West Ham starting to show defensive depth and identity

West Ham United cruised to a 4-0 win over Doncaster in the 4th round of the FA Cup this past weekend, as David Moyes and his squad once again showed their fantastic mindset this season.

Although the Hammers have had attacking struggles this season, one thing that has been consistent throughout the entire campaign is the depth and identity of the way this West Ham team will defend.

With a solid rotation of four quality centre-backs to choose from, Moyes will demand nothing but excellence from his backline each and every week.

It seems as though Angelo Ogbonna and Craig Dawson have taken the Premier League starting roles, whereas Issa Diop and Fabian Balbuena picked up an impressive clean sheet in West Ham’s latest cup victory.

David Moyes has created an identity at West Ham in terms of the kind of performance he expects from his defenders.

The one thing that has helped West Ham this season is the defenders’ ability to allow a limited number of chances for the opposition week in and week out.

Many West Ham teams of old would play some great attacking football but would crumble on the other side of the pitch too many times, leading to lots of draws and losses.

Although this West Ham team may not be as competent in attack, the play of the back-line is more than making up for a few missed chances each game.

However, this new identity has not only rubbed off on the back-line but on the entire squad as a whole.

How many times during a match have we seen players like Jarrod Bowen or Pablo Fornals trackback on defence to make a huge tackle or block a cross?

This is the kind of mentality that wins you football matches in the Premier League, and Moyes and his team are bringing it each and every week.

This is shaping up to be one of West Ham’s best seasons in recent memory, and it all starts with the foundation that David Moyes has set at the club. It’s not just about skill and ability, but the mindset and effort needed to pick up points on a consistent basis.