A number of West Ham United fans did not seem to be particularly impressed when the club signed Carlos Sanchez this summer.
In a summer where West Ham seemed to get a number of exciting signings through the London Stadium door, it seems safe to say that Carlos Sanchez’s arrival was not one that exactly captured the imagination of the Hammers fans.
Sanchez did not enjoy the best World Cup and endured a disappointing spell with Aston Villa earlier in his career, so it was understandable that some of the supporters felt that the signing was an underwhelming one.
However, after West Ham’s defeat to Arsenal on Saturday, it would appear that Manuel Pellegrini may have stumbled across a very good piece of business and Sanchez could actually prove to be one of the Irons’ surprises of the season.
The Colombian made his full debut at the Emirates after Pellegrini decided to leave Mark Noble out of the squad. And the 32-year-old did not disappoint, looking tidy in possession and providing the defence with a decent amount of support. He also wore the captain’s armband in the latter stages.
It was a disappointing result for West Ham ultimately, but there were some much more encouraging signs that Pellegrini will be clinging to after three defeats from their opening three games.
Sanchez probably has a long way to go before he wins over all of the fans, but there is no question that he has made an excellent start with his display against the Gunners on Saturday.
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