Every single one of us would struggle for consistency in our jobs if we only got to do it for a few minutes each week, so footballers are the same.
Managers can be left in a tough position when they have a talented player who shows flashes of brilliance when they come off the bench because it’s often the case that they need to start a few games to play themselves into form.
That can come at a cost if they hold the team back and results suffer, but David Moyes has been urged to get Said Benrahma into the West Ham starting XI on a regular basis.
A report from Football Insider has spoken to Noel Whelan about the Algerian star, and it’s clear that he wants to see him given more chances from the start:
“You have got to have players like Benrahma in your side. I am all about the attacking presence of a player, and what a player he is.
“He dominated the ball at Leeds and dictated the play for West Ham. If you want to get the best out of your front three you need a player like that.
“It is going to infuriate the fans that he is not starting, they can see what Benrahma brings to the side. No one else in that squad possesses the quality he has in that final third.”
Benrahma has failed to hold down a regular starting spot since moving from Brentford and it’s not like West Ham are having a bad time in the league, so it’s hard to have a go at David Moyes for his overall team management.
On the other hand he’s clearly going to need to do something different to get the best out of Benrahma, but you do have to wonder if upsetting the balance of the team is worth it just to please one individual.