West Ham United: Alphonse Areola stunned by what Sky Sports pundit said about him
West Ham United star Alphonse Areola has been left stunned after he was told that Asmir Begovic once suggested that he was the best shot-stopper in world football.
The Frenchman has been in inspired form for the Hammers so far this season, impressing between the posts both in the Premier League and occasionally in the Europa League having overtaken Lukasz Fabianski as the Irons’ first choice.
Despite that good form, he was shocked to learn that QPR keeper and Sky Sports pundit Begovic had said in an interview two years ago, while Areola was on loan with Fulham, that he was the best shot-stopper in the game.
As quoted by The Telegraph on Thursday (28 December) he said: “Really? In the world? I mean, it’s the first time I have heard it! I am pleased to hear it and want to say thank you for that.
“I think in a couple of games I have shown he was not lying! It’s all about the daily work: if you are not fit, if you are not ready in your head, if you are not ready to move your feet, then you can’t really stop the balls.
|It’s all about the work you do every single day.”
Some goalkeeper
West Ham fans don’t need to be told just how good a goalkeeper they currently have in their ranks at the London Stadium as the Frenchman’s performances this season have ensured that he has rightly got the recognition he has deserved.
Individual games stick out when you look back at Areola’s season so far. Perhaps the best display of his career, at least with the Irons, came in the defeat to Manchester City where the 30-year-old made a record 10 saves and earned most of the plaudits despite conceding three goals.
Eyebrows would have been raised when Begovic named a reasonably young keeper on loan among the likes of Gianluigi Buffon, Ederson and Manuel Neuer when building his dream keeper, but Areola is more than deserving of his place on that list.
Fabianski may have been a good servant to the Hammers and the Polish stopper remains an important figure at the London Stadium, but it really feels like West Ham now have a number one who is among the Premier League’s best keepers.
In other West Ham news, Jamie O’Hara and Dean Saunders have clashed live on air over whether Moyes should be sacked by the Irons