Jarrod Bowen scored West Ham United’s winner against Aston Villa last night. And Sebastien Haller’s reaction said all we need to know about the Ivorian’s current mindset.
Bowen, 23, nodded home beautifully from Said Benrahma’s perfect delivery into the box.
Haller was lying in wait just behind the former Hull ace, however. It could have just as easily been the 26-year-old who headed home.
Given Haller’s recent struggles and the criticism that he has received from some Hammers fans, it would have been easy for him to have shown his frustration after Bowen got to the ball first and fired home.
The former Eintracht Frankfurt ace would have been really low on confidence having been dropped by David Moyes in favour for Michail Antonio last night.
He scored the winner against Sheffield United last weekend and will be wondering what on earth he has to do to play regularly.
Last night, when the ball was floated in by Benrahma, Haller would have been licking his lips. The striker would have sensed that it was a great opportunity to send a message to Moyes. Nevertheless, Bowen stole a march on him and got to the ball first.
Haller’s reaction showed us all we need to know about his current mindset, however:
It really was great to see. Haller was clearly over the moon for his teammate. An unhappy player would not have reacted like that. It really is as simple as that.
Surely Haller has to start against Manchester United.
Michail Antonio has been superb for us over the past six months but he clearly wasn’t fit last night.
Haller is obviously in a good place mentally. And if he starts against United, it would be no surprise to see him get on the scoresheet.
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