Frank McAvennie has expressed his disappointment with Konstantinos Mavropanos following the defender’s own goal during the 2-2 draw against Burnley at the London Stadium. The ex-West Ham player voiced concerns over the reliability of Mavropanos and Kurt Zouma in the team’s defense, doubting their ability to secure a clean sheet.
In a conversation with West Ham Zone, McAvennie emphasized the importance of having a dependable defense, especially when the team boasts attacking talents like Lucas Paqueta and Mohammed Kudus. He believes that the forwards should have the liberty to take risks without the constant worry of defensive lapses.
McAvennie didn’t hold back in his critique: “That big guy gives gifts away every week, doesn’t he? Him and Zouma, those two at the back… There’s always going to be goals when they play. I’m not confident of a clean sheet,” showing his frustration with the team’s defensive performances.
The necessity for defensive solidity to complement the attacking prowess of the team was a key point of McAvennie’s argument. He suggested that having a strong back four is crucial for the team to perform well, both in domestic and European competitions.
This criticism comes amid ongoing concerns over the defensive strategies employed by David Moyes at West Ham, where mistakes by players like Mavropanos and Zouma have been highlighted as significant weaknesses. The critique from McAvennie, alongside comments from Darren Bent who also criticized Mavropanos’ performance on talkSPORT, adds to the growing scrutiny of West Ham’s defensive line and their ability to support the team’s ambitions for progress.
