This was a game that made it hard not to wonder if there is such a thing as too much football. West Ham and Brighton were two tired, injury-hit teams trying their best and giving their all without ever really suggesting they had the wit or energy to score a goal.
In the end, the most important lesson was that it will be challenging for both teams to stay ahead of wealthier competitors as the season progresses. Despite West Ham’s strong victories against Arsenal and Manchester United in 2023, the weaknesses of their team were revealed due to the absence of Lucas Paquetá and Mohammed Kudus. They are currently in sixth place, three points ahead of Brighton, after a determined defensive performance. However, it was not unexpected to hear David Moyes confess that he would welcome new players if funds are accessible this month.
Moyes expressed his desire to continue progress, but also voiced frustration about the timing of the match causing him to lose his African players. Kudus, who was already dealing with a hamstring injury, has joined Ghana’s training camp for the Africa Cup of Nations, while Nayef Aguerd is with Morocco. Moyes pointed out that Egypt’s Mohammed Salah was able to play for Liverpool in their victory over Newcastle on New Year’s Day.
One possible rewording could be: West Ham could improve their situation by finding better substitutes for Kudus. Pablo Fornals struggled on the right side and Saïd Benrahma, playing defensively to avoid potential transfer offers, performed poorly in Paquetá’s position on the left. Despite this, expensive forward signings Danny Ings and Maxwel Cornet were both left on the bench.
Tim Steidten, West Ham’s technical director, will need to take into account all of these factors as he searches for new players. Despite David Moyes’ talk of resilience, it was clear that Brighton handled their injuries better and had more opportunities to score. Despite Roberto De Zerbi’s forwards being continuously stopped by Alphonse Areola, West Ham never gave up trying to secure a point.
After witnessing his team achieve their first shutout of the season, De Zerbi shared a similar sentiment. “We played extremely well,” said Brighton’s manager. “It was one of the best games I’ve seen during my time here. We had numerous opportunities to score.”
The main concern for these two teams is whether they have sufficient depth to maintain their pursuit for European competition. Both are currently competing in the Europa League and fatigue is becoming a problem. While larger clubs are more accustomed to managing their workload, there will ultimately come a time when teams like West Ham and Brighton struggle to overcome financial limitations.
The atmosphere was definitely affected by the circumstances. West Ham, who were once again struggling with a sickness bug, were not as threatening without Kudus and Paquetá leading the attack. Moyes acknowledged the importance of these players, stating “They are exceptional players and the rest of the team relies on them.” Despite having seven players out, Brighton had even more absences with nine players unavailable. The away team set up in a flexible 3-4-3 formation, but they were missing creativity on the wings without Kaoru Mitoma, Simon Adingra, and Ansu Fati.
There were not many chances available. West Ham played defensively and lacked creativity in the attacking zone. Their most promising opportunity occurred when Benrahma’s deflected pass landed at Jason Steele, who took a volley shot. Brighton, who effectively shut down Jarrod Bowen, had opportunities for Jack Hinshelwood and Pascal Gross. However, they were stopped by Areola.
West Ham came close to scoring from a set piece, with Edson Álvarez and Konstantinos Mavropanos nearly converting Emerson Palmieri’s cross. However, Brighton proved to be more efficient on the field. They dominated at the beginning of the second half, with Billy Gilmour leading the midfield, and Danny Welbeck testing Areola. Later, João Pedro made a skillful dribble from the left, giving the impression of a potential solo goal until his shot was saved by West Ham’s goalkeeper.
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West Ham, who had a bench full of young players, had to react. Benrahma eventually stepped up on the left side. The Algerian’s cross was deflected to Tomas Soucek, but Pervis Estupiñán put enough pressure on him to make the midfielder miss the shot from a short distance.
De Zerbi made the decision to introduce Evan Ferguson in place of Welbeck, providing a new test for West Ham’s central defenders, Mavropanos and Angelo Ogbonna. The young forward nearly had an immediate effect, skillfully getting past Álvarez, but his shot missed the target.
West Ham’s defensive strength was put to the test. Brighton, who lost Adam Webster to injury in his first start since November, had a near miss with substitute Jakub Moder’s wasted opportunity. Another substitute, Adam Lallana, came close to scoring against Areola. West Ham’s right-back, Ben Johnson, suffered from cramps. The sound of the final whistle was a relief.
Source: theguardian.com
