Robinson: West Ham regular will be feeling ‘unsettled’
West Ham United did what they needed to do earlier this week and shored up their goalkeeper position with the signing of Darren Randolph.
The Republic of Ireland international was much-needed to provide quality back-up to first choice shot-stopper Lukasz Fabianski.
It’s become clear this season that Roberto and David Martin are not Premier League calibre ‘keepers, whereas Randolph has experience in the division from his previous stint with the Hammers.
However, former England international Paul Robinson believes that the addition of the 32-year-old could have an adverse effect on one Irons star: Fabianski himself.
“I felt for him at Sheffield United when he went off with his injury,” he told Football Insider. “You could see that it’s something that he’s had for a long time and he was pleased to get back and get back playing.
“For it to reoccur, it’s always a hard one to take. Hip injury as well, it’s not an easy one, they take a lot longer than normal muscle strains or a run-of-the-mill injury, especially for a goalkeeper – you’re kicking, you’re landing on it.
“For him, he’ll feel very unsettled now that a number one has come in but from the West Ham point of view you can’t afford to have a number one goalkeeper missing for three or four weeks because that’s nine, 12 points.”
Does Fabianski have anything to worry about?
Fabianski is still the number one at West Ham, there’s no doubt about that. He was absolutely superb last season, and losing him this campaign has shed light on how vital he is to the Hammers.
However, Randolph is a quality stopper who will likely come in and play very well. Having said that, unless he plays like Alisson, you’d have to think that the Poland international comes straight back in once he’s fit again.
This is simply a necessary move from an Irons perspective, as Robinson says. They couldn’t go on with just Martin and Roberto.
In other West Ham news, Darren Bent has claimed that the club are doing a great job lining up a swoop for one of his former team-mates.