VAVEL presents you the biggest talking points from West Ham United’s impressive 2-0 win over Sheffield United.
West Ham continued their fantastic start to the season with a 2-0 win over Sheffield United, keeping the Blades at the bottom of the Premier League standings – something that will cause some concern at Bramall Lane.
The Hammers dominated from start to finish, and the result was never in doubt, especially after Jarrod Bowen scored early to put David Moyes’ team ahead.
While the visitors had a few chances, the gap in quality was clear, and the Hammers were out of sight by halftime thanks to a well-worked team goal completed by Tomá Souek.
So, with the result propelling West Ham into the European spots and keeping the Blades at the bottom, what have we learned from this game?
Souek is still a top-tier midfielder.
For some time now, the Czech midfielder has been heavily criticized by both West Ham and opposition fans, with many questioning his ability at the highest level. Saturday’s game, on the other hand, served as a reminder that the 28-year-old is still a great player, and is undoubtedly one of the best midfielders in the Premier League.
Yes, his goal was spectacular, but it was his overall performance that stood out. His ingenuity and defensive steadiness were unrivaled, giving his team entire control of the middle of the field.
The skill that the Hammers have playing alongside Edson lvarez is truly wonderful to witness, giving them perhaps the most underappreciated midfield in the league, if not Europe.
While playing in Europe will surely have an impact on them this season, having the quality of Souek will see them achieve great things both domestically and in Europe!
Sheffield United are insufficient.
It is normally unjust and incorrect to write a team off after only seven games, but the only conclusion that can be drawn from Sheffield United is that they will be relegated and go down with a whimper rather than a fight.
Any team that has given up 14 goals in their last four games is going to struggle in the short and long run. The Blades have only scored five goals this season, indicating an obvious problem for Paul Heckingbottom’s side: they surrender too many goals and fail to score enough.
What will most certainly irritate their fans is that this outcome was totally anticipated, and possibly even preventable. Iliman Ndiaye and Sander Berge, perhaps the club’s two best players, were sold just weeks before the season began and were never completely replaced.
On paper, the additions of Gustavo Hamer and Cameron Archer appeared promising, particularly for the future, but the pair had only nine Premier League games between them. With so little top-flight experience, it almost appeared like they were rehearsing for life in the Championship before even beginning their Premier League season.
West Ham have returned.
It may sound strange to argue that the Hammers had a bad season last season, given that they won a European trophy, yet they finished 14th in the Premier League.
However, Moyes’ side has been in fantastic form this season, only losing to Liverpool and Manchester City while putting up reasonable efforts against both.
Being in the Europa League will surely have an impact on their season ambitions, but they will be far more suited to handle the additional burden following the summer, and will be fantastic value in all tournaments.
This season, multiple West Ham players have improved significantly, and major arrivals in the summer have given a whole new level of talent to their roster. Whatever happens throughout the season, they have already demonstrated that they are capable of fighting against the greatest teams in the country and will be a great side to watch this year!
Hamer is a genuine gem in the rough.
Gustavo Hamer joined the Blades this summer for a fee of £15 million from Championship club Coventry City. Since then, the Dutch midfielder has scored twice and has become a mainstay in Heckingbottom’s midfield.
The 26-year-old’s work rate has shone out, as has his astute passing and creativity in the future. He has been a shining light on a team with few sparks.
While his individual brilliance is unlikely to be enough to propel Sheffield United to safety this season, his exploits thus far should easily earn him a return to the top tier, or any league in Europe for that matter.
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