The intensity dropped as West Ham’s recent solidity at the back gave way yesterday and old habits returned to haunt the Hammers.
An unlucky first half saw West Ham compete – and on another day possibly go three or four up – yet go in one goal down at the break . What followed in the second half, however, pivoted on poor defensive decisions.
Highlighted by Wayne Rooney on MOTD last night, West Ham’s manager will doubtless be fuming after so much of the good work of recent weeks was undone as old frailties returned.
West Ham’s full backs criticised as Brentford walk away with three points
Pointing to El Hadji Malick Diouf’s lacklustre defending for the first goal and penalty concession, Rooney highlighted the youngster’s mistakes:
“Once the ball comes into the West Ham box, Diouf gets caught underneath the ball [after it hits the post] and now, really important, he doesn’t react: If he reacts he maybe clears that”.
Diouf- painful defensive mistakes highlighted by Wayne Rooney
And for the penalty concession, Rooney was equally blunt:
“Diouf gets a header – but he has to sprint, he has to keep on going, and not allow him to turn.. it’s a stupid, naive tackle to give the penalty away””
But perhaps his biggest criticism was saved for the more experienced Wan Bissaka, on as a Walker Peters replacement and making his first appearance in several weeks:
“This is the worst one of the lot..as you look at Wan Bissaka he switches off..he has to get out to the ball .. he does nothing: He ambles out – Wan Bissaka’s just walking”.
Ironic really. West Ham’s defensive solidity in recent games has been built on a strong defensive foundation from improvements made by their two centre backs – yet it was the full backs who contributed largely to the Hammers’ demise.
We’ve long known that Diouf isn’t the finished article but Wan Bissaka looked lacklustre indeed and was rightly called out for it by the former England striker turned pundit. Nuno will be fuming when he sits down to pick apart that defeat.
Spurs are currently thrashing Villa and so Nuno’s numerous tactical blunders have consigned Westham to near certain relegation . Westham will now implode like Leicester and so get ready to see third and fourth tier matches . The financial incompetence and player signings means that Westham are dead and buried for between a decade and ever .
Don’t be daft 😂. Nuno has worked near miracles with a sub standard squad. Any blame lies well above Nuno in the food chain.
Team v arsenal areola walker peters mavropanos disasi todibo soucek fernandes kante Summerville castellanos Bowen.
With the quality of Arsenal’s corner delivery you want Areola in goal??? 😳
Rooney is bang on the two full backs diouf and wan bissaka were very poor and caused our demise! Our attackers were very unlucky but they need to be more clinical? I didn’t understand why Nuno took castellanos off he was our main threat all afternoon? He should’ve put taty and Wilson onto together as Pablo has no goal threat at all ! We need another performance like we did against man city and every player has to step up and want it !
Nuno’s subs and tactics are worrying, he’s to blame. Why take walkers off? We needed more attacking? Pablo just isn’t good enough and Wilson or Traore should have come on, not AWB who doesn’t seem interested? On that performance we deserve to go down. Hopefully Spurs will get pumped but we still have Arsenal and Newcastle who will destroy us if we play like yesterday? So angry with the whole club at the moment. Bowen is no leader/captain and needs the pressure taking away so he can go back to playing football.
If you go to a 3 at the back , why bring on awb , surely todibo and keep walker Peters on . Tate should have stayed on Pablo off . I get Wilson and adaman. Just think nunos tactics are easy to read for the opposition. Either 3 at the back for arsenal or take Pablo out and put kante in for numbers in midfield.
Need to get this right for next week. Awb did look like he was winding down.
Taty was in real danger of getting sent off. That’s why he was hooked – sensible management.
Quite, a point that seems to have been overlooked by absolutely everybody!
Agree
Maybe Nuno will tell Bissaka to go and do Wan for the next match and leave Walker-Peters in for the full ninety+.