If West Ham’s opponents didn’t know it before, they do now: there’s a cheat code to unlock the Hammers’ defence.
With Tottenham racking up double figures in corners at the London Stadium, it quickly became clear how Graham Potter’s backline would be breached.
The warning signs came early in the first half when Cristian Romero had a goal disallowed for a push on Kyle Walker-Peters. In truth, it looked a harsh decision, and West Ham were handed a reprieve to regroup and adjust.
Most Read on West Ham News
Graham Potter looks concerned about his West Ham future
West Ham boss Graham Potter does not seem to know how to fix the Hammers defence
But the Hammers failed to learn. The next eight corners saw Walker-Peters tasked with marking the much bigger Romero, and West Ham’s central defenders appeared more interested in marking space than dealing with Tottenham’s physical presence. With every delivery, Thomas Frank’s side edged closer to scoring.
In the end, it was Pape Matar Sarr who nodded home unmarked at the far post—an utterly predictable outcome given the chaos in West Ham’s set-up.
Tottenham found it easy against West Ham
The blunt truth is simple: West Ham cannot defend corners, and nobody in Potter’s coaching team seems to have an answer. It may be too late for Potter to bring in a set-piece specialist, but both players and staff need to take a hard look at themselves.
Make no mistake, every Premier League manager will have seen how easy it is to get at West Ham. Unless something changes quickly, expect more of the same when Palace arrive next week.