da betsul： David Moyes has previously lauded the talent Sebastien Haller has in his pocket, but must now see the West Ham United striker step up and deliver more than ever with Michail Antonio likely ruled out of this weekend’s Premier League clash with Liverpool.
da cassino online： Antonio was forced to hobble off the pitch during Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Manchester City at the London Stadium, leaving the Irons waiting anxiously for scans to reveal whether or not the 30-year-old will need treatment for a recurring hamstring problem.
Early signs coming out of the east London outfit from insider ExWHUemployee suggest the news will not be as positive as Moyes had first hoped, likely leaving the Hammers boss without his joint-leading goalscorer who’s responsible for a quarter of West Ham’s 12 top-flight strikes thus far.
Antonio put the Irons into the lead against Manchester City over the weekend when the forward creatively turned the ball home with a bicycle kick, marking his 11th Premier League goal since matches begun being played behind closed doors – only Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Kane has more.
Any time on the sidelines will deal a hammer blow to Moyes’ aspirations of taking anything from Anfield on Saturday, a ground the Irons have not won at since a 3-0 victory in August 2015.
Moyes has rarely entrusted Haller with leading his line since returning to the London Stadium, with the Frenchman only starting eight of a possible 20 Premier League ties while offering a mere three goals and one assist over 19 outings.
Haller’s record has seen Moyes frequently call on the 26-year-old to show why he was signed for a club-record £45million last year, as scoring in the Carabao Cup was not why Manuel Pellegrini brought the attacker or Felipe Anderson to England.
“Both had big reputations [before I arrived] and I think the games that they have played everybody had the chance to see their performances,” said Moyes, via quotes by the Evening Standard, following West Ham’s Carabao Cup win over Charlton Athletic.
“I’ve got to say the two of them are great to work with, the two of them are really good lads – I like them a lot. Felipe is a terrific lad, so is Seb. But what I want them to be is terrific players every time they play, and I want them to make a difference.
“I think Seb, a 6 ft 4 centre-forward and you’re leading the line, I think you are expecting much more of that. Maybe Seb isn’t completely that type. We are still finding out exactly what Seb’s attributes are in that case.”
Moyes’ feeling that Haller is not the traditional hard-working, centre-forward type that he would like is considered the sole reason why the Frenchman is behind Antonio in the Irons’ pecking order.
But with Antonio not available at Liverpool and no other senior strikers in the squad, Haller has been gifted a great chance to prove to Moyes that he can be the hard-working type that would see him start more often rather than be a £45m flop stuck on the bench.
It is unlikely that Haller will be able to step in and replicate precisely what Antonio brings to the table, but the 26-year-old can hold play up and bring others into the game, he can score, he can create, and he can cause opposing sides trouble.
But if Haller fails in this test, his future at the London Stadium will be in serious doubt given Moyes favoured the introduction of Andriy Yarmolenko and moving Jarrod Bowen centrally against Manchester City when replacing Antonio, rather than calling on a recognised centre-forward.
AND in other news, West Ham face a huge decision over the future of a crucial club figure who’s proven critics wrong.