It’s was difficult to understand where West Ham’s excellence stopped and where Ipswich Town’s failure began following today’s win at The London Stadium.
While many of are lauding the Hammers’ 4-1 victory over the Tractor Boys as a significant turning point in the reign of Julen Lopetegui, there is the obvious observation that “It’s only Ipswich.”
However, Kieran McKenna’s men had been undefeated in their previous four Premier League games, and their last loss was a 4-1 defeat to Manchester City. Whilst I’m not suggesting that Ipswich Town are world-beaters, they are certainly no pushovers.
It’s important to note that West Ham matched Man City’s thumping, which is no easy feat, as has been proven by recent results. This was an Irons performance of impressive quality, with the entire front line in dominant form.
It’s one thing to win against newly promoted teams but quite another to thrash them so compellingly. West Ham’s performance was emphatic, with Alphonse Areola only forced into one notable save once the team hit their stride.
Perhaps Ipswich will turn out to be the whipping boys of the Premier League, and the Hammers’ 4-1 score-line will not look anything special in a few months’ time. But given the pressure on the manager and team, West Ham’s dominant display gives us much to be encouraged about.