When writing his weekly column for the Evening Standard, West Ham skipper Mark Noble made reference to Sheffield United and Wolves, when highlighting where West Ham have gone wrong this season.
The Hammers are still in real trouble, in spite of last weekend’s win over Southampton at the London Stadium.
David Moyes’s men are currently sitting in 16th spot in the Premier League table. But they are only outside the relegation zone because of a superior goal difference to those in and around them in the table.
West Ham have at least looked a lot better in their last two games. Moyes’s men seem to be working harder as a unit.
And Jarrod Bowen’s incredible work-rate against the Saints seemed to rub off on his teammates.
And when speaking to the Evening Standard, Noble highlighted how Sheffield United and Wolves’ attacking stars have been putting in defensive shifts all season long – something that the West Ham players haven’t done regularly enough:
“He’s (Moyes) brought in Jarrod because he knows that you need your wingers and strikers to track back and launch into last-ditch tackles because we’re in a relegation battle. We all know that but when it doesn’t happen enough, they are normally the clubs in trouble. Has it happened at say, Wolves and Sheffield United? Yes, every week. Has it happened enough at our club? No.”
Tracking back and defending is the very least that should be expected of West Ham’s attacking players.
Now Bowen has set the benchmark. And players like Felipe Anderson and Michail Antonio must take inspiration from the former Hull man.
The Hammers certainly have enough quality to stay up this season. But whether they have the fight and commitment remains to be seen.
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