West Ham need Ogbonna to find some form to have a chance
West Ham’s match against Liverpool isn’t likely to be much fun for the Hammers. Especially if Ogbonna continues his poor performances of late.
West Ham’s January didn’t make for fun reading. No money spent and a lot of awful, awful performances. I mean it seems an age ago when we beat Arsenal, but that’s because of the magnitude of awful that has manifested itself since. And now we have to face the league leaders.
Liverpool have looked much stronger this season than last thanks to an improved defence and consistently dangerous attack. If we are to contain their attack then our defence must improve. And a lot of that will fall on the shoulders of Angelo Ogbonna. Without Balbuena we haven’t got a central leader, and Ogbonna must step up.
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Yes I know I’m asking a lot, because everyone who has seen Ogbonna this season knows that he’s been off the pace. If fact in searching for a picture for this article it was hard to find a picture of the Italian not being beaten, falling over or generally looking like the world was against him. But it isn’t just his performance that he’s affecting.
Without Balbuena, Issa Diop has looked lost. Whilst he is still physically a good defender he lacks the anchor upon which to base his positioning, and the whole back line has suffered. Ogbonna needs to try his best to stay in position and act as the senior defender. Not just for him, but for Diop as well. The defence needs to be a well oiled unit, not four players running around trying to stomp fires. And the full backs need their positions from those in the middle of the park.
GSH predicts Liverpool game. dark. Next
If the defence is not on lock, then we’re stuffed. It’s going to be a very hard game whatever we do, but with a leaky hole in the middle of the defence, or lack of coordination at the set pieces it will be impossible to get anything out of it. I hate saying it, but a lot of this game rests of Ogbonna.