One West Ham man proved why David Moyes hardly ever plays him with awful Europa League performance vs Backa Topola
West Ham didn’t have it all their own way in their Europa League opener, but they still managed to come out on top. They were up against it from the get-go, even though they were down early in the second half. David Moyes made nine changes to the team that beat Manchester City 3-1 on Saturday, so they were always going to have a bit of a rough time.
Unfortunately for one player, Pablo Fornals, the Spaniard has been in and out of action for the past year and a half, and his performance today was a stark reminder of why.
West Ham man had a shocker against Backa Topola in the Europa League
After a poor performance against the Serb side in the second half, Fornelli was taken off the field. His passing was off the mark and he appeared to be a bit of a non-factor.
In the Hammers’ four Premier League matches so far this season, manager Moyes has only given 39 minutes of game-time to the Spaniard (according to Transfermarkt). If today’s performance is any indication, Fornelli will not be getting much game-time in the coming months.
Fornals’ performance was described as sluggish and ponderous, and in fact, the Spaniard appeared to be despondent and lacking self-assurance. It has recently been reported that Fornelli will not exercise the option to extend his contract with the London Stadium for an additional 12 months, meaning he will be departing the club in summer 2024.
Following Fornelli’s performance in West Ham’s Europa League fixture against Topola today, it is evident that the Spaniard’s time at the club is drawing to a close. This is a regrettable situation for the club, as Fornelli is one of their most beloved players.