West Ham United conceded yet another set-piece at the London Stadium as the Hammers suffered a debilitating Premier League loss this season.
West Ham lost 3-0 to Tottenham Hotspur, handing Spurs their first victory in East London since 2019.
The Hammers have conceded 11 goals this season, and five of them have been from set-pieces. It could have been more.
Tottenham Hotspur’s Cristian Romero scored from one set-piece that was thankfully yet inexplicably disallowed.
Micky van de Ven’s goal to make it 3-0 came after West Ham failed to clear one.
West Ham boss Graham Potter must solve this conundrum if he wants to keep his job at Rush Green.
The Hammers need a dedicated set-piece coach. It is no longer just a minor flaw. It is a glaring weakness that every opponent looks to exploit.
Each time a corner or free-kick is swung in, West Ham fans feel that sinking dread and with good reason.
The team does not look organised, players fail to attack the ball, and dealing with the ball in the second phase is a nightmare.
Other clubs have invested in specialists for this exact reason.
Arsenal brought in Nicolas Jover and immediately tightened up their defence while becoming lethal at the other end.
Chelsea hired Bernardo Cueva and have looked incredible at defending set-pieces and devastating at attacking them this season, as West Ham saw firsthand.
Meanwhile, West Ham seem to be conceding every time.
Goalkeeper Mads Hermansen is not controlling his box effectively, and the defenders do not stand their ground sufficiently.
This cannot continue. The Premier League is too ruthless, and you cannot gift opposition sides half their goals from set-pieces.
Potter must get a serious set-piece coach in. It could be the difference between a steady season and another collapse.
Until then, expect more misery from corners and free-kicks.
This backwardness is why the fans are protesting, expecting their club to be more proactive in addressing such a glaring Achilles heel.