Burnley and West Ham both had four takeaways from their clash, with West Ham taking all three points.
West Ham came from behind to beat Burnley 2-1 at Turf Moor, extending the hosts’ poor home record. Despite the loss, the Clarets looked better for the most part, as the game contrasted what many pundits and fans expected from the matchup. The Hammers were fortunate to escape with the three points, as they lacked any real chances other than the ones from which they scored.
With arguably their two most important games coming up, Burnley’s standard is gradually improving. With midfielders Sander Berge and Johann Gudmundsson stepping up and Zeki Amdouni up front, fans are noticing an increase in intensity.
Lyle Foster is out for the foreseeable future, and Amdouni has stepped in admirably. Despite Jay Rodriguez’s goal, he continued to have chances and is skilled enough to create them for those around him. With Luca Koleosho’s massive penalty shout, the wingers have begun to look sharper.
The first goal was unlucky to concede, and on another day, it would have gone off Dara O’Shea’s knee and out for a corner. Burnley’s defending continues to be a source of concern for Vincent Kompany’s men.
In the next week and a half, their season could be shaped for the better or for the worse, with the manager potentially being fired if the situation continues.
West Ham were fortunate to get three points, but they fought until the end.
The majority of fans of both the Hammers and the Clarets would have thought the game was over, but clearly the players did not. Mohammed Kudus’s moment of magic led to both goals, and it was the only reason they won the game.
The Ghana international was superb in finding Soucek at the back post for the second goal. It was also his play that resulted in the own goal. West Ham had only won one of their previous five games, demonstrating the squad’s character to keep fighting despite potential low morale.
Both fans and players will be hoping that this boosts their confidence and helps them improve their form for the next few games, especially with a win securing their Europa League qualification.
If Burnley want to stay in the Premier League, Charlie Taylor is not the answer at left back.
Burnley attempted to sign several new left-backs during the summer transfer window, including Ian Maatsen, who was on loan from Chelsea last season. All of these attempts were unsuccessful. As a result, Kompany was replaced by Charlie Taylor, who, despite a couple of good performances and even a goal, demonstrated that he is not the answer.
Kudus easily defeated him on multiple occasions, two of which resulted in a goal. The defense is a weakness that must be addressed. With Hjalmar Ekdal on the bench, their best center-back pairing should be back in action soon. However, there is evidence that the left-back position is vulnerable. Fans have expressed their desire for it to be strengthened during the January window on social media.
The Irons can still score goals even without Bowen.
Despite missing their leading goal scorer for the season, they still found the net, albeit both late in the game. With Bowen missing this game, West Ham fans may have wondered if the goals would still come.
Throughout the game, there was a real lack of chances, and they did not seem in it for the most part, however, the moment of magic was there when they needed it most.
Fans will be relieved that goals can still be scored, but they will hope that they do not have to rely on specific moments for goals to be scored, particularly near the end of games. For the wins to be convincing, which will be required against teams in the bottom half of the league, creativity must still be present.
