Any hope at all – and it’s limited – that Seb Haller is going to become a saleable prospect for West Ham may rest on the shoulders or rather in the feet of new signing Said Benrahma or an inform Manu Lanzini.
However, that’s hardly straightforward because it seems obvio0us to most that the hugely in form Mikey Antonio is far more in the Moyes mould as a player than the Frenchman.
Haller has demonstrated in the past that he can hold the ball up and is not a bad line leader given his is able to bring other players into the game.
But if we are after an Antonio lookalike then we are looking in the wrong place and the record signing will always be at his best when getting the type of service an in form Lanzini or Benrahma can give him.
These guys – when bang on their game – can provide the sort of killer pass in behind and provide the type of crosses on which the bloke can thrive.
But an all action, blood and guts player he is not – his game is more subtle – and, let’s be fair, he didn’t arrive at a record fee of £45 million because he’s not good at what he does.
Yes, he was over priced and as things are right now, it’s understandable that a few knees are jerking in the boardroom at an imminent financial disaster given his situation in the squad.
David Moyes is the only person who can relieve those anxieties but they had better not be getting too hopeful that he’s suddenly going to change a system which is proving so successful to save their Haller financial skins.
The game is full of uncertainty and that probably rests on injuries and suspensions as much as anything else.
It’s yet another hugely difficult recruitment problem visited on the club by the appointment of Pellegrini but those – like me – who supported the appointment need to hold their hands up and admit it.
I certainly do but that helps absolutely nothing.
He apparently wanted to stay with WHU and nail down a place in the team. Whilst it is foolish for DM to change things around whilst we are playing so well, it’s great to have these kind of headaches when there is back up for most positions in the squad. Most players want to take part and play, and they will be disappointed when stuck on the bench week in, week out. Yet if Michy does need a rest subject to potential injury problems, I don’t have any doubt that Haller will come in and start scoring goals…given the right set up. We have great options from MF up and every squad player that isn’t self centred in himself, will recognise the fact that football is a team sport. Instead of crying about lack of match time, they instead, need to be there at all times to support their team mates and be ready when the chance comes. There are a number of potential line ups that excite right now – I bet DM buzzes, each time he goes into work – thinking of the different line ups that will bring us success. I’d actually like to see Big Sam, Bilic and Pellegrini in a studio – being taught how DM has the team playing the WHU way! Those previous managers don’t come close to DM and never will. COYI…
Yes agree that he has been luke warm but shown well when clever creative players put him in. If Mike needs a bit of a rest surely this is the time to give Haller/Yarmo playing time with our clever players – and DM can decide to persevere or dump.
If the intention is to move him on his prowess needs to be displayed in the shop window, not constantly kept in the stock room!
Yet another example of the square pegs for round holes buying strategy which we seem to excel at.
At various stages there has been a clamor to get rid of Belbeanu, Creswell, Masuaku, etc.but at present they are all performing. Last year King got six goals all season including 3 penalties. Does he sound like the solution?
A striker needs a run of games which Haller has not had since March. In his limited games this season he has scored 5 goals. He cannot be blamed if the opposition was not of the highest standard. Let’s give him a break as I’m sure with Antonio’s injury record he will get some game time before too long. He’d have devoured some of the crosses that Antonio has been receiving and if not isolated can be a real asset
Don’t forget that moyes has a record of finding roles in the team for players that improves them. He’s done it with Cresswell, Masuaku, Antonio, arnoutavic. I’m not how he’s going to turn Haller round but he did do it in one game last year against Chelsea, I think it might have been when we beat them four one and he did it by playing Haller up alongside Antonio in a 442. The trouble with that is it’s only going to work against certain teams. Against a team like Man City it would have been suicide. Probably the same against Liverpool. I’m sure though when we play the lesser teams Moyes might start experimenting with Haller.
It will be interesting. We always seem to do better against ‘footballing’ teams and struggle against ‘battling’ teams. I think November will tell us a lot more about our adaptability during matches and our strength in depth. Looking forward to it.
Agree with Pj and Dave. We will need to play differently against teams that sit back. Different shape, different players. Haller needs a run and if he can prove himself against the low end of the table, who knows what the future has in store.
LVP without Virgil (an atrocious foul, unpunished) will be fun for Antonio, but might be good ground for Haller too.
I never supported the appointment of Pellegrini from day one ..given the fact that DM had kept West ham in the premiership. So far Haller h as been the epitome that of everything that was wrong with Pellegrini. Idle and lacking drIve. he possesses a decent enough touch for a tall man. Now he has to step up to the plate prove his worth and bang in the goals if Antonio doesn’t play on Saturday
I hoping that Benrahma might just be the key to unlocking Haller’s potential. (Maybe we all are?) I think the Fulham game would be a good test to say we sub out Antonio and Bowen, bring in Said and Seb to pair upfront and let Fornals slot in behind them. Maybe even give Lanzini a run to relieve Fornals after a spell.
I feel for Haller, I don’t think he’s lazy or disinterested. I think his movement is not as explosive or agile as the others (which is why I think people are quick to call him lazy) but he can draw in defenders while holding up the ball to create space for others, and he can shoot. His Bundesliga record shows what he can do in the right setup and I think he could can do the same in the PL. Imagine having a bench that allows you to switch formations, and change up your attack while keeping your defence solid. I’m allowed to dream right? 🙂