Aaron Wan Bissaka’s participation in DR Congo’s successful qualification campaign caused all sorts of comments and suggested ‘complaints’ as the defender was absent from West Ham’s FA Cup quarter final against Leeds. Kyle Walker Peters started in his stead and performed well – plus scoring one of the Irons; split kicks in the doomed penalty shootout.
Of dual nationality and choosing to represent Congo, Wan Bissaka was caught up in the celebrations to mark the national side’s first qualification for the World Cup finals in 52 years.
Wan Bissaka was expected back on Friday of last week
The standard.co.uk has shed more light on the player’s absence and return to east London in their article today:
“The right-back has not been punished by the club, who accept he was under DR Congo’s supervision when the celebration with President Tshisekedi was planned at short notice…
A return to the UK late on Friday night is what West Ham had originally anticipated.Wan-Bissaka was then given permission to return later, and was back in training with the first-team squad on Tuesday.”
Which will come as a relief to supporters. No dressing room or club rift, apparently: Time enough to recover ahead of Friday’s Wolverhapton Wanderers clash that could actually see West Ham United go into the encounter at full strength.
Something remarkable in April after a gruelling season, a cup run to the quarter final and three international breaks.
Whether Walker-Peters will hold onto the starting spot after a competent performance on Sunday will be interesting to see: Wan-Bissaka certainly hasn’t performed this season in the same form that took him to the ‘Hammer of the Year’ award just 12 months ago.
AWB’s form has not been at a level that he should automatically step back in. KWP performed well enough on Sunday to keep the shirt – let AWB fight to win it back with his efforts in training. The way it should be.
I have a lot of time for AWB as he has generally been our best performing player over the last couple of seasons.
Although the last couple of games he played in he was pretty ropey. I’d like to see him back to his best on Friday and if not we have a decent stand in, in KWP .
I think we need to stop criticising the players and get behind the.
I think Pablo and Taty bring pace to the attack and players around them seem to play with more confidence.
I know they need to score, but they just need a break.
No one is slagging Bowen,he is so off form, but he has to defend as well as attack, he can’t do both, espeyif he is carrying that foot injury still.In my option he should have been rested for the Leeds game.
It was nice to see Traore play a good game so we have options, but Wilson can not expect to start as he just is not up to closing other teams down like Taty and Pablo
So to Friday night
Fans get behind the team, right to the end please
Make some noise
We have got to win this one
Nuno not Kilman please,
Let’s go all out attack, Soucek must play, instead of Magassa
Come on you Irons