Manuel Pellegrini Considers Dropping Mark Noble to Make West Ham Midfield More Mobile
Manuel Pellegrini could be set to showcase his ruthless streak by dropping West Ham captain Mark Noble, as he looks to shake things up following their poor start to the season.
The Hammers slipped to a second defeat from two games on Saturday as they relinquished a lead to lose 2-1 at home to Bournemouth.
Laurence Griffiths/GettyImages
The summer shake-up at the London Stadium has thus far not displaced Noble, who has started in the first two matches of the season alongside Jack Wilshere in midfield.
However, according to the Daily Mail, Pellegrini feels that the Hammers need more mobility in the engine room and could make a bold move by dropping the club's longest-serving player when they travel to Arsenal on Saturday.
Carlos Sanchez and Pedro Obiang are both waiting in the wings to deputise for Noble and provide more dynamism through the centre of the park.
Dropping Noble may be the wake-up call needed to let the players know that nobody is safe. Over the last 11 seasons, Noble has never made fewer than 28 appearances in a campaign.
Six previous managers have all made Noble a keystone of their team. He is a fan favourite but the supporters may admire Pellegrini for having the gumption to make such a controversial decision.
The Chilean has already taken an 'out with the old, in with the new' approach since his arrival, with seven of his nine summer signings getting game time against Bournemouth.
