Alphonse Areola faces West Ham United axe after moment flagged in Ipswich Town win
West Ham United need to replace Alphonse Areola between the sticks after he was beaten all too easily by Liam Delap in the win over Ipswich Town.
Speaking on beIN SPORTS 1 with Richard Keys (5 October, 3:10pm), Andy Gray believed that Areola could have done much better in his attempt to keep out Liam Delap’s early equaliser into the bottom corner.
Although Areola allowing Delap’s low shot past him and in off the woodwork only provided a temporary setback for the Irons, who went on to win 4-1 on Saturday (5 October), Julen Lopetegui will certainly have questions.
Gray did, too, asking in his analysis of the goal: “Tell me, Richard – should Areola be beaten from there?”
He went on to add: “He’s got to save that!”
Alphonse Areola must be facing the axe at West Ham United
For all the influx of new players at the London Stadium in recent months, the Hammers’ goalkeeping stocks still leave a lot to be desired, both in terms of quality at present and future potential.
Amid a summer spending spree which easily broke the £100million barrier, the only refresh – if any – between the sticks saw Wes Foderingham brought in on a free transfer from Sheffield United.
Foderingham is already firmly established as Lopetegui’s third-choice goalkeeper, with both Areola and Fabianski given minutes ahead of him in a side which has already shipped 11 goals after seven games.
Fabianski’s only Premier League appearance this term came following Areola’s injury against Manchester City, but with the Frenchman’s form taking a turn for the worse, the veteran could well be recalled.
Putting Fabianski back between the sticks would certainly be a bold move for Lopetegui to make after a 4-1 win, but it may be exactly what Areola needs; to come out of the firing line and get back to his best.
In other West Ham news, one under-performing Irons player was singled out on talkSPORT for being a “shadow” of his usual self.
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