All posts by h79snht.top

They can be so glorious. They can be so painful. They make for great entertainment, if your side is not involved.

Yet less than a week after a Champions League Final where a penalty shoot-out decided the title, FIFA President Sepp Blatter wants to find an alternative to deciding games this way.

He even commented: “When it goes to penalty kicks football loses its essence.”

The Swiss couldn’t be more wrong though.

Football is about winning and losing. Whilst the pain when you lose is unbearable at the time, when you succeed, not much comes close to the elation you experience.

Perhaps Blatter should consider the feelings of the Chelsea fans who were in the Allianz Arena last Saturday evening. Many of them will have been present in the Luzhniki Stadium in 2008 when John Terry missed the penalty to win the Champions League.

That moment will have eaten away at them for many a night after the final. However, when Didier Drogba tucked away the last spot kick for Chelsea on Saturday, it would have been those memories which actually helped to heighten what they felt as they screamed in delight.

Penalty shoot-outs can bring those sorts of feelings. Yes, on the other side, there was a deflated Bayern Munich who had dominated the match – their devastation at the end was understandable.

Bayern will learn from that experience. History says they might too. After a scarcely believable loss in the Champions League final in 1999 to Manchester United, they came back and won the tournament in 2001, on penalties. Jupp Heynckes’s team only have look at what Chelsea did too.

The Blues character and team spirit grew stronger as a result of their defeat in Moscow. Sometimes, it’s the most painful defeats which can help to do this.

The cliché which sympathises with the losers says they’re a lottery. This is of course an exaggeration.

Penalties are a great test of character. Can you keep your cool in a high pressure environment? Arguably, it’s where we find out who the very best are.

Part is down to skill and part is down to courage. You could apply this to the whole of last week’s Champions League Final. Bayern had the skill to work it into the right areas but they didn’t have the courage to put them away and as a result, they paid the price.

It’s worth wondering too whether Blatter has come out with these comments just to curry favour with Franz Beckenbauer, a man who is devoted to Bayern Munich and the honorary president of FIFA. Most importantly in this case, he is “the head of the Football Task Force 2014, a group designed to recommend rule changes,” according to BBC Sport.

This would legitimise Blatter’s approach to him for trying to find an alternative suggestion to penalty shoot-outs. It’s hard not think that in a time though when the FIFA President’s standing is weak, he is trying to get a powerful ally and figurehead such as Beckenbauer to be on his side.

Judging by previous misdemeanours, it’s not inconceivable of Blatter either. Here is the man who less than two years ago wanted to end draws in World Cup group games with… penalty shoot-outs.

He is meant to be encouraging the evolution of football but Blatter must realise penalty shoot-outs are a fair way of deciding games. The pressure is the same for both sides. Plus, the drama which they can produce is fantastic.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

The interests of football are pivotal to its continued success.

The joy and misery of penalty shoot-outs will only help to enhance the game further – and that cannot be underestimated either.

Article originally published on Gone With The Rhind

For more Blatter baiting,  follow me on Twitter – @archiert1

[ad_pod id=’unruly-2′ align=’left’]

West Ham United defender Ben Johnson has rejected a six-year deal at the London Stadium.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by Roshane Thomas, with The Athletic’s West Ham correspondent revealing in a recent post on Twitter that, following the news David Moyes’ side activated a two-year contract extension in the right-back’s deal, Johnson actually refused the chance to sign a long-term contract with the Premier League side.

In his tweet, the journalist said: “West Ham United offered Ben Johnson a six-and-a-half-year contract but failed to reach an agreement with the defender.”

Moyes will be fuming

Considering just how much potential Johnson is quite clearly in possession of, the fact that West Ham failed to convince the 22-year-old to commit his long-term future to the club is sure to have left Moyes fuming.

Indeed, over his 13 Premier League appearances so far this season – 11 of which have come as starts – the £6m-rated defender has been in excellent form for the Hammers, helping his side keep three clean sheets and scoring one goal, as well as making an average of 1.2 interceptions, two tackles, 2.5 clearances and winning 3.3 duels – at a success rate of 54% – per game.

These returns have seen the £19k-per-week Englishman average a highly impressive SofaScore match rating of 6.97, not only ranking him as the Irons’ best performing right-back but also as the club’s seventh-best player in the league altogether.

As such, it will perhaps come as no surprise that Moyes himself believes Johnson is a talent with an incredibly high ceiling, with the 58-year-old stating after the recent 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers: “I thought Ben did well.

“He has a lot to do and potential to step up. He got us forward, crossed it and had a couple of brilliant tackles. He defended when he had to and did a really good job, especially in the first half… Ben has a lot of potential and we want him to keep improving.”

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

However, with the 22-year-old clearly remaining unconvinced of his future at the London Stadium, and with reported interest in the youngster from the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and Arsenal, Moyes and the West Ham board simply must do all they can to convince the promising right-back that East London is the best place for him in the long-term – or else the club could be waving goodbye to one of their most exciting prospects in the not too distant future.

In other news: Moyes can axe “unbelievable” £31k-p/w WHU ace by unleashing “fearless” 20 y/o “unit”

Antonio Conte’s Tottenham Hotspur side return to Premier League action this evening, with Spurs welcoming Frank Lampard’s Everton to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the 20:00 kick-off.

And, with the Italian’s outfit having crashed out of the FA Cup via a 1-0 AET defeat to Middlesbrough last Tuesday, as well as having lost three of their last five outings in the top flight, the 52-year-old will undoubtedly be hoping for a much-improved performance this time out against the Toffees.

However, with Oliver Skipp remaining sidelined due to injury, Conte will once again have to make do without the highly-rated 21-year-old in the middle of the park – something that will have come as a huge blow to the former Inter Milan manager.

Having said that, the impact of the young midfielder’s continued absence will certainly be eased by the impending return of Rodrigo Bentancur, who had sat out Tottenham’s last two fixtures as a result of an ankle injury.

Conte must unleash Bentancur

Over his four Premier League appearances since making his £21.5m move to North London in the January transfer window, the 24-year-old central midfielder has been in impressive form for Spurs, averaging 53.8 touches of the ball, completing 34.5 passes, making 0.8 interceptions, two tackles, 0.5 key passes and winning 4.8 duels per game.

These returns have seen the player who James Horncastle labelled “blue-collar” average a very respectable SofaScore match rating of 6.88, ranking him as Tottenham’s joint 12th-best performer in the top flight of English football.

However, it was undoubtedly in the 2-0 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers in which – despite the result – the £41m-rated Uruguay international proved just how important a part of the Spurs side he could go on to become under Conte, with the 24-year-old enjoying 90 touches of the ball, completing 59 passes – two of which were key – winning nine duels, making one interception, winning three tackles and completing two dribbles over his 90 minutes on the pitch.

These returns saw the “aggressive” – in the words of Smarter Scout – midfielder earn a highly impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.5, ranking him Tottenham’s third-best player on the day.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

As such, a repeat of this performance against Everton tonight would undoubtedly go a long way to helping Conte’s side secure a much-needed three points, while the presence of the tough-tackling Uruguayan would also petrify the Toffees’ own midfield options – one of whom could well be Tottenham’s former attacking sensation, Dele Alli.

In other news: AC can axe Paratici’s “terrible” £62k-p/w THFC dud with 19 y/o dubbed “one of the best”

West Ham United manager David Moyes has dropped a worrying injury claim about Michail Antonio and Aaron Cresswell ahead of the Irons’ Europa League clash against Sevilla on Thursday.

The Lowdown: West Ham struck by injuries

The Hammers gained a valuable three points in their Premier League top-four pursuit as goals from Andriy Yarmolenko and Pablo Fornals ensured a 2-1 win over Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa on Sunday.

This result put West Ham within two points of Manchester United, who were fourth at the time. However, the picture was later changed by Arsenal, who eased to a 2-0 victory over Leicester, pushing themselves back into the Champions League places.

Unfortunately for the Irons, injuries to Antonio and Cresswell forced both players off before the hour mark, adding to Moyes’ injury concerns as his side prepare for their European clash against Sevilla.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-latest-developments-4/” title=”West Ham latest developments!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Latest: Moyes’ injury update…

In his post-match press conference, Moyes was hesitant to answer any injury questions surrounding Antonio and Cresswell, wary of giving Sevilla any team information ahead of Thursday.

In reference to the duo, he claimed (as quoted by football.london): “I don’t really know yet but if I did I would not tell you because I am not going to let Sevilla know any idea whether they’re going to be fit or not.”

The Verdict: Huge blow if both are injured

Aside from Moyes’ cryptic response, if the injury news isn’t good and the two players are out for Thursday’s clash, it will come as a huge blow for the Hammers, who were already without Jarrod Bowen in the first leg.

Antonio is West Ham’s second-leading scorer this season with 10 goals, which speaks volumes for his attacking threat, while both players feature in the top four for the squad in terms of key passes per match, so their absences would deprive the Irons of considerable creativity on a night when they must win to remain in the Europa League.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

However, if the manager does know of the results and is just choosing to play dumb ahead of Sevilla, this may be a clever strategy from the 58-year-old as he seeks to keep his opponents guessing.

Therefore, let’s hope that it is the latter rather than the former, although it doesn’t look too positive as of yet, with Cresswell already reportedly a doubt for Thursday night.

In other news: Spanish source shares transfer update on this reported West Ham target

Tottenham Hotspur insider John Wenham has made a big claim following some news on managing director Fabio Paratici in the build-up to the clash at Brighton.

The Lowdown: Paratici news

According to reports in France, Paris Saint-Germain are likely to part ways with current sporting director Leonardo. Consequently, they are keen on making Spurs’ Paratici his successor, having previously made approaches for the Italian before he made his move to north London.

However, The Athletic recently reported that no fresh contact had been made between the two parties and that Paratici remains fully committed to Tottenham, where he has a close working relationship with Antonio Conte and Daniel Levy.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-news-2/” title=”Tottenham latest news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Latest: Wenham’s claim

Wenham has reacted in delight at the news, adding further insight to the whole situation.

Speaking with Football Insider, he claimed:

“It’s really great news because Paratici came in for some unfair criticism early in his Tottenham career. 

“He has completely repaired his reputation after making the signings we did in January.

“Levy had been tracking Paratici for something like five years so there is no way he would let him go.

“He also has his number one manager target in Antonio Conte so he wants to keep the team together.

“I’m delighted Paratici is staying because he is a key member of the setup now, it’s a big boost.

“Those rumours being shot down are great to see.”

The Verdict: Great news

The news that Paratici remains committed to Tottenham can only be positive. With Levy having taken a step back from the on-field operations, the Italian has become crucial in the way in which the north London club is run.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Furthermore, with such a close relationship with Conte, his presence in the setup may be the persuading factor in keeping the former Inter Milan boss happy at Hotspur Way.

Therefore, Conte will now be able to focus on Spurs’ upcoming clash against Brighton, with the worry of a potential departure seemingly no more.

In other news: Tottenham Hotspur: Spurs make offer for Memphis Depay

Rangers boss Gio van Bronckhorst is facing a summer of change at Ibrox as a number of players look set to depart from Glasgow.

Loan players Aaron Ramsey and Amad Diallo will return to their parent clubs, whilst Leon Balogun, Scott Arfield, Allan McGregor, Steven Davis and Connor Goldson are all out of contract.

This means that Ross Wilson and the Dutch head coach are poised to endure a busy transfer window as they go about replacing these first-team stalwarts if they are unable to keep hold of all of them on new deals.

Goldson replacement

However, one player from the list that they’ve already replaced is centre-back Goldson. Wilson moved swiftly in January to seal a deal for Hearts tank John Souttar on a pre-contract, which means that the 25-year-old will be arriving at Ibrox in July on a free transfer.

Journalist Ewan Murray dubbed the Scotland international “outstanding” earlier this year, and that term perfectly describes the level of replacement the club have found for Goldson.

In the Premiership this season, Souttar has been in phenomenal form and has eclipsed the current Gers machine in a number of categories, as shown in the graphic below.

As you can see in this comparison, with stats provided by SofaScore, Souttar has performed to a higher standard on a consistent basis, and that is why he should be a fantastic signing for Rangers. He has proven his quality at Premiership level and shown that he can be a better option than Goldson defensively, with his sublime ability to defend his own box illustrated perfectly in those statistics.

Former Hearts boss Craig Levein was previously effusive in his praise of the enforcer, saying: “I’ve known him since he was 12 years old and he’s just got better and better. When he came here from Dundee Utd, we just needed to give him time. He’s grown into the player that I hoped he would be and for me he’s the best centre back in Scotland.

“Just for the fact that he can do wonderful things. His passing of the ball Saturday was fantastic, but he is also now capable physically of competing with any centre forward. His pace is very, very good and he’s strong, focused and aggressive.”

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

These comments suggest that Souttar also has the quality in possession to make the grade at Ibrox. The Gers have averaged 63.7% of the ball in the league this season, which means that they need their players to be comfortable on the ball in order to build up the play, with Levein believing that the 25-year-old has the ability on the ball needed to function in that role.

Therefore, the £3.1k-per-week tank is the perfect replacement for Goldson at Rangers, so Van Bronckhorst does not need to worry about dipping into the transfer market to bolster the right centre-back position.

AND in other news, “Special player..”: Expert makes exciting Rangers transfer claim which will delight Van Bronckhorst…

Leeds United appear to be preparing for life without Raphinha, if emerging reports are to be believed…

What’s the word?

According to Italian outlet Il Mattino (via Sport Witness), the Yorkshire outfit are leading the race to sign Georgia international Khvicha Kvaratskhelia this summer.

The 22-year-old dynamo will not return to Russian side Rubin Kazan after the international break, with UEFA allowing players to leave the country for another team if they wish.

Kvaratskhelia is set to return to his country to play for FC Dinamo Batumi until the summer when he will then be in a position to join another club.

Serie A outfit Napoli and Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur are also mooted with interest, though the player’s exit from Rubin Kazan is seen as a big boost towards Leeds’ chances of sealing his signature.

Fit to replace rampant Raphinha?

You’d imagine a move for any new winger this off-season means that Raphinha is likely heading out the exit door, unsurprisingly after his phenomenal campaign, where he leads the goalscoring and creativity charts for the club.

FC Barcelona are being widely touted as a likely destination, whilst Liverpool are also been linked in recent windows.

But is Kvaratskhelia the right signing to make to potentially fill such a big void? His profile certainly fits the bill.

As per ScoutCharts, the £14.4m-rated attacker was clear in the Russian Premier League for his dribbling ability, averaging 3.14 successful attempts per 90.

By the chart above, the 12-cap Georgian star is in a league of his own for his dribbling ability and that is something that Raphinha is renowned for over in England, not just leading the Leeds squad with 2.3 successful attempts per 90 but ranking inside the top five in the Premier League, for all players to make 24 or more appearances, as per WhoScored.

Kvaratskhelia had been in good form for Rubin this campaign, managing two goals and five assists in 19 appearances, in which 17 were starts.

Interestingly, his playing style has been likened to that of Franck Ribery or Arjen Robben, due to his technique, something that only bolstered his credentials in potentially succeeding the Brazil international at Elland Road.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

“Naturally. He is from the same galaxy of players as Ribery or Robben,” claimed former Russia U18 coach Denis Bushuev. “He could play in the top five clubs in the Bundesliga – he has crazy technique.”

On the above evidence, Whites boss Jesse Marsch could be onto a winner in their tricky search for an ideal successor to Raphinha, It would be a big gamble from the club but one that could ultimately pay off.

No one could’ve predicted the Brazilian’s immediate impact following his move from Stade Rennes.

AND in other news, Forget Raphinha: Marsch heading for big Leeds nightmare over £42m-rated “rare talent”…

West Ham United host Everton in the Premier League this afternoon in what proves to be a crucial contest at both ends of the table.

However, the Hammers’ fortunes could be boosted by the return of their top scorer Jarrod Bowen ahead of the Toffees’ visit to East London.

What’s the latest?

According to West Ham manager David Moyes, Bowen could be in contention for a return to the Scotsman’s squad as they take on Frank Lampard’s side at the London Stadium. Right-back Vladimir Coufal could also be available after a hernia issue.

Ahead of the clash, the 58-year-old said: “A chance that both could make it. Both did a bit of training over the international break so a chance both can be there. I’m not quite sure they are match ready yet. That’s my only concern.”

Bowen has been absent for a month since limping off against Liverpool in early March with scans later revealing a fractured bone in the winger’s foot.

On the chalkboard

Although there’s no guarantee that he will be ready for the matchday squad, the idea that Bowen could be in contention today and is close to returning to action ahead of a hectic run-in will be music to the ears of Hammers supporters.

The Englishman has arguably been the Irons’ player of the season, particularly this side of the turn of the year, with the wide man in electric form prior to his setback and currently sits at the top of the scoring charts ahead of Michail Antonio.

The 25-year-old has netted 12 goals and registered 11 assists in 39 appearances across all competitions thus far, a goal contribution every 1.7 games. Moreover, seven of those goals have come in 2022.

Moreover, the former Hull City man ranks top for successful dribbles per game in the West Ham squad with 1.6 per league game and joint-second for key passes with 1.3.

Granted, without the Englishman the East London outfit have been able to manage, with the Hammers progressing to the Europa League quarter-finals with an aggregate victory over Sevilla whilst also beating Aston Villa in the Premier League.

As well as that, wide man Andriy Yarmolenko has come off of the bench twice to score decisive goals whilst winger Said Benrahma netted in the 3-1 defeat to Tottenham last time out whilst attacking midfielder Pablo Fornals was on the score sheet against Aston Villa whilst Bowen was on the sidelines.

Over the course of the season though, Bowen has three more goals than Benrahma whilst scoring double that of Fornals and Manuel Lanzini.

Moreover, the Algerian’s effort against Spurs was the 26-year-old’s first in the league since 28 December, suggesting that if Bowen is fit to start he could be the man to make way.

In fact, the wide man was likened earlier this season by former Hammers coach Stuart Pearce to Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, saying: “The comparison between him and Mo Salah, we have looked at the way Salah stands the defender up and stops and then goes again or uses the defender to curl the ball around into the far corner.”

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Looking at the bigger picture, Moyes’ side have temporarily dropped out of the European places after yesterday’s results in the top flight, making today’s clash with relegation-battling Everton particularly crucial.

Furthermore, the Irons now have eight league matches as well as at least two Europa League clashes against French side Lyon before the end of May, with the battle for European qualification seriously hotting up as we approach the back end of the season.

Therefore, the return of such a crucial player in Bowen will be incredibly welcome.

In other news: Moyes axes £43k-p/w dud and unleashes “fantastic” talent: West Ham predicted XI

West Ham United have seen many players join the club over the years either on loan or on permanent deals.

However, regardless of how active the east London club have been in the transfer market, they haven’t always been able to secure the signature of every player they’ve been mentioned with, as happens with many clubs.

One player the Hammers had the chance to sign but didn’t was Edinson Cavani, something that can now be considered a big mistake.

Back in 2009, the striker was reported to be of interest to West Ham when he was still at Palermo, however, they ended up missing out on signing him when he eventually joined Napoli on loan in 2010 and then permanently a year later.

With three years at Napoli under his belt, the Uruguayan scored an impressive 104 goals in 138 appearances across all competitions.

As a result of his immense goalscoring efforts with Napoli, Cavani then signed to Paris Saint-Germain in the 2013 summer transfer window in a deal worth a reported fee of £55m.

During his time in France, the striker once again racked up an incredible goalscoring record by finding the back of the net 200 times in 301 appearances.

Just over seven years later, the 35-year-old eventually made his way to England but it wasn’t West Ham he was penning terms with. Instead, he signed for Manchester United on a free transfer where he’s scored 19 goals in 56 outings.

Labelled as being like a “Viking” by former Red Devils manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as well as having an “unbelievable” goal record by his former PSG teammate Marquinhos, the centre-forward has scored a total of 360 club goals throughout his impressive career.

Even on the international stage, Cavani has been a rampant goalscorer, totalling 54 goals in 130 caps for Uruguay, highlighting how deadly he has been for club and country for a significant number of years.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Taking all of this into account, with the benefit of hindsight, West Ham and then-manager Gianfranco Zola should have done more to secure the striker’s signature when they had the chance before he became one of Europe’s most prolific goalscorers.

Thinking about what the veteran may have offered the Hammers on the pitch, it would have been worth the east London club splashing the cash to bring him to England earlier in his career.

In other news: Big worry: West Ham dealt fresh injury setback that’ll have many supporters sweating

Sunday afternoon was just another reminder that this is going to be a long and brutal season for West Ham United.

Nuno Espírito Santo’s side have been in pretty reasonable form over the last couple of months, losing just two of their previous seven games.

However, the defeat to Aston Villa at the weekend has left the East Londoners in the relegation zone, three points adrift of Leeds United in 17th.

It wasn’t a horror show against the Villans, but there were a few players who let the fans down, including someone who, at one point, looked like he could be West Ham’s best signing since Jarrod Bowen.

West Ham's better performers against Villa

Starting with the positive, then, who played well for West Ham on Sunday afternoon?

Chalkboard

Expand Collapse

Well, despite the result, it was another brilliant showing from Mateus Fernandes, who not only opened the scoring in the first minute but was a constant threat in the middle of the park.

For example, in his 90 minutes of action, the Portuguese dynamo took 68 touches, recovered the ball 11 times, made one interception and completed 48 passes, 25 of which were in Villa’s half.

Alongside him in the middle of the park, it was also another promising display from Freddie Potts.

The academy ace was secure in possession, constantly winning the ball back, and completed 96% of his 45 attempted passes.

Potts’ game vs Villa

Minutes

88′

Assists

1

Big Chances Created

1

Key Passes

1

Touches

59

Fouls Won

2

Interceptions

1

Clearances

1

Recoveries

1

Ground Duels (Won)

7 (5)

Aerial Duels (Won)

2 (2)

All Stats via Sofascore

Moreover, it was his scuffed attempt that led to Bowen’s goal.

The former Hull City star was another of the host’s better players on the day, as in addition to his goal, he completed two dribbles, played a key pass and generally looked a threat.

However, while these three starters put in a good shift against the Villans, there were more than a few who underwhelmed, including one player who looked like an incredible signing not that long ago.

The West Ham star who looked like the best signing since Bowen

While there were a few poor performances on Sunday, the most disappointing, and potentially most worrying, came from El Hadji Malick Diouf.

The reason is that, not that long ago, the former Slavia Prague star was looking like one of West Ham’s best signings in a very long time.

During the first couple of months of the season, his explosive and marauding runs up the pitch were one of the few genuinely exciting aspects about the Hammers.

Moreover, while it wouldn’t always come off, the Senegalese international would often fire off a wicked cross at the end of his journeys up the pitch.

It was this ability to get the ball into dangerous areas that saw him chalk up three assists in the first five league games of the season.

What was so impressive was that even if he didn’t get the assist, his crosses were still leading to goals, as was the case away to Everton in Nuno’s first game in charge.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

At that point, it looked like the Hammers had a star in the making on their hands, so much so that Sky Sports’ Joe Thomlinson claimed he was “one of the finds of the season.”

Unfortunately, since then, the attacking output has all but dried up, with no more assists or goals added to his tally. In fact, according to Understat, he’s actually overperforming his expected assists figure by 2.32.

This lack of attacking output wouldn’t be such a problem if he were a reliable defender, but he’s not, and over the last couple of months, he’s been caught out on more than one occasion.

For example, on commentary for 5 Live, Chris Sutton described the 20-year-old’s defending for Jacob Murphy’s goal for Newcastle United as “pretty shambolic.”

The former Slaiva star was poor on Sunday as well, winning just 50% of his tackles, losing the ball nine times, losing five of eight ground duels and committing two fouls.

Ultimately, there is still time for Diouf to come good; he has the talent, but as things stand, he is looking like a growing problem for West Ham.

Related Nuno's a big fan: West Ham hold very strong interest in "fantastic" forward

The Hammers’ plans for the January transfer window are now starting to take shape.

Posts ByDominic Lund