Tony Gale claims one of West Ham United’s summer signings appeared unfit against Fulham.
West Ham United played to a 1-1 draw against Fulham this afternoon, with several players falling short of expectations.
Tony Gale’s recent criticism of a West Ham player may catch some by surprise.
In all fairness, West Ham were fortunate to leave Craven Cottage with a point against Fulham. Even the most loyal Hammers fans would likely agree.
Julen Lopetegui’s starting XI raised eyebrows, and by halftime, it was clear why.
The West Ham manager made two changes at the break, removing the underperforming Michail Antonio and Tomas Soucek in favor of Lucas Paqueta and Crysencio Summerville.
Many felt Lopetegui should have started with this lineup from the beginning. Hopefully, he’s learned from the experience.
While there were several subpar performances at Craven Cottage, one player’s critique by Tony Gale stands out.
Gale, a former West Ham center-back, was on co-commentary duty for the match, and his comments about summer signing Guido Rodriguez were particularly notable.
Gale, never one to shy away from being blunt about his former club, didn’t hold back today.
When asked by fellow commentator Andy Bishop about Rodriguez, Gale’s response was somewhat surprising.
He remarked, “He’s been okay, but from what I’ve seen so far, he looks a little bit unfit.”
To some, this critique might seem harsh. While Rodriguez hasn’t yet reached top form for the Hammers, it’s hard to argue that he’s been poor.
Given the adjustment period required when transitioning to the Premier League, it’s understandable that he hasn’t fully hit his stride yet.
At 30, Rodriguez will need time to adapt both to life at West Ham and to Lopetegui’s tactics.
His strengths lie in his tenacity and ability to break up play in the middle of the field, a critical skill set in the Premier League.
Last season, during 24 La Liga appearances for Real Betis, Rodriguez averaged 2.2 tackles, 1.2 interceptions, and 1.6 clearances per game.
Additionally, he made an average of 43 passes per game with an impressive completion rate of 85.9%, according to WhoScored.
With those statistics in mind, it’s clear Rodriguez has the potential to become an essential player for West Ham.
He just needs time to settle into his new surroundings.
Personally, I thought Rodriguez performed reasonably well in today’s draw with Fulham.
Was Tony Gale’s criticism justified? In my opinion, it was a bit unfair.
