West Ham Utd v Sheffield Utd: five talking points
- by Chris Wilkerson
- Filed: Tuesday, 3rd October 2023
West Ham United returned to winning ways following back-to-back defeats in the Premier League thanks to goals from Jarrod Bowen and a rejuvenated Tomas Soucek.
And looking back at last Saturday's comfortable 2-0 win, KUMB's Chris Wilkerson picks out five key moments from the 90 minutes of football...Coufal Creates
In his first year at the club, Coufal contributed going forward, and his somewhat lesser technical ability was rarely, if at all questioned. Now fully fit, and in a functioning team, Coufal is again creating chances, and this is more than just through a volume of crosses. The Ward-Prowse goal against Manchester City and this Bowen goal at the weekend show a man who is picking his passes, and his contributions have been vital.
Antonio Disrupts
The striker is clearly desperate to score, but his presence again disrupted the opposition defence and caused discomfort. It’s hard to quantify what that does, but it seems to make defenders panicked, and that can be seen in grabbing from corners and rushed passes out of defence. It’s not glamorous, and doesn’t get his name on the scoresheet, but it can help pry open defences.
Mixed Midfield
Paquetá roams, Bowen plays further forward on the right than anyone else on the left, Soucek and Ward-Prowse rotate their moves into the final third. What’s the formation? It doesn’t matter, the midfield is functioning with an extra man. It’s hard to see how any of the four “central midfielders” (ie not Bowen) can be dropped to fit in a Benrahma or Kudus.
Soucek Scores Again
The midfielder has spoken about a lack of motivation last season, but that appears behind him now. With his place under threat, Tomas has stepped up with improved performances and a return to scoring goals. Seen as the likely fall guy for Kudus’s inclusion, he answered with a telling performance.
Aguerd Answers Back
After a couple ropey performances, or at least big mistakes in consecutive games, Aguerd was improved and made vital blocks. Sheffield United were poor, but the strikers are the type to test someone like Aguerd, who can look uncomfortable against channel runners with physical presence. Hopefully, management and coaches are praising his efforts and helping restore his confidence.
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