Pedro Obiang has been used sparingly by Slaven Bilic since signing for West Ham United but he has earned the right to play.
West Ham co-owner David Sullivan
Hammers co-owner David Sullivan let it slip last year that Slaven Bilic didn’t sign the Spaniard – who joined the club from Sampdoria just days before the former Croatia boss was brought in to replace Sam Allardyce.
In an interview with the Mirror, Sullivan revealed at the time that Bilic had nothing to do with the Obiang deal, saying the midfielder was targeted and signed by the club’s talent spotter Tony Henry.
“Tony brought in Obiang,” Sullivan told the Mirror.
“He cost £4.5m. I think he is going to turn out to be a good player.”
West Ham manager Slaven Bilic
It left many supporters questioning Bilic’s motives for not playing the classy midfielder more often when he was dipped in and out of a side that won more often than it lost with him in the centre of the park.
Many of those wins were big scalps too, away at Manchester City and Liverpool just two to mention.
On the whole Obiang has impressed whenever he has played with his vision and incisive passing in that Michael Carrick-esque role.
But he became a peripheral figure as the season wore on and was linked with a move back to Italy in the summer, as reported by the likes of the Daily Star.
West Ham United’s Pedro Obiang
He stayed but has been left kicking his heels again this season despite the club’s woeful start to the season, with midfield in particular a problem.
But that surely has to change now after he put in a mature captain’s performance in the last gasp 1-0 win over Accrington Stanley in the League Cup in midweek.
Yes he was playing against a side three divisions below West Ham.
But anyone watching the game could not have been anything other than hugely impressed by the 24 year old.
West Ham’s Pedro Obiang
He was everywhere, winning tackles, starting attacks, putting his foot in and most importantly being brave when the Hammers were toiling by always looking for and getting on the ball.
He linked up well with midfield partner Edimilson Fernandes and Bilic simply cannot ignore what was a man of the match performance with crucial back-to-back home games against Southampton and Middlesbrough on the horizon.
At a club like West Ham when you play well you should keep the shirt.
If Obiang continues to be shunned West Ham could lose one of the classiest young midfielders around.
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