If David Moyes jeopardises the national team places of new duo Lucas Paqueta and Gianluca Scamacca West Ham will pay a heavy price.
West Ham have endured a miserable start to the new Premier League season and Moyes is facing pressure for the first time in east London.
The Scot signed eight players in the summer to the tune of over £170m. And fans have been seriously excited by the captures of Paqueta and Scamacca in particular.
Here West Ham have the Brazil national team’s playmaker in his prime and Italy’s big striker hope.
In many ways it is uncharted territory for West Ham.
And Moyes has been heavily criticised for his handling of Paqueta and Scamacca thus far.
Scamacca is already cutting a frustrated figure as Moyes drip-feeds him into the English game.
Paqueta meanwhile has been required to do as much defending as he has attacking in a West Ham system that has long since been found out by opposition managers.
Both Paqueta and Scamacca were called up for Brazil and Italy in their latest squads.
But given the competition they both face for national team selection, the Hammers duo need to not only be playing regularly but thriving if they want to stay in the mix.
If David Moyes jeopardises national team places of new duo Lucas Paqueta and Gianluca Scamacca West Ham will pay a heavy price
Should they not then the ramifications for West Ham could be massive.
If Moyes jeopardises the national team places of new duo Paqueta and Scamacca West Ham will pay a heavy price.
The Hammers have finally been able to sign seriously top players only for Moyes to struggle to know how to get the best out of them.
Make no mistake if Paqueta and Scamacca are not quickly integrated as key players for West Ham their international places will be under threat.
Brazil have a plethora of talent banging on the door for Tite’s squad ahead of the World Cup. Paqueta has been fundamental in qualifying but the glittering array of talent pushing to wear that famous yellow jersey means the pressure is on West Ham’s record signing to perform.
Italy may not be at the World Cup, but Roberto Mancini has selected EIGHT strikers in his latest squad and has made it clear that he needs the likes of Scamacca to step up for his country and make the position his own.
He won’t be able to do that if he is sat on the sidelines most weeks watching Michail Antonio toil for a team in the bottom three.
If their international places are jeopardised then other top stars will be put off signing for West Ham.
Especially foreign players who are already established internationals. It would be deemed too much of a risk.
Moyes needs to spend the international break finding a system and style that suits his new signings or this could all come undone very quickly indeed.