Mark Noble seems to be the scapegoat for West Ham United’s poor start to the new season and now former teammate Craig Bellamy has weighed in on the midfielder.
West Ham are in a period of flux.
It was all change at the London Stadium in the summer.
Manuel Pellegrini was appointed and backed with £100 million worth of new signings.
With nine new players to integrate as well as a new philosophy and style, the Chilean has his work cut out.
Back-to-back defeats have not helped his cause.
One of the few constants at West Ham over the years has been homegrown captain Noble.
But he, like the team, has started the campaign in poor form.
‘What about you by the way?’
Noble has been on the end of some stinging criticism from pundits and Hammers fans.
Pellegrini substituted his captain in the defeat to Bournemouth last time out.
And one of his former West Ham teammates Craig Bellamy has criticised the midfielder on Sky Sports’ The Debate.
“My biggest concern with West Ham has always been, an even with the goal they conceded against Bournemouth, the first goal, was pace,” Bellamy told The Debate.
‘You’re going to be in trouble’
“They struggle in the middle of the park. Now you’re going to go to (the likes of) Liverpool with Mark Noble and Jack Wilshere they’re going to get overrun.
“Without the ball you’re going to be in trouble because they can’t get around (the pitch), they can’t get close enough, they aren’t going to be able to affect the game when they don’t have the ball.
“Even the first goal against Bournemouth, Mark Noble, ok they are looking at the defenders, yes the defenders could have done much better.
‘He just left him for dead’
“But what about you (Noble) by the way? He’s (Callum Wilson) just run off you to the side and you can’t even get anywhere near him.
“One you’ve got to be aware of him, you’re the defensive midfielder, you’ve got to be aware of him sneaking up trying to play on your shoulder and then you’ve got to make sure you get alongside and make sure you’re biting away at him but he just left him for dead.
“That’s been a problem for West Ham for a few years. And I see the one player they did have that got around the pitch, that did have energy, that did have pace was (Cheikhou) Kouyate and he’s gone to Crystal Palace.”
Harsh words from Bellamy.
But perhaps Noble will use his and other comments as inspiration to come back stronger.
West Ham fans will hope that is the case against Arsenal this weekend.
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