Mark Noble and Cheikhou Kouyate were both instrumental figures in West Ham’s great performances last season with their energy, commitment and drive. But in the last two matches, you could not tell if either of them was on the pitch.
Noble has been so poor that manager Slaven Bilic has taken off the captain against both Watford and West Brom for tactical reasons. He is usually as most critics call him ‘Mr Reliable’ but the form he is showing is nowhere near his best. His passing has been atrocious. He has not been able to get a foothold into the game and has not even been able to dictate play.
Noble’s centre midfield partner Kouyate has also been suffering from a poor start. West Ham regularly relied on the Senegalese star to break up play and get the team further up the pitch with his great drive but this has not been seen either. Kouyate and Noble look tired, lethargic and there is no excuse for their poor performances.
Of course, the defensive errors are a big part of leaking goals in games but the tired midfield has not helped the cause. Watford were allowed in the second half to walk through the Hammers midfield with ease despite the visitors being outnumbered in the centre of the park.
Despite all the possession the Hammers had against West Brom they failed to do anything with it. There was no tempo or movement. Also, the two midfielders were caught too far up the pitch and rarely helped defensively. West Ham need the energy, passion and stamina which see them beat the big teams in the Premier League last year.
If Bilic wants a change then Pedro Obiang would be a great replacement at the minute for either of them. Obiang has the attributes to break up play and has a great distribution to be able to affect any game. He was an unsung hero last year and deserves the start because Noble and Kouyate deserve to be dropped. West Ham need them to regain their form quickly.
