“Manuel (Pellegrini) was a big influence because in the end. He is one of the best coaches in the world and who doesn’t want to work with people like that?!”
As far as first impressions go, Pablo Fornals sure made a positive one in his first interview as a West Ham player speaking to the club’s official website.
Yet despite starring for a Spain squad that comfortably won the U-21 EUROs this summer and impressing in pre-season, the playmaker only made it onto the bench against Manchester City last weekend.
Indeed, it didn’t take long for the former Villarreal midfielder to make his league debut for the Hammers as Fornals was introduced at the start of the second half, but his 45-minute cameo wasn’t enough to stop Pep Guardiola’s side from rampaging through West Ham as City claimed a 5-0 win.
The defeat was a big wake-up call for the Hammers, who continued their miserable streak of losing big in their opening game of the season, and with Brighton next to come for Manuel Pellegrini’s side, the West Ham boss simply has to start Fornals in the game at the Amex Stadium if he is to put the east London club back on track.
Last season the 23-year-old playmaker was one of the few bright spots what was to be a poor season for Villarreal as the Yellow Submarine finished 14th in the La Liga table, with Fornals, alongside former Arsenal man Santi Cazorla, forming a solid creative foundation in the squad.
With Pellegrini using a 4-2-3-1 against City, the West Ham boss will be wise to slot Fornals in either behind the striker or out on the left in the attacking midfield three, and with the Hammers already looking shaky this season, the Irons manager can’t waste any more time in integrating the Spaniard into the starting XI.
