West Ham United boss David Moyes has admitted his big frustration with the situation around young striker Mipo Odubeko.
Ex suggests next Thursday could be key day in deciding West Ham star’s future
The Hammers were left with just one senior striker after Sebastien Haller was sold in January.
West Ham manager Moyes elected to keep his powder dry in replacing Haller until the summer.
Haller departure opens door for highly-rated youngster Odubeko but things haven’t quite worked out just yet
And that has meant a regular place in the West Ham squad for highly-rated young striker Mipo Odubeko.
Moyes was criticised by many pundits and fans for ‘humiliating’ the 18-year-old on what was effectively his first team debut at former club Man United last month.
Odubeko was subjected to a double substitution after failing to impress as West Ham went to extra-time at Old Trafford before being knocked out of the FA Cup.
With Antonio injured Moyes was left with little option but to give Odubeko a run out. The young West Ham hopeful has vowed to learn from the experience and improve.
Moyes admits big frustration with situation surrounding striker and use of club’s young players
Now Moyes has spoken about his own frustration with Odubeko’s situation, which is complicated by Covid bubble arrangements.
“Do we sit young players on the bench and not give them game time? That’s where we’re at with how the fixtures are working out,” Moyes said in his pre Man United press conference.
“The other real problem is the minute we put them out of the bubble we can’t put them back in. Our reserves play Liverpool (today) and we can’t then bring them back into the bubble.
“It’s a difficult situation for quite a lot of clubs. It’s not to do with not having enough players, I’d always like to give the young players a chance. But if I put them on the bench the reserves have no players and the players miss out on game time.
‘We need him but he needs game time’
“We’ve got Mipo on the bench because we need him, but he could do with game time.”
Odubeko will hope to put some demons to rest when he returns to the scene of last month’s trying experience as part of the West Ham squad to face Man United on Sunday night.
West Ham can go three points behind second-placed Man United with a win.
And the Red Devils have a host of injury problems with as many as seven players expected to miss out. Read the full story below.
West Ham boost as OGS confirms new Man United injury blow, seven now missing
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