If proof were needed that West Ham have a hugely capable performer on their hands, last night’s internationals showed off one West Ham favourite at his best and offered a nudge to Nuno of just what he could achieve with the right team around him.
Greece saw off Jurgen Klopp’s Germany thanks in no small part to a ‘massive’ defensive performance by the Irons’ Konstantinos Mavropanos (alongside defensive partner and captain Panagiotis Retsos) with a set of statistics to be justly proud:
Dinos Mavropanos, paired alongside Axel Disasi, became the surprise package of West Ham’s last season in the Premier League, upping his own game to match that of his loanee defensive partner and even securing the Hammer of the Year vote for his travails.
Yet this season, paired alongside Maximilan Kilman again, Dinos has reverted to looking the nervy, less confident defender we saw all too frequently under Lopetegui and Potter.
Surely it doesn’t take a coaching badge to work out why Mavropanos looks a top talent on the international stage yet struggles at the heart of a West Ham defence, when he’s paired with a hesitant centre back who gets bullied in the air and goes missing from key battles.
Biggest mistake of the summer window was not replacing Disasi.
Results like this send a clear message to Nuno Espírito Santo: Finish the job in January and consign Kilman to the sub’s bench with a decent, reliable ‘rock’ of a centre back signing which will allow Mavropanos to get back to his best and at the same time stop giving opponents a goal or two head start.
His national team CD partner’s market value is only 7m, surely that wouldn’t break the bank and they already have an established partnership…
We would need the manager and coaches too, Brad.
Great idea if fitting in with NunoStyle.
Isn’t it amazing how good Dinos plays when he hasn’t got the lame duck , Kilman , playing alongside him . December last year through to the end of the season and now on International duty . Compare this to before Xmas last season and the beginning of this season . What is the common denominater ???????????? Everyone apart from NUNO must see that it is KILMAN . He dragged us down last season and is going to cost us again this season unless he is benched ( Permanently ) .. Geobeckis ?? , Alvarez , Maggassa , are all head and shoulders better than Kilman .
Spot on, Martin! Mav was very impressive in Greece’s win against Jurgen Klopp’s Germany. He just needs an equally reliable Hammers partner centre back and our defence should be good again.
Clue to Luno……. Kilman isnt Greek, could this be a coincidence that Dinos plays a blinder without the Maxie one ?