One moment shows how important Callum Wilson will be for West Ham after win vs Newcastle
Callum Wilson has struggled to show his best form since arriving at West Ham.
Wilson signed for West Ham towards the end of the summer, in a transfer that most did not expect after he let his contract run down at Newcastle.
The striker has since been inconsistent for the Hammers, but this is to be expected when playing for a struggling side.
But following West Ham’s 3-1 win over Newcastle on Sunday, fans will hope both Wilson and the team will turn things around after a rare start.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s football needs Callum Wilson
In the 74th minute of West Ham’s win over Newcastle, the ball was played in behind for Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who propelled it forward.
Once the fullback drove the ball down the right channel to the edge of the area, he looked up, only to see minimal options as well as opposition players in the box.
The sequence was later called for offside, but that’s beside the point. While Wilson started against Newcastle, he was substituted before this attack took place.
Nuno Espirito Santo sets out in a manner that demands perfection on the counter-attack.
This was clear to see against Newcastle:
- West Ham had 37 per cent possession
- The Hammers took 15 shots and created two big chances
- The Magpies only made 12 attempts
Meanwhile, Newcastle failed to create a single big chance despite having 63 per cent possession, according to Sofascore.
This highlights two things: the first is that possession does not necessarily constitute dominance, and Nuno’s West Ham are more of a transitional threat.
Logic dictates that there will be many more sequences like the one mentioned, where the Hammers will need bodies and, more importantly, a striker in the box; only Nuno will hope that there will be no offsides when the time comes.
As a result, if West Ham continues with this approach, Wilson’s presence will be crucial moving forward.
How did Callum Wilson perform against Newcastle?
Wilson faced Newcastle for the first time since leaving the Magpies over the summer. However, his performance won’t go down in the history books.
The striker completed 67 per cent of his passes, taking one shot in 61 minutes played. Meanwhile, he only won 25 per cent of his ground duels and was dribbled past once.
In fairness to Wilson, some of the Hammers’ most lethal attacks came when he wasn’t on the pitch, but it was still a disappointing display.
But after such a strong team performance, Wilson will no doubt be hoping that there will be more opportunities for him to shine soon.
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