West Ham United do not need their skipper to get some more points on the board.
The vast majority of West Ham United fans have been been in agreement for some time that Mark Noble does not deserve a regular starting spot until his performances improve considerably. So it was a timely coincidence that the Hammers skipper missed last weekend’s 2-0 victory against Huddersfield Town with an ankle injury.
Noble is rated at 75 per cent to be fit in time for Saturday’s match against West Bromwich Albion but, if West Ham win without him, it is hard to see a way back for the 30-year-old, certainly when it comes to making the Hammers’ strongest available squad.
A 3-4-3 formation with Pedro Obiang and Cheikhou Kouyate bossing the midfield worked a treat for West Ham last time out and that is the pair Bilic should put his faith in for the foreseeable future.
Noble will still get chances, with the games coming thick and fast this season and three competitions to navigate. But the days may be gone when the midfielder was regarded as one of the first names on the team sheet.
He should now be a backup option, still an important character at the club with plenty to do both on and off the pitch, yet not one who deserves to be starting when everyone is fit and available.
Either by luck or by judgement, Bilic has settled on a midfield partnership that works and West Ham would benefit from leaving that alone from now on.
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