That West Ham capitulation against Arsenal doesn’t get any better when viewed the morning after. The game was done and dusted in twenty five minutes but I’m going to make a case for at least one or two positives to take forwards. Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s second goal in two games for his new employers needs highlighting for two reasons.
First, many have been critical of Lopetegui giving Wan-Bissaka such a free role and actually encouraging the right back to rove forward. This license had, earlier in the season, left gaping holes at the back which, notably, Chelsea exploited to West Ham’s cost.
Wan Bissaka’s performance going forward in the last seven days showed the just-turned-27 year old at his finest. His run to be on the end of Jarrod Bowen’s pass against Newcastle and especially yesterdays’ movement to be inside the box and fire home a goal were moments of shining quality.
As Jamie Redknapp exclaimed on SkySports:”He’s turned into Wan-Bi Salah, not Wan-Bissaka, two-in-two now, he finishes that really well.”
Carlos Soler’s ‘eye of the needle’ through pass needs emphasis too: We’ve lamented the lack of creativity and the endless ‘side-side-back’ passing offered by the Hammers for many games last season so should offer credit where it is due. Forget just for a second if you can, the five goals at the other end. The pin-point through pass from Hammers number four showed brilliant insight- more Payet or Paquetá at their finest from a player who has spent half his Hammers career stuck out of position on the left side.
Find the positives, highlight them, repeat them, move on to an opponent next week who will offer Lopetegui a lesser challenge. For it is now a ‘must win’ visit to Leicester for West Ham’s under siege head coach. More ‘Mo Salah moments’, please.
I agree with John 2 goals against Arsenal who rarely concede in a game should be enough to take a point. Unfortunately as I have said many times before our defending as a team is diabolical.Emerson is guilty of switching off,Somerville doesn’t do his job offensively leaving runners to go past him far to often and Kilman made a school boy error going to ground whilst switching off for the corners.4-5 of the players are not good enough for the premiership and the manager is not up to it in the premiership
The moments of quality are all the more annoying as they show how things could be given we were competently organised. Two goals against Arsenal that they were able to do nothing about should be enough to be taking points, but no we contrive to concede five in the first half.
That’s all we have! Let’s hope Kudus really turns it on when he comes back and Fullkrug scores goals for fun.
Find the positives. Uplifting and move on. Well said Martin.
Watch out Leicester!
COYI
Can we have a C&H poll please Martin on who is fans want to appoint our next coach please?
A) Sullivan
B) Steidten
That would be interesting 🤔
Is there a third option? As neither of them have covered themselves in glory, in my opinion. Noted, Sullivan is the worse of the two, but neither of them fill me with confidence.