Opinion: Tim Steidten Struck Gold with West Ham Signing as Wan-Bissaka Dominates Southampton
Aaron Wan-Bissaka's Summer Arrival Could Be West Ham's Best Transfer in Years
West Ham secured a vital 1-0 victory over Southampton on Thursday evening, thanks to a decisive Jarrod Bowen goal.
However, it was Aaron Wan-Bissaka who truly stole the spotlight.
The 27-year-old delivered an outstanding performance, building on his excellent form from the recent match against Brighton.
While attacking players often receive the majority of praise, Wan-Bissaka’s influence on the Irons this season has been unparalleled.
West Ham’s summer acquisition of the defender, credited to Tim Steidten, has proven to be a game-changer.
Wan-Bissaka’s impact against Southampton was pivotal, leaving the hosts with no chance of salvaging a result.
His contributions have been consistent over several weeks, but his display at St. Mary’s stood out.
According to FotMob, he completed 42 passes with an 81% accuracy rate, created three chances, and achieved an expected assists (xA) figure of 0.21.
Although attacking contributions are not traditionally his strength, Wan-Bissaka has demonstrated significant improvement, with two goals in 17 appearances this season.
Against Southampton, he maintained a 100% dribble success rate, completing three dribbles and playing a crucial role in advancing West Ham’s attacks.
Defensively, Wan-Bissaka was exceptional. He won 100% of his tackles, was never dribbled past, and effectively shut down any threats from Southampton on his side of the pitch.
Additionally, he dominated all seven of his defensive ground duels without committing a single foul, firmly establishing himself as the best player on the field.
West Ham currently sits 13th in the Premier League table, which might seem underwhelming, but they are just six points away from fifth place.
If the team can maintain consistent results, they could still achieve a successful season.
Wan-Bissaka’s continued involvement will be critical to their ambitions.
Should he sustain this level of performance, West Ham will undoubtedly have one of the best full-backs in the country, providing a solid foundation for their pursuit of higher league positions.
