Back-to-back clean sheets no coincidence for West Ham

Four goals for, zero against, and six points in the bank for West Ham. Not only has the offense been firing on all cylinders for the Irons, but the defense too. It’s no coincidence, though, as Issa Diop and Fabian Balbuena have been reunited.

The duo that seemed so rock solid in the West Ham revival from October through December finally got to play together again, and damn did they look good. Issa Diop, the promising French centerback from Toulouse and Fabian Balbuena, a Paraguayan defender plucked from the obscure discount bin. An unlikely match made in heaven.

Regardless of where they came from or the price tags attached to their transfers, both Diop and Balbuena have settled into their first season of Premier League football. Their partnership was accepted before it was tested this season, however elder statesman Angelo Ogbonna did earn the starting job over the younger Diop.

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Eventually, after the atrociously poor start from the team, Diop and Balbuena were united. A knee injury at the end of December cast Balbuena aside for eleven matches before he was able to make it to the bench in March. Pellegrini masterfully integrated Balbuena back into the team, easing him in while simultaneously resting the overworked Diop.

With Diop rested and refocused, and with Balbuena fit and back in the routine of playing the duo was reunited. The task was tall – keep Tottenham away from Fabianski’s goal in the new White Hart Lane.

Not only did the duo do just that, but they also contributed to a stalwart back line that deployed fast, involved fullbacks while limiting the chances against the keeper. Again, it was a masterfully executed plan by Pellegrini to not rush the partnership initially and not rush the two players back together at the end of the season.

The same style of play was exhibited against Southampton. The Saints were absolutely listless in the final home game of the season for West Ham. The direction and leadership that Balbuena gives and the marauding forward play Diop offers create a dynamic duo that stifles opposition with their communication and effectiveness.

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Both players excel in the air and Diop tends to act as a failsafe with his telescopic legs making goal-saving tackles. With effective play, Diop and Balbuena come together to make one of the most underappreciated and underrated Premier League defensive pairings. Full credit to Ogbonna for stepping up, too, but this team is all about Diop and Balbuena moving forward.