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Stewart Downing’s transformation from winger to playmaker has been one of the major reasons for West Ham’s renaissance this season.
The evidence was there again yesterday when, following a flat first half against injury-hit Hull, manager Sam Allardyce tweaked his team, who then cruised to victory with three second half goals from Andy Carroll, substitute Morgan Amalfitano and Downing, who had looked ineffective in a wide position before moving to the tip of a diamond formation.
It was Downing’s fifth goal of the campaign so far, more than double last season’s tally, and emphasises his and the team’s impressive improvement.
“I always wanted to get more goals,” he said. “The pleasing thing is we have goals around the team now. Diafra Sakho has been missing so we all have to step up.”
Downing was every bit as impressed with Amalfitano’s goal. “It was a great finish,” he said. “He’s got quite a cool head and he’s probably disappointed that he wasn’t starting, but that shows our the strength in depth.
West Ham v Hull - player ratings
“The first half was really poor. We didn’t get out of the blocks but the manager wanted us to try different things in the second half and get in behind them more. It was just more about making better runs and being better with the ball.”
West Ham are four points off the top four and Carroll admits the players are targeting European football. “There’s a belief in the dressing room, so I don’t see why not,” he said.
