If only West Ham United had any idea what Sunderland’s man mountain centre-back Dan Ballard was capable of when latching onto a cross into the box.
Oh, wait a minute.
This was the same Dan Ballard who soared like a salmon and headed Sunderland into the play-off final, right? The man whose last-gasp effort back in May will go down as one of the most iconic – and potentially important – goals in the Black Cats’ history.
One suspects, then, this was a threat which would have been highlighted to the West Ham United charges by Graham Potter pre-match at the Stadium of Light.
So, when Ballard once again found himself sniffing out a rare chance in the opposition penalty area, the 6ft 3ins colossus could have been forgiven for wondering why on earth the only man seemingly marking him, a real mismatch at the back stick, was none other than Lucas Paqueta.
That is certainly a question Clinton Morrison was asking as an abysmal West Ham collapsed at Sunderland, losing 3-0 to Regis le Bris’ newly-promoted outfit.
While Mads Hermansen will not look back fondly on his role in Wilson Isidor’s late clincher, the fact that Sunderland scored with two largely-unchallenged headers despite Nayef Aguerd, Jean-Clair Todibo and Max Kilman all starting in Potter’s back three felt particularly damning.
Pat Nevin slams West Ham United trio Nayef Aguerd, Jean-Clair Todibo and Max Kilman
While £18 million goalkeeper Hermansen made his West Ham debut just days after arriving from Leicester City, Nayef Aguerd started a Premier League match for the first time since April 2024.
Back from a loan spell at Real Sociedad, the Moroccan simply could not deal with Eliezer Mayenda’s spring-heeled leap as Sunderland burst into a 61st minute lead. The aforementioned Ballard then doubled their advantage only 12 minutes later.
Two crosses, two headers, three ‘non-existent’ central defenders, and one frustrated goalkeeper.
“[The first goal is] a brilliant header, but Eliezer Mayenda should have never got near it,” former Everton and Chelsea forward Pat Nevin told BBC Sport. “Graham Potter will be fuming. That’s not a dangerous ball. That is a ball that every defender should go and attack.
“[The second is] a well placed header, Dan Ballard guided it in. Once again, there’s nobody near him. Awful defending.”
“The ball in from [Simon] Adingra is outstanding [but] West Ham have three big centre-halves!” agrees Clinton Morrison, once of Crystal Palace. “They are non-existent. They might as well not be there.
“How can you not mark Ballard?”
Mads Hermansen blamed after Wilson Isidor’s Sunderland clincher
As West Ham wasted yet another set-piece situation at the death, substitute Wilson Isidor raced away on the break before curving a shot into the far corner.
Questions may be asked of El Hadji Malick Diouf – the new left-wing-back did not exactly throw his body in the way – but the manner in which Isidor’s finish skipped over Hermansen’s outstretched hand was exactly the sort of error the Hammers hoped was in the past now that Alphonse Areola has been usurped between the sticks.
“No Sunderland fans thought they could win this 3-0!” Nevin said after Isidor’s strike put the home fans in dreamland on their first Premier League outing since 2017.
“The goalkeeper, Mads Hermansen will not want to see that again. It has gone straight through him.
“Big mistake from Hermansen,” Morrison adds, pulling even fewer punches. “It just goes right through him!”
