HAMMERS DESPERATELY NEED CARVALHO IMPACT

THE signing of William Carvalho, the Portugal holding midfield player from Sporting CP of Lisbon, cannot come soon enough for West Ham United.

Manager Slaven Bilic (below) spoke enthusiastically after the 3-2 defeat at Southampton about £16 million signing Javier Hernandez, who scored twice, but the team’s defending means the Mexican may have to net a hat-trick in every game to secure any points.

Bilic, as a former defender, must be concerned. True, he lost Winston Reid to a calf injury in the pre-match warm up, while Marko Arnautovic’s elbowing of Jack Stephens left West Ham a man short for an hour.

However, Nathan Redmond was given five yards by Pablo Zabaleta in which to control a pass from Manolo Gabbiadini and return the ball to him for Southampton’s first goal. Gabbiadini had run alone from the centre circle to receive Redmond’s pass on the blind side of Jose Fonte. At the very least, the physical presence of 6ft 1in Carvalho would make such runs more hazardous for opponents. Fonte was at fault for the second goal when he pulled back Steve Davis to concede a penalty kick. The third goal was unforgivable. James Ward-Prowse’s cross – unchallenged even in injury-time – should have been meat and drink for a top flight central defender. But Fonte was ball-watching and allowed Maya Yoshida to attack the space behind him. Zabaleta decided on the risky strategy of nudging Yoshida rather than defending properly. Again it was a penalty and Charlie Austin converted. Carvalho’s arrival can’t come quick enough.