It has been a season to forget for Robbie Keane, one plagued by warming the bench at the Lane and injury at Upton Park.

On the rare occasion he has played this year, he has looked a shadow of his former self and when he made his return for West Ham during their FA Cup defeat at Stoke, the striker failed to make an impact.

Rustiness is bound to play a part, but it was sad to see Keane charging around, waving his arms around appealing for what barely qualifies as a contentious moment to go his way. It’s a bad habit he’s let creep into his game more and more over the last couple of years, coinciding with his drop in form.

It is not out of passion and willingness to fight for every decision to go his way, it’s due to frustration at not being able to make the telling impact he use to make on a regular basis.

He use to bring the ball instantly under control, take on a defender and play an intelligent pass or find the back of the net. Now he’s losing the ball once too often and his reaction, on too many occasions, is not to try and win it back, but to look at the referee, with his arms up in the air, making nonsensical claims for free-kicks or penalties.

It’s made even more maddening by the fact that, when he’s on his game, he is still a class act.

Keane is only 30 and has time to rediscover his former glory. His goal record for club and country – he’s netted over 40 international goals many of which have been scored on the biggest of occasions – is indisputable and as long as he stays clear of injury he can help the Hammers avoid relegation.

But in order to get back to the standard he’s set himself, he needs to knuckle down, trust his ability and stop whining to referees.