Javier Mascherano was totally frozen out at West Ham, first by Alan Pardew and then by Alan Curbishley. How did two seemingly intelligent managers deem him not good enough to play for the Hammers? Maybe this is one reason for their club's demise.

I could have understood Mascherano being frozen out if he was sloppy in training or just was not putting the effort in. But after getting clearance to play for Liverpool, manager Rafael Benitez gave him his debut at the first opportunity four days later against Sheffield United. So Benitez must have thought he was fit enough to play.

A lot more happened at West Ham than we know. Pardew had two players brought into the squad that he knew absolutely nothing about; the fact that the two players spoke no English did not help. Mascherano was already a bystander when Curbishley arrived, so the trend continued from there -- but it is no excuse for a team in a relegation battle to exclude a player with the Argentinian's talents.

'Since Mascherano has been at Liverpool we have seen what a truly world-class player he actually is'


Since Mascherano has been at Liverpool we have seen what a truly world-class player he actually is, and more mockingly for West Ham, the type of player he is. He is 100 percent fitted to the Premiership; his dogged tackling and never-say-never attitude is perfect for the English game, and a team in a relegation battle like West Ham could surely use a player like him. So why is he not still championing the Hammers' cause?

One little insight was given by Benitez last week. When asked why Mascherano had done so well at Liverpool, Rafa replied that at Anfield it is easier for the player because of all the Spanish-speaking staff. If this is true, how unprofessional of West Ham for letting one of their best players for years pass through their club and not givie him a fair chance because they could not go out of their way to solve the problem.

Since Mascherano moved to Liverpool I have started to think about something I never thought I would --selling Momo Sissoko. Sissoko has been a great servant for the club but unfortunately his passing seems to be getting worse and worse. There are not many better ball winners in the Premiership but with Momo, as soon as he wins the ball, he passes it straight back to the opposition.

Mascherano is very different when he wins the ball; he has Steven Gerrard or Xabi Alonso's ability to play that incisive pass to start an attack and is aware of where his team-mates are at all times. I thought Sissoko being dropped for the last few games might have been a wake-up call to him, but his passing was as bad as ever against Reading.

With both Mascherano and Sissoko playing in the same game, it was the perfect opportunity to compare both players -- and it was not good for Sissoko. Mascherano's tackling was better timed and his distribution of the ball miles ahead.

Sissoko is still young and under Benitez`s guidance will improve -- but Barcelona want Sissoko, while we want Samuel Eto´o. If Sissoko's departure to the Nou Camp would put us in pole position to capture the signature of Eto'o, then, for the good of the team, Liverpool would be willing to part with Momo.

All this comes about because Rafa has seen in Mascherano what two West Ham managers did not see in the Argentinian. What a huge loss it is for West Ham and if they do go down, people will point at this as an indication of how badly the club has been run.

Where did West Ham go wrong with Mascherano? Sportingo would welcome your views.