David Moyes has mention a big problem for the first team and is – as he should be – deeply concerned about it.
Whilst the Hammers have lifted themselves into fourth place they really aren’t doing themselves any favours by the way they are conceding goals from terrific positions.
It’s easy to say teams should really not be starting to play when they are three or two goals down but in our case it has very nearly cost us four points against Arsenal and Wolves.
You have to go down right down the table to eighth place where Everton have conceded 38 goals to find a team that has conceded more – which is just one more than us with 37 in fourth.
And for a manager with what many consider a defensive mindset it’s surprising and clearly very disappointing to him personally after making life at the back his priority on arriving at the London Stadium.
Goals conceded was an issue Moyesie touched on for the first time in a while at his pre- Leciester City presser saying: “I’m really concerned about the fact we have conceded goals after going into 3-0 leads in our last two games.
I want us to score five or six goals instead of three, but we have to say it’s something we have to consider.
We have an attacking team at the moment and we are trying to keep scoring goals, we know what’s at stake and if the players keep winning 3-2, why would I tell them to do anything different?
Never going to complain about going three up with great flair! The problem is we need to know when to stop swashbuckling to prevent a basketball game once we have got the upper hand. One key is that we conceded late in the first half both times which gave away momentum. We need to stitch up the end of both halves.
We have a relatively young team, some of whom forget that winning is the priority, not individual scoring. They stop contributing to the defence and, inevitably, the other clubs score.
I trust Moyes will sort them out.