🔗 Share this article

The Hammers are not a bad team, not by any means. There is skill in their roster, and determination. It is evident in every tackle, every gut-busting run and in the frustrated body language when a ball doesn’t quite come off. This intensity is mirrored on the touchline, with Rehanne Skinner vocal throughout their loss to the visitors – “maintain shape”, “tighten up”, “communicate” and “Fion can’t get out” were part of the numerous commands from the technical area, with those behind the bench treated to the views of the manager while the match is under way. Skinner is fully involved, she is engaged, the squad are committed, so where is the issue?

Concerning Statistics Reveal the Story

After five matches and they have no points, have let in 16 goals and netted only two. They can score though, five individual scorers in a rout of their opponents in the League Cup on last month a brief respite from losses before the Blues scored three in a quarter-hour last Sunday to put them firmly back in their position. Facing Chelsea West Ham performed decently throughout, that quarter-hour disastrous period was an outlier and, while many feared a complete after the break meltdown, they regrouped, excelled with their backs against the wall, and only conceded one more to the champions.

Consistency over 90-plus has been a consistent issue. The opening stages and after halftime versus the Blues were periods to be proud of, as was the opening 45 versus the Gunners and closing 45 facing the Seagulls.

Familiar Story Versus the Opponents

Against Villa the narrative was repeated, the visiting team dominating possession in their home ground but the Hammers having chances too, nine shots to their opponents’ eleven. They competed in the opening period, challenging, playing well enough to be able to take something from the match, the distinction though was that West Ham had only a single shot on target, as compared to the visitors’ four.

West Ham are not being let down by their approach, determination or coaching choices, they are failing by players lacking composure when they get in good positions. It is that choice-making in the attacking zone that needs work, the five goals scored versus lower-league opponents Charlton may indicate the issue: when they have time on the ball they choose correctly, when they are being pressed and challenged by top-tier opposition it’s almost as if they struggle to make rapid decisions.

“In my view we were clinical enough in the attacking area and we just lacked that decisive quality where the final ball was at times a bit too strong, not quite the right quality and then just needing to take on shots a sooner,” stated the manager.

“Considering the individuals, when I observe them one by one, it seems like they’re all a little bit hesitant compared to where we were before. The desire to take on defenders and be quite assertive was extremely high and we just need to get that fight back where we’re a more ruthless in and around the box, where we are a bit braver to go one-on-one and where we accept the outcome but we’re sending attackers forward and we’re trying to generate chances. That’s something that we’ve just sort of eased up a little bit on and we’re seeking assists as instead of being a little bit more straightforward and being a bit more self-assured in our own ability.”

Expensive Instances Lead to Defeat

During the match that was damaging again. Shortly after Viviane Asseyi glanced a header off target, they were made to pay at the opposite goal, Kirsty Hanson collecting her set-piece back from Lynn Wilms before lashing the ball into the opposite side. Seven minutes later and the visiting team had a larger lead, Wilms’s set-piece lobbed over the wall and in.

This proved a further tough day for West Ham and their lack of results on the board will inevitably prompt doubts arising about Skinner’s future. This is wholly unjust though. Much improvement to be done for sure, self-belief and speed in choices needs to get better, and the players must bear a share of the blame for that, but they are a team that is struggling from a shortage of love and care from the club as a whole, and the coach is a victim of that as opposed to the architect of the squad’s problems.

Broader Issues at Work

This summer, nine players departed and just a handful arrived. The quality of those coming in in this window was possibly higher in general, but a tight budget has resulted in that year after year West Ham have lost their best players to more successful sides. Before questions are asked about the manager’s reign, she merits a chance to show what she can do without constraints and that requires the team improving its support – and the same applies for several women’s top-flight clubs.