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The Hammers are not a poor team, far from it. They possess talent in their roster, and determination. It is evident in each challenge, every gut-busting run and in the disappointed gestures when a pass fails to connect. This intensity is matched on the touchline, with Rehanne Skinner animated throughout their 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa – “maintain shape”, “come closer”, “communicate” and “Fion can’t get out” were part of the numerous instructions from the technical area, with those behind the dugout hearing the thoughts of the coach while the action is under way. The coach is in it, she is focused, the players are committed, so where is the issue?

Worrying Statistics Tell the Story

Five games in and they have zero points, have let in sixteen goals and scored twice. They are capable of scoring though, five different goal scorers in a 5-1 defeat of their opponents in the cup competition on 24 September a momentary relief from defeat before Chelsea scored three in 15 minutes last Sunday to return them in their position. Facing Chelsea West Ham weren’t bad throughout, that quarter-hour calamitous spell was an exception and, while supporters worried about a total second half collapse, they regrouped, excelled with their under pressure, and let in just one additional goal to the champions.

Steadiness across 90-plus has been a ongoing problem. The first five minutes and after halftime versus the Blues were spells to be proud of, as was the first half against Arsenal and second period against Brighton.

Familiar Story Versus the Opponents

In the match with Villa the narrative was familiar, the away side controlling the ball in Dagenham but the Hammers creating opportunities too, nine shots to their opponents’ eleven. They competed in the first half, competing, playing well enough to be able to take something from the game, the distinction though was that West Ham had just one shot on target, as opposed to the visitors’ four.

West Ham are not being let down by their approach, determination or managerial decisions, they are being let down by individuals lacking composure when they find scoring opportunities. This is that decision making in the attacking zone that requires improvement, the five goals scored against lower-league opponents Charlton may indicate the issue: when they have space and time they make the right moves, when they are being pressed and harried by top-tier opposition it’s as though they struggle to make rapid decisions.

“In my view we were clinical enough in the attacking area and we just were missing that decisive quality where the final ball was sometimes a bit too strong, lacking the right quality and then just needing to take on shots a sooner,” said the manager.

“Considering the individuals, when I observe them individually, I just feel like they’re somewhat reluctant relative to where we were before. The desire to take on defenders and be quite assertive was extremely high and we just need to get that fight back where we’re a little bit more ruthless in and around the box, where we are more courageous to go one-on-one and where we accept the outcome but we’re sending attackers forward and we’re trying to create opportunities. That’s something that we’ve just sort of eased up a bit on and we’re seeking assists as opposed to being a more direct and being a bit more confident in our own ability.”

Costly Moments Lead to Defeat

During the match that was damaging again. Shortly after a forward glanced a header off target, they were made to pay at the opposite goal, an opponent collecting her short corner back from a teammate before lashing the shot into the far corner. Seven minutes later and Natalia Arroyo’s side had a bigger cushion, a player’s free-kick lifted over the defensive line and in.

It was another difficult afternoon for the Hammers and their absence of points on the table will inevitably prompt questions being asked about the manager’s position. That would be wholly unjust though. There is improvement to be done for sure, confidence and quickness in choices must improve, and the squad must take a share of the blame for that, but this is a side that is having difficulties from a lack of love and care from the organization as a whole, and Skinner is a casualty of that rather than the cause of the team’s problems.

Wider Challenges at Work

This summer, nine players left and just a handful arrived. The standard of those joining this time round was possibly higher overall, but a tight budget has meant that season-on-season the club have lost their top talents to better teams. Prior to doubts are raised about Skinner’s tenure, she merits a opportunity to show what she can do without constraints and that means the team upping its game – and the identical could be said for several WSL clubs.