Snubbing Yarmolenko was one of Pellegrini’s worst decisions so far

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Andriy Yarmolenko was left out of the squad completely as West Ham crumbled at home to Arsenal.

Manuel Pellegrini opted to leave Yarmolenko out of the squad for tactical reasons – rather than injuries. This move backfired as Pellegrini was left scratching his head when West Ham were chasing the game.

The Hammers went 1-0 up through Angelo Ogbonna. But Arsenal roared back with a 10-minute blast which turned the game and made it 3-1. Pellegrini’s decision to leave Yarmolenko out completely was one of his worst so far.

Out-of-form but potentially dangerous

The reason behind Yarmolenko’s exclusion made some sense. The Ukraine winger has been out of form recently and he was very poor when he came on against Wolves in midweek.

Frustrated with Yarmolenko’s dip in form, Pellegrini punished the left-footed winger by leaving him out. But Yarmolenko is one of the few Hammers players who could make a difference.

West Ham fans have seen what Yarmolenko can do in the past. Earlier this season, he found his magic touch, firing in goals when he cut inside from the right flank. He might be a one-trick pony but his left foot can be lethal.

The alternatives were embarrassing

Yarmolenko is a potential game-changer on his day – unlike the alternatives. Sebastien Haller and Nathan Holland earned their places on the bench. Issa Diop was the replacement centre-back and Roberto (despite how poor he is) had to be on the bench as a goalkeeper option.

But why did Pellegrini include Carlos Sanchez and Pablo Zabaleta? In Arthur Masuaku, West Ham had a back-up full-back so Zabaleta was not needed. Moreover, Sanchez is poor and should be nowhere near the matchday squad.

Either Sanchez or Zabaleta should have made way to accommodate Yarmolenko on the subs’ bench. Yarmolenko can turn a game on its head when he finds his form. Sanchez and Zabaleta cannot.