BBC pundit James Collins rages over West Ham United defending v Newcastle
BBC Sport pundit James Collins blasted the West Ham United defending after Joelinton’s second goal at the London Stadium on Wednesday evening [5 April].
The Brazilian midfielder was so easily allowed to roam free beyond the West Ham defenders and round Lukasz Fabianski to net Newcastle’s second after Wilson put them in front seven minutes earlier.
And former West Ham defender Collins was not at all pleased with the home side’s lack of intensity and slack defending.
Speaking on BBC Radio Five Live commentary for the game, as quoted by BBC Sport [5 April, 20:18], he said:
“It’s so simple, it’s so easy to score against West Ham.
“It’s one straight ball. They are ball-watching, they haven’t followed Joelinton.
“West Ham are not pressing or doing anything and one ball has beaten the four of them. They’ve all just stood there with their arms up expecting the offside. The intensity is not there. David Moyes has really got his work cut out.”
Dreadful
David Moyes will be raging at the Hammers’ dreadful defending there, and it wasn’t just his centre-backs who let him down but the forward players for their lack of intensity and pressing from the front.
They allowed Fabian Schar the freedom of the London Stadium to drive forward and pick out Joelinton with a superb lofted pass. After Moyes’ men started so brightly, bursting with energy and intensity, they seemed to have put their foot on the brakes instantly for that goal. Poor.
When you’re down at the bottom in desperate need of three points, such defending can pull you into deep trouble and that’s what the West Ham United players will be tasting if they’re not careful.
Moyes will perhaps already eyeing his bench to see if improvements can be made on the pitch for the second 45 minutes, but there is now a long way back for the hosts. They only have themselves to blame.