the beginning of the season he didn’t play with Antonio but he played well. He started scoring goals. Maybe he felt a little bit the Premier League is not so difficult but it is difficult.
New movements, you need high performance, you need to take chances when you have the chance to score. I think he improved his performance and the team also.”
ClaretandHugh says: “There’s actually a bit of reality in there with the manager realising that the bright start may have seen Seb easing off a bit. But maybe too, oppositions started looking a bit harder at him and deploying their own plans on how to handle him. It also needs to be remembered that neither Felipe Anderson or Manu Lanzini – mentioned as early season ‘partners’ – maintained the early form and as their game dipped so did the Frenchman’s. Finally, when he was teamed up with Antonio he was alongside a very different type of player in peak form and to argue that this may not have made the amount of difference in his game, that most agree was pretty immense, is a strange one. Let’s hope he is not trying to make an obtuse argument for bring back Anderson.
Saul nails it. This team would do well in Serie A. We might even be able to play 4-2-3-1. Not this team in EPL.
Antonio is class, works all the time and makes space for Haller.
As an aside, Andy Carroll knocked three defenders, including Tomkins and Kouyate, out of the way in pursuit of the ball on Saturday. Before setting up the winning goal. My kind of striker.
It’s true that Southampton were really useless – as far as Haller is concerned everyone has been saying there’s no point in leaving him up on his own with no service and no support, it’s blindingly obvious! 🤯
It was hardly a tactical master stroke by Pellegrini was it – he was forced into playing two up by circumstance, he had very little choice! 😳
He knows that if he changes from two up top and we lose at Palace, he will be sacked. I dont believe for one second that he will drop either Haller or Antonio but I do worry that he may revert to his preferred system of 1 up top. Unfortunately for him it could well cost him his job. He will have no excuses as the players he bought suit two up top not one up.
Sorry, i also have to say that this mystical belief that at the beginning of the season we were playing great football is ludicrous. Against Watford we were lucky they missed an absolute sitter early in the game at 1-1 that could have changed the entire outlook of that match, AN ABSOLUTE SITTER! Against Norwich, i think it might have been Cantwell who headed over from a yard out, i believe at 0-0, which would have changed the game.
We only beat Watford (who are now bottom), Norwich (in the relegation zone) and the worst Man U team i can remember before our disastrous run. No-one started the season well aside from Fabianski, not Haller or anyone else.
“… you need to take chances when you have the chance to score.” SERIOUSLY????!!!!
Show me 3 different, clear opportunities that Haller has had to score this season when he hasn’t. He has had less support than Theresa May’s Brexit deals! I’ve honestly never seen a striker being given less support than Haller this season. For Pellegrini to suggest that he has had the support of Anderson, Lanzini and now Antonio is, quite frankly, utter nonsense. I understand that what Pellegrini say’s to the press and what he say’s behind closed doors can’t be the same thing but if he truly does believe what i’ve just read than i am just a tad shocked, no, terrified! The moment we go back to 4-2-3-1, at least without the injection of some new faces to make it work (although how Barbosa and/or Bowen are gonna do that only the good Lord knows), i”m gonna have a breakdown. Still, at least being a West Ham fan is never dull…
There was definitely something different about the Southampton game…. oh yeah, it was against SOUTHAMPTON!!!