{"id":1117847,"date":"2019-12-01T14:11:50","date_gmt":"2019-12-01T14:11:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?p=1117847"},"modified":"2019-12-01T14:11:50","modified_gmt":"2019-12-01T14:11:50","slug":"west-ham-roberto-pellegrini-drop-martin","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/news\/west-ham-roberto-pellegrini-drop-martin\/","title":{"rendered":"West Ham boss Pellegrini insists dropping Roberto vs Chelsea was a “very difficult decision”"},"content":{"rendered":"

West Ham manager Manuel Pellegrini says it was a “very difficult” decision to drop Roberto and start with reserve goalkeeper David Martin in the 1-0 win over Chelsea.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The 33-year-old came in for the struggling\u00a0Roberto – who had previously conceded nine goals in his last three games – and performed\u00a0<\/span>adequately between the sticks as the Hammers clinched three points and kept a clean sheet at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.<\/p>\n

Why did Pellegrini drop Roberto for David Martin?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
    \n
  • First-choice ‘keeper Lukasz Fabianski picked up a hip injury in September and has been ruled out\u00a0until the New Year.<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Summer recruit Roberto has stepped up in the Pole’s absence while he recovers.<\/li>\n
  • However, West Ham failed to win a single match with the Spaniard in goal.<\/li>\n
  • The Hammers conceded 14 goals in six games and picked up just one point prior to the Chelsea win.<\/li>\n
  • As such, Pellegrini dropped Roberto for Martin on Saturday and West Ham picked up their first clean sheet since mid-September.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n