‘Absolutely awful’ – West Ham fans tear into ‘clown’ after what he did vs Burnley
West Ham supporters were still furious with one of their own players despite securing a 3-2 win over Burnley at the London Stadium.
Richard Keys was fed up with VAR technology after Zian Flemming and Callum Wilson both hit the back of the net in the first half on Saturday, 8 November, with the Hammers desperate for all three points.
Tomas Soucek and Kyle Walker-Peters scored in the final 15 minutes to claim the victory against the newly promoted side, meaning that Josh Cullen‘s 97th-minute goal was nothing but a consolation.
Referee Michael Salisbury had a far-from-perfect performance, with many fans questioning how the Clarets’ second goal was allowed to stand after Cullen appeared to take the ball out of Alphonse Areola‘s hands.
While fans of all clubs debated the controversial incident, Areola’s own supporters were less forgiving.
Alphonse Areola destroyed after conceding a second goal vs Burnley
The goalkeeper was extremely frustrated that the referee allowed Cullen’s goal to stand, and understandably so, but it was still a mistake that forced him into the situation in the first place.
One fan went as far as to call him a “clown”, with another labelling him “useless”, but that is nothing new after the Hammers were desperate for a goalkeeper during the summer transfer window.
Mads Hermansen was brought into the team for £20million following a decent season with Leicester City, but after several mistakes already, Nuno Espirito Santo is now stuck with Areola instead.
- @wayneslimz: “Areola is a useless goalkeeper.”
- @WHUFC_News: “Ffs Areola, you muppet.”
- @RolfWatterson: “That was a very stupid goal to concede by Areola.”
Fans have piled onto the goalkeeper on social media following the full-time whistle, but nobody will feel angrier and more frustrated than the player who made the mistake on the pitch.
Nuno Espirito Santo could face key exits in January
Despite their win, the Hammers are still very much in the relegation battle, with the Clarets still above them on goal difference after 11 matches.
The signs are there that the wheels are starting to turn under Nuno, but with games against Bournemouth, Liverpool, and Man United on the horizon, fixtures only get harder.
This is all before the January transfer window, when multiple players could leave, and Lucas Paqueta is heavily linked with a West Ham exit once again, unsurprisingly.
Losing any of the current players could be catastrophic, at least without suitable reinforcements from the transfer market, but it remains to be seen if David Sullivan will open his wallet anytime soon.