During the summer transfer window much attention was paid to West Ham United's search for a striker, a search that ultimately proved to be unsuccessful. However although the need for a striker was blatantly obvious, the need for strengthening the defence was equally as important, to that purpose David Moyes signed Kurt Zouma from Chelsea in a bid to stop the club leaking goals.
Only two teams have scored more goals in the Barclays Premier League this season, but only one other in the top ten has conceded more! Hammers have 'got away with it so far due to a kind fixture list, now that is all about to change. Although he performed no worse than any of the other players during Hammers lack lustre outing to Southampton, Craig Dawson looks a shadow of the player he was last season. As we have mentioned before, maybe his lack of pace has been found out by opposing players who now know all they have to do is run at him at speed.
The cards are already poorly stacked for David Moyes ahead of Sunday's clash with 'Ronaldo' United, losing your only striker is bad enough, but having to face the 'Portugeezer' with Dawson as one of the centre backs is a frightening proposition.
Moyes has to play Zouma instead of Dawson for the League fixture, but he has to decide who plays on Thursday against Dinamo Zagreb. The home team would rather fancy themselves against Dawson as opposed to Zouma, but asking Zouma to play Thursday and then on Sunday might be perfectly acceptable to the player, but is it wise?
Defeat against Zagreb wouldn't be the end of the World, it wouldn't be ideal, but there would still be a good chance of redemption during the remaining five group games, whereas getting tonked by the visitors on Sunday would have a massively detrimental impact.
Of course there is every chance Manchester could go on and win Sunday' fixture irrespective of who plays for The Irons, but the nature of the game whatever the result will dictate how Hammers season is going to progress. The Southampton game aside, scoring hasn't been a problem, defending has, sort the leaky defence and the rest will take care of itself. - LN
