Said Benrahma may beg David Moyes to let him quit West Ham United for good in January
West Ham United forward Said Benrahma has grown frustrated by his lack of game time at the London Stadium and he may beg David Moyes to let him quit for good in January.
The former Brentford forward has started five games in all competitions so far this season with just 326 minutes of Premier League action under his belt since the new campaign got underway after playing an integral role throughout last season, featuring in 50-odd games.
Former Eurosport journalist Dean Jones, speaking to GiveMeSport on 29 September insisted that the Algerian international is “feeling let down” whenever he is nudged down the pecking order, such is the fierce competition in Moyes’ improved squad.
Jones believes that Benrahma is having to stay calm over his lack of opportunities.
He said: “Well, it’s a problem that Said Benrahma has again and again, and he’s having to control his own feelings and not lash out when he probably feels like he should be in the team.
“And he’s also having to stay calm so that when he gets the opportunities, he actually makes the most of them.
“Obviously, he’s going to be feeling down whenever he is nudged down the pecking order at West Ham, but it’s such seems to be the story of his life at West Ham, and he’s dealt with it again and again, and he just has to keep on bouncing back and proving that he deserves more game time.”
While the Algerian international may be quelling the need to lash out every time he isn’t picked in the Hammers starting line-up, it’s always been a problem of his at the club given his lack of consistency.
Moyes may be perfectly justified in his decision to drop him now and again but it’s a problem which could simmer into an inevitable exit before long.
New arrivals such as Mohammed Kudus, James Ward-Prowse and Konstantinos Mavropanos not only provide some brilliant depth to this West Ham United squad but should also serve as a warning to every player at the club that they can be displaced.
Improved squad depth will be valuable to the Hammers as they look to compete across all four tournaments this season, including in Europe, but it could leave some players fearing for their first-team place.
And that fear has certainly fallen on Benrahma especially after his crucial role for the club last season, playing all of 50 games as they triumphed in the Europa Conference League.
The former Brentford forward will have certainly felt that his increased role last season meant he’d be guaranteed starts this time around but that certainly hasn’t happened right now.
The Algerian forward will certainly feel he’s at an age where he needs to be playing regularly at the top level, but the ball is in his court to try and prove to Moyes that he deserves a starting role in the team.
Whether he’s patient enough is another matter entirely and he could beg the West Ham United boss to quit in January should these “problems” ramble on in the coming weeks.
In other West Ham news, a journalist has revealed what he’s been told about the club’s plans in the January transfer window and an “alternate” role for one big-money London Stadium signing.