Double striker trouble for West Ham in Brighton

West Ham will have to deal with two strikers they have a history with, in their first away day of the season. Glenn Murray, who always seems to score, and Neal Maupay who was linked with the Hammers in the summer.

If you ever wanted to hedge your bets on a West Ham win, look no further than betting on Glenn Murray scoring against West Ham. The 35-year-old English striker loves playing West Ham, scoring four goals against the Hammers in four matches, since Brighton were promoted.

What is most impressive about Murray is his positioning. He isn’t the fastest striker, he isn’t the tallest attacker, but he is a Premier League veteran and knows how to lose coverage and get open in his opponents’ box. He loves playing West Ham, as Brighton do, and is a definite goal threat.

Neal Maupay, the French assassin who lit up the Championship last season for Brentford joined Brighton after being linked with a move to West Ham all summer long. The links were substantiated, as the Hammers extensively scouted in the Championship all season, including keyholing Brentford players, but the move never materialized due to a high transfer fee.

Maupay got off to a strong start to his Premier Leauge and Brighton career, netting a goal in his debut off of the bench. A defensive breakdown for Watford left Maupay along in on goal where he dribbled around the keeper and calmly finished the easy goal. Watford contributed to their own demise in this match, but Maupay and the Gulls appropriately took advantage of their opportunities.

What West Ham will need to do to shut these two players down is hold the ball. The opposition can’t score if you have the ball, and defending from the front will be the Hammers Modus Operandi this season. Keep Murray away from the ball in the box and limit he and Maupay’s chances by shutting them down quickly and retaking possession as fast as possible. Easy, right?