Simon Stone details West Ham United issue as David Moyes enters unusual territory
David Moyes will be looking for West Ham to improve defensively after their early-season frailties at the back, according to Simon Stone.
Writing on the BBC Sport website on Wednesday (15 November), the journalist highlighted how the Hammers boss is in unusual territory after his side have only managed to record one clean sheet in the Premier League this season.
But he believes there could be “a lot to look forward to” for the Irons if they can manage to tighten up at the back, with European football already secured in the New Year and a Carabao Cup quarter-final against Liverpool coming up on 20 December.
“The home game against Freiburg on 14 December will decide whether the Hammers top their Europa League group and go straight through to the last 16, while a visit to Liverpool on 20 December has the prize of a first Carabao Cup semi-final appearance in a decade,” said Stone.
“Unusually, the key for Moyes’ team will be keeping clean sheets. In their first 12 league games last season, West Ham managed to keep three, even though they only won four times and collected 14 points.
“This term, they have won on five occasions and amassed 17 points, but their clean sheet tally stands at one – against Sheffield United on 30 September. They have both scored and conceded 10 more than the same point last year.
“The Hammers chief will be hoping for an improvement. If that can be achieved, by Christmas the club should have a lot to look forward to.”
Got to improve
It has by no means been the best defensive performance for West Ham this season after managing to keep just one clean sheet in the league.
That is very unlike the Moyes teams of the past as he usually likes his sides to be defensively sound and hard to break down.
But after adding some more attacking players over the summer, the Scotsman is looking for his side to play more free-flowing football and to obtain more of the possession.
There has also been a change in goal this season as Alphonse Areola has replaced Lukasz Fabianski, but the Frenchman can’t really be to blame for the defensive problems after putting in a number of excellent performances.
It’s an area Moyes will certainly be looking to improve upon during the international break as he aims to put his side in with the best chance of finishing as high up in the table as possible this season.
In other West Ham news, a journalist has detailed how one Hammers forward has had a “significant” turnaround.