West Ham United’s quest for a clean sheet has been fruitless since January 2, and they’re eager to break that streak in their upcoming matches.
A former West Ham player, Frank McAvennie, with 119 appearances for West Ham in two spells, has launched scathing criticism as the Hammers struggle to stop the ball going in the back of their net.
McAvennie’s comments were aimed at two players in particular, Mavropanos and Zouma, advocating for the club to sell the underperforming duo, who were acquired for nearly £50 million combined in transfer fees.
West Ham told to sell Mavropanos and Zouma in the summer transfer window
He told Football Insider: “Mavropanos and Zouma look like they can’t run. Those two at the back are not proper players sometimes and West Ham will concede goals when they play.
“I’m not confident of getting a clean sheet, they’re pathetic sometimes. You need to have a solid back four if you have these attacking players. That defence – oh my God!”
In the recent 2-2 draw with Burnley, Mavropanos had a challenging time as he inadvertently redirected a Josh Cullen cross into his own net for Burnley’s second goal. On the other hand, club captain Zouma has struggled to regain the solid form he once displayed while playing for West Ham during his first two seasons with the club.
The only teams in the Premier League, excluding the bottom three, that have conceded more than West Ham (49) are Brentford (52) and Nottingham Forest (50). This will be a huge cause for concern for David Moyes and one he’ll be eager to fix in the summer if he is to remain at the club.
The Hammers are next in action in Europe. They’ll face Freiburg in the Europa League last-16 second leg on Thursday, followed by a league clash against Aston Villa on March 17.