The Guardian’s Jacob Steinberg has criticized West Ham United’s defending after they found themselves 2-0 down against Chelsea due to a brace from Nicolas Jackson.
### Steinberg Slams West Ham’s Performance
There was considerable excitement during the summer transfer window when West Ham invested in players like Niclas Füllkrug, Max Kilman, Crysencio Summerville, and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, suggesting a strong push for European competition under new manager Julen Lopetegui. However, the team has underperformed, securing only one Premier League victory this season—a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace. Following losses to Manchester City and a last-minute equalizer from Danny Ings against Fulham, West Ham needed a strong performance in their London derby against Chelsea.
Unfortunately, things did not go as planned. The Hammers struggled defensively from the outset, conceding almost immediately after kickoff as Chelsea capitalized on a quick free kick, allowing Jackson to score. He soon found himself one-on-one again, doubling his tally before halftime.
Steinberg criticized West Ham’s early mistake, calling their defending “pathetic” for their lack of alertness and labeling the team “rubbish” after Jackson’s second goal, which exposed their disorganized and lackluster approach.
After significant summer investments, expectations were high for this revamped squad. West Ham’s performance improved slightly before halftime when Lopetegui substituted Tomas Soucek for the struggling Guido Rodriguez. Additionally, summer signing Summerville was denied a penalty after being pulled by Wesley Fofana, and Mohammed Kudus had a goal disallowed for offside.
