Robinson gets West Ham transfer verdict all wrong
When you think of the West Ham United player who has most disappointed this season, the obvious answer is goalkeeper Roberto.
However, when you consider what the expectations were heading into the campaign, the answer likely changes to people like Manuel Lanzini and Felipe Anderson.
With that said, you might not necessarily think that the Hammers need another playmaking type of player.
That’s certainly the view of former England international Paul Robinson, who sees the club’s reported pursuit of Chelsea forward Pedro as folly.
“He’s a good player Pedro, but you don’t know if he’s the type of player West Ham need at the moment,” he told Football Insider.
“I think he’s more of a luxury player, rather than a player they might need to get out of the trouble that they’re in. Although, if they start picking up wins and climbing up the table then he’s definitely a luxury worth having.”
Robinson can’t seem to make his own mind up, here, but his assertion that Pedro isn’t what the Irons need right now is simply incorrect.
Yes, Pedro may be a luxury player in terms of his defensive work and his work rate, but he has the cutting edge and the quality in the final third that David Moyes’ team have been missing.
That remains true, despite him not playing regularly under Frank Lampard this season. Indeed, he’s averaging 2.4 shots, 1.8 key passes and 1.2 successful dribbles per game.
Last time out he scored 13 goals and bagged five assists in Premier League and Europa League competition, so he’s still performing at a high level, it’s just that Lampard has gone with a youth movement this term.
The 32-year-old would be a short-term solution for the east London outfit, but he would enable Moyes to play somebody up top, just off Sebastien Haller, and give the isolated Frenchman some much-needed support.
Perhaps, then, the former Barcelona man is the exact thing the Hammers need this month.
In other West Ham news, the club have reportedly failed with an approach for an Inter Milan goalkeeper.