Darren Bent calls for Gianluca Scamacca to start for West Ham United ahead of Michail Antonio
Darren Bent wants West Ham to drop Michail Antonio and give Gianluca Scamacca a run of games up front after his goal against Wolves at the weekend.
The Italian notched his first Premier League goal of the season with a thunderbolt from the edge of the box to help lift the Hammers out of the relegation zone for just their second win of the season.
And after scoring in the Europa Conference League this season too, Bent told talkSPORT [3 October] that the time is now to let him stake his claim to be the starting striker over current first pick Antonio.
“He’s someone to be fair who has impressed me since he’s been there,” he said. “I know he’s played a lot of games in the Europa Conference, but when called upon he has scored goals.
“That finish at the weekend, outside of his boot, I know it took a slight nick of the defender’s head, but I think he’s somebody now that needs to be given a run of games, do you know what I mean?
“He definitely needs to be given a run of games. He scored a lot of goals last season for Sassuolo and I think he’ll be looking to get himself into the team.
“We know Antonio is their first pick but I think it’s time now to give Scamacca a go and I think he’ll score goals.”
It’s time
Bent is spot on, if we’re ever going to give Scamacca a genuine run in the side to prove himself then it has to be now when the team is in good spirits.
So far he’s had to come in to weakened teams in Europe where Moyes has rested players, or come off the bench in games where the team has been struggling to get a foot hold and control them.
He showed his ability and qualities against Wolves and the goal was something that they’ve really lacked in recent seasons, and exactly why they splashed the big money to bring him in.
Antonio obviously won’t be happy about it, but that’s to be expected and it should make for great competition in attack and that usually means better performances and goals.
That’s what West Ham need and may the best man win this individual duel within the squad, because they would have earned their starting spot.