Darren Bent makes ‘alarming’ West Ham United admission ahead of clash v Ipswich Town
Darren Bent has admitted he expected West Ham United and Julen Lopetegui to challenge for the top six this season.
The Hammers face Ipswich Town at the London Stadium on Saturday (5 October) as they look to end a five-match winless run in all competitions and win their first home game of the Premier League season.
Ahead of the clash with Kieran McKenna’s side, talkSPORT pundit Bent has suggested live on air that the Irons’ vulnerability against the long ball has been “alarming” so far this season.
Speaking on talkSPORT on Friday (4 October, 17:40) he said: “I’ll hold my hands up when they brought players in, I thought this West Ham team should be pushing top six.
“When they brought in [Niclas] Fullkrug, a good player and a German international. [Crysencio] Summerville.
“But they have been so poor and so easy to play against. What is alarming and I think Chelsea exposed it, is how vulnerable they are with that ball in behind. They try and play a high line and they’ve not got the legs to do that.
“I think Ipswich can go and get something.”
What has happened to West Ham and Julen Lopetegui at the London Stadium?
Expectations were so high among Hammers supporters ahead of the start of the season after a summer which saw plenty of exciting new transfers and a new manager in the dugout.
But that feeling has quickly dissipated in the opening weeks of the season. The football has been poor so far under Lopetegui and somehow the results have managed to be even more disappointing.
Of course, it has to be noted that the Irons have had to contend with a very difficult run of fixtures. Home games against Manchester City, Aston Villa and Chelsea for example are by no means must-wins for a club like West Ham.
But it has been far too easy for clubs to pick apart the Hammers’ backline. If the Irons set up in the same manner against Ipswich on Saturday, the Tractor Boys will manage to find a way to claim all three points.
Hopefully, this will be the game in which the penny drops for Lopetegui and his side and the disappointing home record will be put to bed.
In other West Ham news, the Irons are in line for some compensation from FIFA after a new Fullkrug update emerged this season
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