The Hammers have conceded seven goals from set pieces so far, more than double anyone else in the Premier League. That figure will keep going up.
| West Ham’s set-piece troubles | Odds |
|---|---|
| Michael Keane to have over 0.5 shots on target | 12/5 |
| Michael Keane to score past them | 8/1 |
| James Tarkowski to score past them | 7/1 |
Odds courtesy of bet365. Correct at time of publishing and subject to change.
West Ham’s set-piece woes
West Ham have been the Premier League’s most vulnerable side from set pieces by a considerable margin. Their set-piece xGA stands at 3.5 after just five games - so it’s no surprise they’re struggling.
They have also conceded the most shots from set pieces (28), which is 5.6 per 90. It’s certainly a glaring weakness for Potter and his men, and it needs to be addressed if they’re to turn things around. It feels like a big ‘if’ at this point in time.
Four defenders have scored past them this season so far, and the next challenge features big threats like Michael Keane and James Tarkowski. After that come Arsenal, who have five set-piece goals up to now, so things won’t be getting easier. It’s probably worth looking at goalscoring defenders in the next few West Ham matches.
It’s definitely a market to consider, as is the shots/shots-on-target market, when any burly centre-backs face the Hammers in upcoming matches.
Betting against the Hammers
On Monday night, Everton welcome West Ham to the Hill Dickinson Stadium as they aim to return to winning ways. The Toffees have had a very decent start to the campaign up to now, and there’s no shame in losing to Liverpool. They’ll view this game against a struggling Hammers side as a perfect opportunity to get back on track.
There’s the David Moyes factor, too, with the Scot no doubt desperate to show his former club what they’re missing. The visitors have conceded more goals (13) than any other team in the league, and players like Jack Grealish will be eager to exploit their weaknesses. However, the threat won’t come from forwards alone.
Keane and Tarkowski have not yet scored this season, but they chipped in with four collectively during the 2024/25 campaign. With the amount of chances opposition teams get from set pieces vs West Ham, they’ll both sense an opportunity. The former has had three shots from set pieces in five games, and should add to that tally here.
Not too many players in the division have delivered more accurate corners than James Garner, so he adds to the threat. Potter’s men will need to be incredibly wary.
Then, looking ahead, you have the likes of Gabriel Magalhaes, William Saliba and Riccardo Calafiori going up against them. Arsenal are potent from set plays, and with West Ham’s frailties, there are goals to be scored in that one. It’ll be a tough few weeks for the Irons.