West Ham’s win over Everton at the weekend was very important, and it must be celebrated. But it wasn’t perfect in defence.
Please don’t get me wrong, I’m delighted about finally getting our first win of the season. And why not? Everton are a team we should be looking to get ahead of, given their similar stature. But West Ham can’t be too cavalier about their play, especially given some big games ahead. There are still some issues in defence to sort out.
As highlighted in our post match roundup, Diop and Balbuena looked fairly set in the match. They dealt with most things that came their way, but there needs to be more focus on stopping crosses. With Everton getting 23 crosses in from wide areas, that’s too many for comfort.
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Joint Effort
Ever since the last season at the Boleyn it’s seemed to me that the defending has been in parts. The centre-backs have just tried to look after their section, and the full backs looking after theirs. But to really get tight in the Premier League, you have to defend as a unit. Right now that doesn’t seem to be happening.
Whilst I understand the performance we saw on Sunday was a massive improvement defensively, and those steps are necessary, there was one glaring issue. With 23 crosses coming in from out wide there were too many chances falling to the Everton front men. If they’d been in any sort of form then they would have got a few goals more.
3 big chances in particular fell to Everton players, and they actually scored the hardest one. Tosun should have buried a header in the first half from a Digne cross, and the same man again provided what should have been a goal for Niasse. However the substitute smashed it into the bar.
Things are progressing for the Hammers, and Pellegrini will take his time. Balbuena and Diop are good aerially, but they need help from the fullbacks and the midfield to stop the crosses raining in. If a team is getting that many balls into the box you’re going to struggle to keep a clean sheet. Especially with matches against Giroud then Lukaku coming up.