Alphonse Areola to be new West Ham United number one amid Lukasz Fabianski development – pundit
We’re delighted to welcome former West Ham United striker Frank McAvennie as our exclusive columnist. Each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at the London Stadium…
Frank McAvennie has hailed David Moyes’ decision to stick with second-choice goalkeeper Alphonse Areola for the entirety of West Ham United’s successful Europa Conference League campaign.
Areola, 30, has been behind Lukasz Fabianski in the pecking order ever since arriving in East London, initially on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, in 2021.
While Fabianski, 38, has been Moyes’ main man in the league, France international Areola has been called upon to play in cup competitions and in Europe.
He played every single Conference League match this season, conceding just nine goals in 15 appearances in the competition.
Ahead of the final against Fiorentina, there was much debate about whether the more experienced and, arguably, more trusted Fabianski would start ahead of Areola.
However, Moyes stuck with the Frenchman and the decision paid off as the Irons ran out 2-1 winners to end a four-decade-long wait for major silverware.
McAvennie now believes Areola is good enough to displace Fabianski completely as the number-one goalkeeper at the London Stadium.
“To be fair to David he’s kept him in the team in European ties and he’s done alright,” McAvennie told West Ham Zone. “I can’t remember him making any big mistakes, any blunders.
“I think he’s a decent keeper but until you’re playing week in and week out you just don’t know.
“Good teams have got great goalkeepers, your Allissons and all that.
“West Ham have got a good keeper. Could Areola be the number one? Yeah, I think so at the moment.
“They defend so deep that I don’t think he’s asked to come out and play so much, so I think he deserves it.
“He’ll be delighted.
“If he’d got through to the final and they’d put Fabianski in he’d not have been happy.
“So fair play to David Moyes, he kept him in the side.“
Fabianski’s contract at West Ham was due to expire this month but he confirmed to Polish outlet Sportowefakty on 28 May that a 12-month extension has been triggered.