Leon Osman slams ‘negative’ Mavropanos after what he did in West Ham United v Crystal Palace
Leon Osman has hit out at Konstantinos Mavropanos after his mistake in the 1-1 Premier League draw between West Ham and Crystal Palace as he gifted the ball to the opposition for the equaliser.
The former Everton man, who played under David Moyes, suggested the manager would have sent the players out to be more positive in the second half before Mavropanos threw it away.
He urged the defender to play quicker and be more positive in his play out from the back, but his error made the game that much more difficult for the Hammers.
Speaking live on Match of the Day 2 [3 December, 1:14:59], Osman shared: “There are ways to concede goals and there are ways that will just drive you mad. David Moyes asked for more positivity after half-time in games because they’ve conceded 30% of their goals [in the second half].
“He wants them to be positive – take the ball out of feet, play that pass quickly, be positive. What you don’t want to do is the most negative option, Mavropanos.
“You choose that option and you completely mess it up, you give Crystal Palace a gift to get back in the game and suddenly your team has got to go all about it again, so he’ll be so frustrated with that.”
Moments can cost games
It was a below-par display overall from Moyes’ side, but the moment from Mavropanos is what ultimately cost them the result. Palace had struggled to create as much as they were solid defensively until the Greek defender played Odsonne Edouard through on goal.
As Osman says, the boss will not be happy with his team for the way they failed to secure all three points having been a goal ahead at half-time, adding again to their woes after going ahead in a game.
A stat shown by Match of the Day revealed the Hammers have dropped 12 points from winning positions already so far this season, with yesterday’s result adding to that in what will surely be something playing on Moyes’ mind as he figures out a way to fix it.
Not only will be boss be frustrated but the fans too, as Palace extended their run without defeat at the London Stadium in a game West Ham really should have been expecting to take all three points from given the relative form of the teams.
In other West Ham news, the club could be set for a £10million boost after a new stadium update.