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It has been a rather interesting start for Arne Engels at West Ham United.
Celtic fans and pundits vented their annoyance at how he left the club in the summer, because it came just before the Champions League qualifiers.
But while Engels isn’t in the mess Reo Hatate finds himself in at Burnley, it doesn’t mean he isn’t under immense pressure, with Frank McAvennie sharing that it has been a ‘steady’ start to life in London for the midfielder.
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West Ham are sitting third in the Championship table, but they came under fire on Saturday after losing to fellow promotion challengers Southampton.
Engels started in the middle of the park, and he has been a regular under Nuno Espirito Santo, starting every league game since his £22 million transfer.
While Celtic miss Engels’ engine, because it was one of the best traits he has, McAvennie explained that he isn’t exactly wowing the crowd at his new club and is just ‘going about his business.’
“He’s steady,” said McAvennie about Engels’ start at West Ham. “He isn’t the same as what he was at Celtic. He doesn’t overshine. He isn’t doing overly magnificent things. Goes about his business.
“Steady. You realise how steady he was. He was in there beside Callum McGregor, and he just didn’t shift, did he? And he is doing the same down at West Ham.”
To the surprise of no Celtic supporters, one thing Engels is getting huge praise for is his set-pieces, because he is wicked from those positions.
There have been a number of occasions where he has showcased that magic, but criticism is always around the corner.
Nonetheless, from 11 Championship games this term, Engels has earned himself a Sofascore rating of 7.36, including one appearance in the Team of the Week.