By Kris Gonzo | Senior West Ham Columnist (Follow on X)
West Ham’s 6-0 win over Wrexham was every bit as emphatic as the scoreline suggests.
In fact, despite some of the statistics suggesting a slightly closer contest, I thought it could have been seven or eight and it still wouldn’t have flattered us. West Ham simply looked the better team from start to finish.
The Hammers scored six times from 18 shots, with nine on target, despite registering an xG of only 2.22. That’s incredibly clinical finishing, but there was much more to this performance than simply taking our chances.
Engels has become West Ham’s Mr Reliable
Engels and Mukasa are becoming quite a partnership
Perhaps the biggest surprise for me is just how well the Arne Engels and Divine Mukasa midfield partnership is developing.
You’ve almost got Mr Reliable in Engels.
His work rate is excellent, his set-piece distribution is becoming a real weapon and he’s incredibly safe in possession. Against Wrexham he completed 48 of his 49 short and medium passes, all three of his progressive passes and all six passes into the final third.
Mukasa provides something completely different.
He’s going to try the Hollywood stuff. He’ll attempt the impossible pass and inevitably some won’t come off, but that ambition gives West Ham something Engels doesn’t.
His pass out to the wing in the build-up to West Ham’s opening goal was exceptional.
Mukasa completed six progressive passes from eight attempts as the contrasting styles of West Ham’s young midfielders continued to complement each other surprisingly well.
It’s becoming a genuine partnership rather than a one-off. Mukasa and Engels were excellent together against Wolves, while they also controlled much of the midfield in the 3-0 victory over Derby.
| Stat | Engels | Mukasa |
|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 82 | 97 |
| Passes | 48/49 | 51/58 |
| Progressive | 3/3 | 6/8 |
| Final third | 6/6 | 6/8 |
| Recoveries | 8 | 10 |
Everyone protected Hermansen
At the other end, Mads Hermansen didn’t have a single save to make.
Wrexham had six attempts without registering one on target, although that shouldn’t simply be dismissed as poor opposition.
Konstantinos Mavropanos was excellent, making 15 recoveries, winning all five of his defensive duels and four of five aerial battles.
Dinos is in some run of form. He had already scored from an Arne Engels free-kick in the 3-2 win at Bolton before finding the net again against Wrexham.
But what impressed me most was the collective defending.
At different points Joël Piroe and Taty Castellanos were back inside their own penalty area making defensive blocks. When your strikers are doing that in a game you’re winning 6-0, it tells you plenty about the attitude of the team.
Nuno Espírito Santo has had to evolve West Ham’s football for the Championship.
This wasn’t sitting deep and nicking something on the counter. West Ham were better from start to finish, ruthless in attack and committed without the ball.
The scoreline said 6-0.
On this occasion, I thought it told the truth.