There were many familiarities about West Ham United’s dismal draw with Brighton.
Failing to win yet again, check. Inability to take three points from a dwindling list of “winnable” remaining matches, check.
Failing to hold on to a lead (twice) and throwing away more points (19 in total this season) from a winning position, check.
Defensive frailties, check. David Moyes’s negative tactics, check. Pablo Fornals snubbed once again, check.
The list goes on. But I don’t want to write it and you don’t want to read it.
Moyes’s baffling Fornals snub
It is Moyes’s continued attitude towards Fornals which is proving utterly puzzling, though.
When the Scot arrived, the Spaniard was arguably West Ham’s only in-form player.
In fact after a torrid start to life in East London, Fornals had been one of West Ham’s best players in November and December.
Under Moyes, though, he has been consigned to a role on the bench.
What makes it all the more baffling is that Moyes – having returned to the club banging the drum for his “work hard” mantra – had publicly praised Fornals, telling everyone he had been hugely impressed with his work ethic for the team (whufc.com).
The curious case of Pablo Fornals
When Michail Antonio was substituted on 75 minutes with West Ham 3-1 up against Brighton, the most sensible and like-for-like replacement was surely Fornals?
Energy, work rate and the ability to make things happen on the break with Brighton pushing for a way back into the game.
Instead Moyes brought on the hapless Arthur Masuaku and switched to a 352 formation.
Inevitably Masuaku had his usual hand in West Ham conceding the goals that were to follow.
But the Fornals snub gave birth to a conspiracy theory about the Spaniard, that he is the new Javier Mascherano.
The Argentine was famously kept out of the West Ham team because playing a certain number of games would have triggered a multi-million pound payment (The Guardian).
And some West Ham fans believe something similar could be the case for Fornals too.
Some West Ham fans have conspiracy theory
Some West Ham supporters believe the club may have to fork out more money to Villareal for the £24million signing when he starts a certain number of games.
It seems a convenient stick with which to beat unpopular owners David Sullivan and David Gold.
Such clauses are quite common in the make-up of modern day transfers.
And the inference is that the co-owners might be leaning on Moyes over team selection to avoid forking out extra cash.
Of course it is all just conjecture from supporters. And only the club know if there are appearance-linked clauses in the deal with Villareal.
The theory also lets Moyes off the hook in many ways. When it actual fact it may just be a case of the Fornals snub being one in a long line of blunders the manager has made since returning to the club.
West Ham have continued their downward spiral under the man who took Sunderland down.
After beating Bournemouth 4-0 in his first game, the Hammers have failed to win in six Premier League matches since.
Here are a selection of posts on the subject from Twitter.
‘The Mascherano clause’
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