Now David Moyes has delivered a new criticism of Said Benrahma after being asked about West Ham’s summer signings.
As most West Ham fans will know well, Moyes has always taken a hard line almost taskmaster approach to managing Benrahma.
There have been rumours from the start that the Algerian was not Moyes’s signing when he arrived from Brentford with the Scot admitting he wanted Eberechi Eze (Claret and Hugh).
Benrahma has struggled to establish himself as a consistent starter for West Ham under Moyes. And when he does, more often that not, he is substituted.
That came to a head earlier this year when Moyes and Benrahma had a touchline row after the playmaker was seen asking ‘why always me?’ following his substitution against Newcastle last season.
The Scot has been criticised by fans and journalists for his handling of the 27-year-old.
Football journalist Paul Brown recently told Give Me Sport that he’s been surprised by Moyes’s treatment of Benrahma so far this season.
The winger’s lack of West Ham game time has cost him his place in the Algeria squad.
Last week it emerged Benrahma is statistically the best playmaker outside the top six.
Benrahma has fought his way back into the starting XI and was named man of the match in the 2-0 win over Bournemouth, in which he scored a penalty on Monday night.
After that game Benrahma opened up on finding Moyes’ treatment difficult and his hopes of keeping his starting spot.
Now Moyes has delivered a new Benrahma criticism after being asked about West Ham’s summer signings.
Speaking in his pre-Silkeborg press conference, Moyes was asked how his eight summer signings were settling in and whether any were taking English lessons to help them adapt.
And the Scot, who admitted he struggled to learn Spanish when manager of Real Sociedad, had a rather unnecessary dig at Benrahma.
“Look I went to Spain and tried to take Spanish lessons and I couldn’t speak Spanish in a year,” Moyes said in his pre-match press conference.
“I tried my nuts off to speak Spanish and I think if I’d got another year I might have got better – well I would have definitely been speaking it if I’d got another year at it.
“So I’m not one maybe to comment on them because I do it, but the fact of the matter is we do (want them to speak English).
“Said’s English, for the amount of time he’s been here, has not been great. But I’ve got to say Nayef (Aguerd) brilliant English, Gianluca (Scamacca) brilliant English, Emerson (Palmieri) fantastic English, strangely enough (Lucas) Paqueta can’t speak it but I think he understands it.”
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