Alex Kral obviously isn’t at the required standard to be playing for West Ham but David Moyes should have addressed the situation last month.
Moyes brought Kral to the London Stadium from Spartak Moscow on a season-long loan on transfer deadline day in the summer.
The Hammers have an option to sign him permanently next summer for around £17 million (£12 million plus a potential £5 million in add-ons) according to ExWHUemployee.
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Kral has only been given 255 minutes action by Moyes this season. Incredibly, 21 West Ham players have played more minutes than the 23-year-old so far this term (Transfermarkt).
The Czech Republic international was handed his biggest chance yesterday away to Kidderminster in the FA Cup.
Moyes handed Kral a start in central midfield and it was his time to show that he has what it takes to make a difference for the Hammers.
The 23-year-old was incredibly poor though. He blew his chance and was dragged off at half-time by David Moyes.
Kral not good enough for West Ham, Moyes should have acted in January
The Spartak Moscow owned midfielder has looked averaged at best during his previous outings for the Hammers.
However, yesterday’s performance really was his worst yet.
Kral looked out of depth against the non-league side. The 23-year-old midfielder was slow, sluggish and lightweight. He lacked any kind of drive or energy and his passing was slow, ponderous and devoid of any penetration.
The Czech obviously isn’t anywhere near the level required to be playing Premier League football. It happens sometimes. Players can look the business in the Russian League but struggle to adapt to life in the Premier League. Nikola Vlasic is another example of this.
Some might say it’s too soon to judge Kral. The harsh reality is that he isn’t good enough though. And we think that Moyes should have acted a lot sooner.
The Scot should have cut Kral’s loan short and sent him back to Spartak Moscow in January. He then could have brought someone else in to cover in central midfield.
A about of Covid-19 earlier on in the season certainly would have helped the 23-year-old. But come on, he really should have shown more against non-league Kidderminster.
Moyes sees Kral every single day in training and he clearly hasn’t been impressed by the on-loan midfielder. He would have played him more otherwise.
And keeping him at the club now just seems like a pointless exercise. After yesterday’s performance, we surely won’t see Kral in a West Ham shirt again, certainly not in a game with any kind of significance.
Perhaps Kral’s struggles in England will teach Moyes and the West Ham owners a valuable lesson – not to go shopping in the Russian league again.
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