OPINION
It’s been quite the couple of months for Marko Arnautovic.
At the beginning of January he was, by far, seen as West Ham’s most vital attacking force, a reputation that led to a transfer saga that nearly saw him upstairs and move to China.
Since then, he has signed a new deal, and perhaps more surprisingly still can’t seem to get a look in for West Ham.
Admittedly, the Austrian missed out the Hammers’ trip to Manchester City in midweek through illness, but there was nothing stopping Manuel Pellegrini from giving him the nod against Newcastle United on Saturday evening, and yet he remained on the bench for most of the match.
If somebody had told you at the turn of the year that Arnautovic, such a crucial player for the Irons over the past couple of seasons, would be forced out onto the periphery at the London Stadium, you probably would have laughed in their face.
Pleasantly for West Ham fans, however, his inability to hold down a regular spot is no reflection on his own form, but rather an endorsement of those around him.
Michail Antonio, Felipe Anderson, Robert Snodgrass, Javier Hernandez, Samir Nasri, and the newly returned Manuel Lanzini, have all been in fine fettle recently, and competition for places has arguably never been higher.
That can only be a good thing for a West Ham side with lofty ambitions, and on paper it’s hard to see a side outside of the top six who could do more damage than the Hammers.
For fans, that’s excellent news, but for Arnautovic, it could lead to some frustrating times ahead.