Alan Shearer praised West Ham for the manner in which they got Sebastien Haller more involved yesterday against Southampton, when speaking on the BBC’s Match of the Day programme last night (Saturday February 29th, 22:45).
The 25-year-old Frenchman has struggled to establish himself with the Hammers, since making his £45 million move from Eintracht Frankfurt in the summer of 2019.
Haller had scored just six goals in 27 appearances for West Ham before yesterday’s game.
The 6ft 3in hitman scored against the Saints, however, taking his tally to seven for the season.
And it was no coincidence that Haller looked a real menace.
His two best performances this season have come when played alongside Michail Antonio – both against Southampton.
And Shearer told BBC’s Match of the Day how much of a difference it made to the Hammers when they supported Haller more in the final third:
“The big difference I noticed about West Ham today was the way that got support in and around Haller, when balls got up to him, they were running in around off of him. He was a threat all afternoon was Haller.”
Playing Haller and Antonio together has to be the way forward for West Ham now. Even against the better teams.
The duo have forged a wonderful understanding. And they will represent a real threat to whichever side they come up against.
It’s Arsenal away next for the Hammers. And if they perform like they have in their last two games, they might just surprise a few people by taking a positive result away with them from the Emirates.
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