Danny Mills is worried about the West Ham right-back situation, with Ryan Fredericks set for an extended spell on the treatment table.
The Hammers have been light in that area of the pitch for a while, although they did look like they had plugged the gap when signing the defender from Fulham in the summer.
It hasn’t worked out well for West Ham though, with Fredericks leaving the field early against Manchester City on Wednesday evening, with a serious injury, which is set to keep him out for much of the remainder of the campaign, if not all of it.
That leaves the Hammers exposed in that area now, with Pablo Zabaleta well past his best, and Jeremy Ngakia still a rookie in that position at this level.
That has left Mills concerned with the situation, particularly with West Ham deep in a relegation battle, and he has highlighted exactly why.
“The problem for David Moyes is Zabaleta is not his old self, he’s a bit old and that’s the problem, that’s the biggest issue for Pablo Zabaleta.” The Football Insider website quotes him as saying.
“We know he’s got good quality, we know how good he’s been in the past but at this moment in time, Fredericks is a lot more athletic and has got a much better chance of dealing with the pace of the Premier League.
“He will be a little bit concerned, he’s got to hope that when he [Zabaleta] comes in, and we’re assuming it will be Zabaleta, he’s fit, he’s raring to go and he’s got to be careful he doesn’t get exposed for pace at times.”
Fredericks has made 21 appearances for the Hammers since his arrival from Craven Cottage, so the fears that his absence will be greatly missed have plenty of substance.