Poor man’s Ibrahimovic was how Gabrielle Marcotti described the Austrian striker Marko Arnautovic following his empathic display against Southampton this last weekend.
A Dip and A Dig
Former Stoke City forward hit a brace against Mark Hughes’ Saints to push them deeper into the relegation struggle following a 3-0 defeat at the hands of West Ham. Joao Mario struck a powerful shot to open the proceeding after 13 minutes whereas Arnautovic added two more goals to send a clear message to his former boss.
West Ham striker did not only make headlines for his fantastic goalscoring exploits but for his celebration as well, during which he appeared to have aimed a dig at his former boss in a response to their touchline spat back in December.
Arnautovic was particularly motivated to show his true worth following sent offs in two of his last three appearances against Southampton, while he was also determined to prove he can be trusted to lead his team forward which was the main doubt upon his £25 million arrival back in the summer of 2017.
📅 15th December:
🗣 Mark Hughes: “I think Marko hoped he’d be going to the next level….but that wasn’t the case.” 🤷♂️📅 16th December:
⚽️ Marko Arnautovic Scores v Mark Hughes’ Stoke. 👀📅 31st March:
⚽️ Marko Arnautovic Scores TWICE vs Mark Hughes’ Southampton. 🐸 pic.twitter.com/bg0hiznsSO— SPORF (@Sporf) March 31, 2018
Proving His Worth
The Austrian international was met with a barrage of criticism due to his temperamental nature which – in addition to his Balkan roots – got him compared to Swedish stallion Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the first place.
His fiery character was said to be too much for phlegmatic David Moyes and many expected the former Manchester United boss to ditch Arnautovic during the winter transfer market.
Having failed to score in his first 13 appearances for the London based club, Marko Arnautovic is finally coming good and is a major factor behind West Ham’s resurgence under David Moyes. The Irons were faced with plenty of problems lately – both off and on the pitch – but the comfortable 3-0 win over Southampton will have been a major boost in a crucial part of the season.
West Ham are sitting in 14th place in the standings, with 33 points after 31 games. Their Premier League status is still under a doubt but they are an 11/1 bet to go down at the end of the season which means bookies are getting more convinced as well that Moyes will keep them up.
Arnautovic Leading the Line for Irons
And with Marko Arnautovic in sensational form and his Zlatan-like energy, the Irons could be given a much-needed boost to make it to safety.
Arnautovic’s numbers are telling – the Austrian scored six goals in West Ham’s six Premier League wins under David Moyes. The former Everton, Sunderland and Manchester United manager has obviously found a way to keep his striker motivated and fired up, which is currently paying the dividends for the Hammers.
Marko Arnautovic’s transformation began against Chelsea back in the 16th round of the Premier League when Moyes decided to push him further upfield and give him a more direct approach to goal. This move from Moyes allowed Arnautovic to be more involved in West Ham’s play and contribute to a much bigger extent.
11 – Marko Arnautovic has been directly involved in more Premier League goals this season than any other West Ham player (8 goals, 3 assists). Talisman.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) March 31, 2018
Arnautovic has had a hand in 59% of West Ham’s goals since the Chelsea match. The Austrian is scoring 0.47 goals per match according to Understat, whereas his key passes ratio stands at 1.15 a game. In addition, Arnautovic is averaging 2.66 shots on goal which speaks volumes of his influence for West Ham.
Not many players can match his skill and power when Arnautovic is at his most fired up self, just as it was the case against Southampton. If Moyes manages to maintain the grit and desire from his striker, Arnautovic’s growing importance could end up making him a leader and a saviour for the Hammers.
From a disapproved desperado to a potential hero, Marko Arnautovic could complete a full circle in just a season’s time at West Ham.
- Soccer News Like
- Be the first of your friends!
