Mavropanos Slammed for Defensive Errors 

West Ham United‘s recent defeat to Fulham has sparked criticism, with pundits highlighting defensive blunders as a major factor in the loss.

Sloppy Mavrapanos

This defeat wasn’t an isolated incident. TalkSPORT pundit Peter Groves pointed out the similarities to West Ham’s previous away game against Fulham this season, suggesting a pattern of defensive frailties.

Groves lamented the overall performance, criticizing a lack of fight and determination from the West Ham players. He further emphasized the costly individual errors that directly led to Fulham’s goals.

The first goal conceded by West Ham was particularly poor.  Mavropanos  attempted to control a long ball in the penalty area instead of clearing it immediately. This hesitation allowed Andreas Pereira to capitalise and score.

Groves expressed his outrage at the Greek internationals decision, questioning a centre-back’s rationale for trying to control the ball in such a dangerous area. He emphasised the importance of clearing the ball as a basic defensive principle.

While Mavrapanos has generally improved his game, Groves highlighted a concerning trend where his mistakes seem to occur more frequently when partnered with Nayef Aguerd. This suggests a potential lack of defensive coordination between the two defenders

The coaching staff needs to address these issues to prevent similar costly errors in upcoming matches.