West Ham face impossible Craig Dawson problem as new claim emerges – pundit
Craig Dawson is now “irreplaceable” at West Ham, according to Noel Whelan.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Leeds United and Coventry City forward claimed Dawson is now the first name on the teamsheet for David Moyes.
The 32-year-old scored the opening goal in West Ham’s 3-0 win against Lyon on Thursday night (14 April) to secure a 4-1 aggregate victory and progress to the Europa League semi-finals.
As quoted by club media, Moyes admitted Dawson’s performance as his side kept a clean sheet was “some achievement”.
“It is going to be difficult if they want to replace him at the minute with the way that he’s playing,” Whelan told Football Insider assistant editor Russell Edge.
“He’s the one who is first on the teamsheet, he’s that important to that backline. He’s an organiser, he’s a detector, he drives people on, and he’s fantastic when it comes to the offensive side of the game with corners – he might be their dangerman there.
“He leads the team and that is what you need from a player. At the minute he’s irreplaceable in my opinion.
“But at 31 you can’t keep playing at that level for that amount of games. He seems very fit and very driven and doesn’t want to miss any of the games West Ham are playing in this fantastic season.”
Dawson is under contract at the London Stadium until the summer of 2023.
He has scored eight goals in 67 games across all competitions for the Hammers since signing from Watford in the summer of 2020.
In other news, Kieran Maguire has revealed Uefa now have the power to ‘relegate’ West Ham after a ‘major’ announcement.