Finishing games more strongly is clearly something West Ham’s coaching staff and players have discussed after early season wobbles that saw points dropped late-on in games.
A morale-boosting clean sheet comes at just the right time as West Ham press to head back towards the top of the second division after their poor start. Clearly Nuno has had to reconsider his own approach, having seen that ‘parking the bus’ failed to deliver anything but strife in the last ten minutes of games which the Hammers should have won.
That last quarter of the tie is also the best time to swamp opponents and carry the game beyond their reach, believes Joel Veltman, suggesting the Hammers need to remain more aggressive right until the final whistle.
Speaking to West Ham’s web site after their three-nil victory against Derby:
“Scoring early made it easier for us. You know the chances and the spaces in between the opponents. Defensively, the midfield part will be bigger and you could see it in the last ten minutes.
Gelling as a team: Veltman believes there’s a lot more to come now that the unit is training and playing regularly
We had so much space. We just need to be better in that in the last 15 to 20 minutes, I would say.
“Be clean, be focused and then you can score three or four goals like we did today.”
Which should be the benchmark for many of the games in this division, seeing the gulf between the best and worst of the Championship teams. As West Ham’s new right back suggests, now that the squad have an opportunity to gel, train and play with each other week in, week out, regular wins must become the norm rather than the exception. As he puts it:
“The combinations are getting better. We talk more, we know each other better on the pitch and off the pitch. That makes it just so much easier when we play games.
“We have now four games to go before the international break and the transfer window is all done now. We know the squad and we’re going to go all in.”
I also think that judging him on the early season results were a bit unfair as he didnt have the squad that he has now look at the bench yesterday….
I like the sound of Veltman. Just the kind of character we need in the dressing room.
Veltman could be our new Balon Dawson! I have been impressed with him so far, and he may be the steadying influence for Dino and Max!
I would echo all his thoughts, the combinations are getting better, because of the type of new arrivals, given time and patience I’m sure this manager and his staff will rise above all the, sack him in morning, and Nuno ball is useless quotes. A couple of games ago you gave him no chance.