West Ham United’s defeat at the hands of Everton on Saturday saw them suffer back-to-back Premier League losses for the first time this season.
The Hammers’ first defeat came at the hands of Manchester City on the opening weekend of the season, but they quickly bounced back, winning three and drawing three of their next six games.
Key to that impressive run was summer signing Sebastien Haller.
The French striker scored thrice and assisted once, while he also opened the scoring in the loss to Crystal Palace prior to the international break.
The £45 million is arguably West Ham’s best player of the season so far, and despite admitting he has started the campaign more than he had anticipated, manager Manuel Pellegrini has challenged him to keep improving.
“I think that he is not doing bad but I think he can do better also,” the Chilean told football.london
“It is always difficult for different players to come from another league and start here.
“He has started better maybe than we expected, now he must make more movements in the box for the way we play because we need to score more goals.”
The Hammers are looking to finish in top-seven this season, and after scoring 11 goals and leaking 13 so far, they definitely need to improve at both ends.
Haller is doing very well considering the ease and pace with which he has adapted to the English top-flight, and other attacking players have to step up.
Apart from Andriy Yarmolenko – who has scored thrice – the other West Ham forwards are you to score, and while he has assisted thrice, Felipe Anderson has to do much more.
Haller has proven within such a short while that he can deliver if provided with the needed services – which were lacking against Palace and Everton – and Pellegrini must find a system that will get his wingers and full-backs constantly feeding the Frenchman to get the best out of him.
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