Graham Potter does not need Premier League legend Wayne Rooney to remind him that West Ham United have been ‘really poor’ when defending set-piece situations this season.
But, as Jean-Philippe Mateta became the seventh different player to score past the Hammers in just five games from a dead-ball situation, clearly any of the solutions Potter had been working to find behind the scenes are yet to have the desired effect.
To think, Max Kilman started so well up against Mateta on Saturday afternoon.
West Ham United’s £40 million centre-back looked, well, something like a £40 million centre-back for the first half hour or so during that London derby with Crystal Palace. Max Kilman seemed to have the beating of Mateta early on, winning a few impressive headers over the 6ft 4ins striker.
But, like with Konstantinos Mavropanos in August’s EFL Cup collapse against Wolves, a crucial mistake at a key moment immediately undid all the good work which came before.
And, speaking on BBC’s Match of the Day, Man United and England icon Rooney had little sympathy.
Wayne Rooney watches Max Kilman and Konstantinos Mavropanos toil at West Ham United
Rooney watched on in horror and confusion as Marc Guehi leapt above Kilman to hit the bar from close range. Mavropanos, who had initially been within touching distance of Mateta, then left the Frenchman unmarked while making a desperate – and ultimately futile – dash for the goalline.
To make matters worse, the £17 million Greece international would then inadvertently set up Mitchell’s winner with an ill-placed defensive header.
“They have been really poor from set-pieces,” Rooney began. “To concede seven goals already is too many.
“[For Crystal Palace’s opener] it’s a three-v-two by the penalty area. [Kilman gives] Guehi a completely free header. Mateta is on the goalkeeper, no-one marking him.
“And Mavropanos, instead of going back to get on Mateta, he goes on the goalline and it’s too late.”
Just to put West Ham’s struggles into perspective, Manchester United have conceded the second-most set-piece goals this season. Yet, their deficit of three does not even equal half of West Ham’s own tally.
Graham Potter understands the boos as Karren Brady holds Nuno Espirito Santo talks
One week after visiting midfielder Joao Palhinha admitted that Tottenham looked to exploit that Achilles heel during an eventual 3-0 away win – Spurs opened the scoring via an unmarked Pape Sarr at the back post – Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner spoke publicly about that seemingly unsolvable problem during his pre-match press conference.
Still, despite a whole week on the training ground and countless set-piece drills, Graham Potter had no answer once again.
“The results are not what we want at all,” Potter sighed after a fifth defeat in six matches. “I feel for the players, the supporters, because it’s a tough time. We have to stick together and find a solution.
“We’ve addressed [our weakness from dead-balls] and we’re working to improve it. We conceded too many, had to defend a lot. That is something we also have to look at. It’s just constant work on the training ground.
Days after vice-chair Karren Brady met with Nuno Espirito Santo about potentially taking his place in the dugout, Potter was treated to a rapturous chorus of ‘you don’t know what you’re doing’ as the atmosphere turned toxic and the air turned blue.
“I think the reaction of the supporters was fair,” Potter accepts. “They were totally in the game with us. We had to suffer a little bit which is normal at home at times, but I think the crowd were there in the second-half.
“Then, at the end, we didn’t respond as well as we’d like in the last part of the game.
“We have to accept the results aren’t positive and try and turn that around. It’s always a feeling of we have to improve, find that balance, find that solution, because clearly we haven’t got there yet. We need to do it and we need to do it quick.”
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