With Fabian Balbuena, Issa Diop and Angelo Ogbonna jostling for two centre-back spots, Manuel Pellegrini has experimented with combinations this season.
For the middle part of the season, Balbuena’s injury forced a centre-back pairing of Diop and Ogbonna, which returned mixed results.
Prior to Balbuena’s injury, he impressed alongside Diop. But after he returned, Diop was dropped with Balbuena playing alongside Ogbonna.
However, Diop returned to the side against Tottenham Hotspur. And his partnership with Balbuena helped keep Spurs at bay and produce a momentous day.
Fabian Balbuena & Issa Diop: the way forward
Although Ogbonna’s form has improved drastically this season and he has silenced many critics, the Spurs game showed why he should be behind Balbuena and Diop in the pecking order.
Many West Ham fans were worried about the 30-year-old Italian when Balbuena first picked up his injury. But Ogbonna produced several solid performances.
However, Ogbonna does still have an error in him and he is not quite as good as the other two centre-backs on West Ham’s books.
Balbuena and Diop were both brought in last summer. Balbuena arrived from Corinthians for a bargain £3.5m (London Evening Standard). And Diop cost a then-club-record fee of £26m from Toulouse (The Daily Mail).
But despite their varying price tags, Balbuena and Diop have gelled perfectly. Balbuena’s physicality and experience is matched by Diop’s youth and power.
Both players are physically strong, quick and have adapted to the Premier League very quickly. If they steer clear of injuries next season, they could form the bedrock for West Ham’s success.
Ogbonna, meanwhile, would provide strong back-up and competition for places, ensuring neither player drops their form next season. But ultimately, he will be a bench player as long as Balbuena and Diop are fit and firing.
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