OPINION
There are some accolades that you pick up during the course of a season you would probably prefer not to.
Being the first side to concede three goals to Huddersfield Town definitely falls into that category, and West Ham will have been shellshocked by the way the Terriers came at them on Saturday.
If it wasn’t for a late, spirited fightback and some heroics from Javier Hernandez, the Hammers would have fallen to a wholly embarrassing home defeat at a point in the season when they should really be knuckling down and going all out for Europa League spot.
Thankfully, their defensive indiscretions didn’t come back to haunt them this weekend, but that shouldn’t excuse from the fact that they still happened.
There will surely be an inquest as to how such a low scoring side could come to the London Stadium and fill their boots, and while there will be a number of culprits who will have to shoulder their share of the responsibility, it will be Issa Diop who may take the brunt of the blame.
The Frenchman has been exemplary for the vast majority of this season, but Saturday’s match will have come as a real reality check for the youngster.
He was the man who lost his Town player for the equalising goal early on, and he was nowhere to be seen as the ball was flashed across the face of goal and squirmed into the net for the goal that gave the Terriers the lead.
The 22-year-old looked shaky and unsure of himself for the first time in the claret and blue this weekend, and his performance might just have a few fans feeling bit nervous.
Is the honeymoon period finally over, or was it just a bad day at the office for one of the Premier League’s most impressive young defenders?
You would hope, and expect, that it is a case of the latter, but either way, Saturday will have sent the 6’3″ [Transfermarkt] colossus crashing back down to earth.
