Tony Cottee impressed with West Ham’s defensive consistency

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Tony Cottee is impressed with West Ham’s defensive organisation.

Tony Cottee has said that West Ham are looking solid and hard to beat under Slaven Bilic, ahead of the Hammers’ Premier League clash against Brighton on Friday night.

Cottee, who scored 146 goals for West Ham across two spells, says that the Hammers’ recent performances have given him belief that they will do well this season.

West Ham made a poor start to their 2017/18 campaign – having lost their opening three Premier League games. However, they have lost just one game since September, and signs are there that Bilic’s team is clicking at both ends of the pitch.

The former Everton striker says that credit goes to the West Ham players for turning it around, and he is particularly impressed with the defensive stability at the club.

Since September, West Ham have conceded just four goals, and kept four clean sheets across all competitions.

Cottee believes that Bilic now has all his key attacking players available at disposal, but it is the defensive stability and consistency that must have given the Croatian more pleasure.

“Four points could quite easily have been six from the last two matches and, while the performance level may not yet be flowing in the way Slaven would like, his team are looking solid, hard to beat, and close to reaching a peak physical level,” Cottee wrote in his column for West Ham’s Friday’s Official Programme.

“A lot has been said about the attacking options that Slaven now has available to him, but I think the defensive improvement over the past month would have given him most pleasure.

“There is always a lot to be said for a settled back line. If you look at Chelsea when they won the Premier League last season they had the same three central defenders for virtually every game, Leicester the year before had Huth and Morgan as a solid pairing, and that consistency breeds success.

“We are now showing that type of defensive consistency and stability, with Joe Hart looking settled and in command behind the back line, and it is that platform which will hopefully give our attacking players the opportunity to shine.”