West Ham expert tears into four Irons starters who are ‘awful’
West Ham United will not qualify for Europe this season due to their “awful” defence.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, former Hammers and Celtic striker Frank McAvennie claimed that the club’s four-man starting backline and depth are too weak to have a chance at a top-seven finish this term.
The Irons secured a hard-earned point against title-chasing Liverpool on Saturday (27 April) with a 2-2 draw at the London Stadium and have Chelsea, Luton Town and Man City in their remaining league fixtures.
They currently sit eighth in the table – four points behind seventh-place Newcastle United who have a game in hand while Chelsea, who have two games in hand over David Moyes’ side, are just one point below.
West Ham’s ‘awful’ defence will cost them Europe – McAvennie
Recent defeats against Crystal Palace and Fulham were a major dent in their hopes of making Europe and their lacklustre defensive displays have proved costly.
McAvennie slaughtered individual defenders at the club and was adamant that their lack of players who will “grit their teeth” will cost them a fourth consecutive campaign in Europe.
“I don’t know where their results are going to come from,” he told Football Insider.
“Kurt Zouma and Nayef Aguerd at centre-half – West Ham have not had anyone decent there.
“They’ve just been awful, it’s crazy.
“They brought Aaron Cresswell back and he was awful too.
“The boy Ben Johnson they brought on – he just smells and I can’t believe that he’s a professional footballer!
“They need players who come in and grit their teeth otherwise they won’t get Europe.
“It’s a strange one but I just can’t see it happening.”
In other news, Irons braced for midfielder bid as exit fear emerges.
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