Christian Dailly Hammers News

Gold gushes over Diop and Balbuena

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West Ham United co-chairman David Gold has heaped praise on the performances of Hammers centre halves Issa Diop and Fabian Balbuena against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.

The two defensive lynchpins were reunited at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and both played vital parts in Manuel Pellegrini’s side claiming a shock 1-0 win.

Gold was very impressed: “I thought they were both quite magnificent,” he told Claret & Hugh. “Young Issa looked incredible and ‘The General’ was at the same level – I couldn’t separate them.”

The West Ham chief also took a cheeky pop at captain Mark Noble: “I saw Mark Noble on the edge of their box and wondered what this elderly gentleman was doing in such a position!”

OPINION

Gold was understandably elated after such a tremendous London derby victory for his team on Saturday. Pellegrini’s men played incredibly well and were fully deserving of the three points by the end of the game. As he says, Diop was tremendous back in the centre of defence. He’s been out of the line up for the last few games as Balbuena has partnered Angelo Ogbonna. However, he came back into the side and produced a phenomenal performance. When Balbuena was fit earlier in the season the Hammers had a terrific centre back partnership in him and Diop. After the Paraguayan went down injured around the turn of the year, though, the 22-year-old’s form plummeted dramatically. However, re-installed alongside ‘The General’ for the first time since the latter’s injury, Diop was out of this world against Spurs. Mauricio Pochettino’s men couldn’t get any joy from him or Balbuena, reinforcing that they are West Ham’s finest centre back partnership. As for Gold’s Noble comment, well, he’s not wrong!

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