The season feels all but over for West Ham United. Sitting mid-table with no hope for European football, and no worries about relegation, it’s time for Manuel Pellegrini to start moving his squad around and start evaluating players for next season.
The 2-2 draw against Leicester last weekend showed Pellegrini where he needs to shake up his squad and possibly give some of his players a reality check on where they stand within the team. Certain players look as though they feel the season is over already and the 65-year-old manager will be aware that this attitude can’t be accepted.
Here we take a look at a couple of changes the Chilean should look to make for the clash with Tottenham later today.
Drop Marko Arnautovic
Last weekend proved just how much the usually clinical Arnautovic has fallen off the pace since his January contract talks. Looking sluggish and really lost in the final third, the 30-year-old looks as if he has lost interest in West Ham and looks like a man who wants out.
Pellegrini has a huge choice to make on Arnautovic’s future during the summer, the performances that the Austrian have given since January really haven’t been good enough.
Start Lucas Perez
Last week may have just unlocked Lucas Perez’s future at West Ham. After being a fringe player for the entirety of this season, we finally saw the poacher abilities that the 30-year-old has in his locker.
Scoring his first goal since December, Lucas Perez may be on a whole new fresh confidence that may just be key if Pellegrini wants to get anything from Tottenham later today.
As much as Perez will want to help West Ham for the final games of the season, his late-season performances may be fuelled by wanting a move away. However, he has certainly shown more professionalism than that of his teammate Arnautovic.
