Sebastien Haller shines against Saints and proves doubters wrong

Sebastien Haller scored his first goal since New Year’s day as he helped West Ham defeat Southampton 3-1 to lift the Hammers above the relegation zone.

It was a completely different Haller to the one that we have seen for the majority of the season for West Ham, as he combined his quality with desire and commitment, which in fact epitomized his goal.

After a looping and seemingly harmless cross was placed in the box by strike partner Michail Antonio, it looked as though Saints keeper Alex McCarthy would comfortably claim the ball. But that didn’t stop Haller from competing and ultimately winning it, as he headed the ball away from McCarthy’s grasp and followed it up with a smart finish from an acute angle.

The importance and timing of the goal were monumental, as West Ham were on the verge of heading into half-time having squandered yet another priceless lead. If the Frenchman hadn’t of acted sharply, a wholly different outcome to the match would have been viable.

It wasn’t just his goal that impressed, as his all-round game reached levels that London Stadium hadn’t witnessed since the opening weeks of the season. His hold-up play was magnificent, his touch was sublime, and he also won 14 aerial duels which contributed further to Southampton’s headaches.

One piece of skill stood out, though. A piece of skill which would have been a worthy addition into the newly-announced Premier League Hall of Fame. As he held the ball up on the halfway line, an on-rushing Antonio was making a run through the Saints defence. Haller, instead of playing a through ball with his left foot, decided to audaciously chip a rabona perfectly into Antonio’s path, only for McCarthy to make a smart save to deny the goal – and perhaps more significantly – the assist.

This moment of magic showed the Hammers faithful what they have been missing, as Haller has primarily been playing as a lone front-man. Every time support has been offered around him, he has shined, which is what most West Ham fans have been calling for all season long.

His goal tally for the season is now up to seven, which whilst not outstanding, gives him a good platform to reach at least double figures in a disappointing campaign for him and the club alike. Perhaps more importantly, though, if the desire that he displayed against Southampton remains for the final 10 matches of the season, West Ham have a significantly greater chance of Premier League survival.