West Ham’s surprising secret weapon

West Ham’s long throws have been a source of debate among fans.  Many question their effectiveness, despite David Moyes’ reliance on set pieces.  The familiar routine often seems like a predictable strategy.

However, a surprising revelation from WhoScored, a leading football statistics website, challenges this perception.  Their data shows that Vladimir Coufal, West Ham’s right-back, has created the most chances directly from throw-ins across Europe’s top five leagues this season – a staggering feat considering nearly 100 teams and over 2,000 players.

I must be honest here, this news came as a complete surprise to me as I thought we were useless and quite impotent from the long throws.

However, the statistic suggests that West Ham’s long throws are effective in creating goal-scoring opportunities.  The problem lies in converting those chances into goals.

Coufal’s achievement highlights a potential method behind West Ham’s seemingly repetitive long throw strategy.  While frustrating at times, the tactic demonstrably creates scoring opportunities.

West Ham needs to focus on improving their finishing to capitalise on the chances generated by their long throws.  This would add a new dimension to their set-piece strategy and potentially lead to more goals.

Coufal’s performance deserves recognition. He’s having an excellent season, with seven assists to his name, showcasing his value beyond his impressive long throws.