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A comprehensive performance from West Ham ensured they suffered no issues against Charlton, the Hammers emerging 3-0 winners to book their place in round three of the Carabao Cup.
With the prospect of lower league opposition arriving at the London Stadium on Tuesday, West Ham striker Sebastien Haller would’ve been relishing the opportunity to open his account for the season.
Matching up mostly against Charlton defender Deji Oshilaja, the French attacker engaged in the physical battle against his opposite number. He was ‘given some treatment’ in the early stages as a wild arm off the ball prevented a Haller run, before the defender won a cheap free-kick against Haller to leave him frustrated.
The 26-year-old had the perfect chance to score when peeling away from his marker on 18 minutes, but Ben Johnson’s pull back to Haller was scuffed wide with the goal gaping.
His miscue sighs from the West Ham bench as well as worried looks around the press box as if to say ‘he’s got to score that, hasn’t he’. The dragged effort could have been a representation of the striker’s night as he loses confidence and fails to warrant the £45 million forked out on him last summer.
That wasn’t to be the case tonight. After former Charlton loanee Josh Cullen curled a wonderfully weighted pass over the top of the Addicks defence, Andriy Yarmolenko raced onto it.
Appeals for offside were waved away by the assistant referee as the Ukranian winger was left free to square into Haller, who had the simple task of tapping the ball home.
One became two quickly for Haller. Robert Snodgrass’ ever-reliable delivery was whipped in towards the striker, who powered his header past a helpless Ben Amos.
Ahead of West Ham’s Premier League opener against Newcastle, the replies to the club’s Twitter announcement of their line-up was dominated by calls for Haller to start.
Impressing in pre-season, Hammers fan now felt it was time to translate his obvious ability into consistent performances in the Premier League. His seven goals last season proved useful, but the late flurry of goals from Michail Antonio was the ultimate factor in securing West Ham’s top-flight status for another year.
His goalscoring exploits on Tuesday, albeit against a team two divisions below West Ham, will give David Moyes a decision to make ahead of the trip to Arsenal on Saturday.
He could of completed a six-minute hat-trick on 28 minutes but his full-stretch slide failed make contact on a whipped delivery across the face of the Charlton goal.
Lee Bowyer’s side didn’t arrive in east London to accept defeat and created chances of their own, playmaker Jonny Williams the orchestrator of many of the opportunities created for the visitors.
As the half-hour mark struck, Haller could be seen with his arms aloft complaining at his teammates. Perhaps, he felt he’d earned the right to have a moan after his first half double.
One of the features of Haller’s game is his build-up play. The Frenchman isn’t your simple target man. His combinations with Manuel Lanzini and Felipe Anderson occurred repeatedly, the former Frankfurt striker often opting for neat flicks in order to keep moves flowing.
Throughout the second half, it was easy to spot the player on a hat-trick. As West Ham appealed for penalties on numerous occasions, Haller could be seen left distraught every time Andre Marriner refused their pleas.
Switching between a reaction of arms outstretched and his hands firmly placed on his head, the Frenchman clearly had one thought on the opportunity the penalty would have presented to him.
At the other end, substitute Chuks Aneke should of halved the deficit for Charlton after a neat move beat Issa Diop. Moments later, Diop’s centre-back partner and West Ham captain for the evening, Fabian Balbuena, almost diverted a header into his own net as the home side endured some shaky moments.
Haller enjoyed praise from the sidelines as he tracked back to win to complete a sliding tackle and halt a Charlton attack. The defensive work from the striker impressed as well as his goalscoring.
A flashed volley over the bar and a slide at a Lanzini cross failed to present the third goal that the former French youth international craved.
There was time for Anderson to ensure Haller wouldn’t be the only name on the scoresheet, the Brazilian completed a simple finish after Lanzini had somewhat bamboozled the Charlton backline.
A miscontrol in the 87 minutes dwindled another opportunity for possibly a perfect hat-trick, should the Frenchman have finished with his left foot.
A right-footed goal-bound block thwarted him again, which prompted another penalty appeal and yet another typical hands on the head pose.
Despite not taking home the match ball from the London Stadium, Haller impressed throughout the fixture and will have West Ham fans clambering for name to be included on the team sheet at the Emirates on Saturday.
The Hammers’ victory mean they will face the winner of Leeds United and Hull City in the third round, who play at Elland Road on Wednesday night.
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