West Ham have managed eleven shots on target in their last three games against Crystal Palace, Everton and Sheffield United.

It is a worrying downward trend from their win against Manchester United and the draw versus Bournemouth where they managed six in each game. So what is behind the Hammers suddenly going shot-shy?

1) Opponents

Sheffield United have the joint best defensive record in the league, and if we look at the statistics, you can see that Everton have also had a pretty decent record of not giving away clear cut chances.

Despite Marco Silva’s team having conceded 16 this season in total, their xG conceded is a respectable 12.48, above the Blades as the sixth tightest defence in the Premier League.

Crystal Palace, meanwhile, do give up more chances (15.64 xG conceded) but they are still the sixth-best defensive record in total.

2) Poor Decision Making

Of course, coming up against better defences shouldn’t necessarily lead to a team creating fewer chances, especially if you have a good number of creative players. However, against teams who make fewer errors, you have to make the right decisions to unlock them.

Unfortunately, against Sheffield United, in particular, players simply took the wrong option. The Hammers delivered an astonishing 28 crosses into the Blades’ penalty area; their highest against any Premier League opponent this season.

Considering Chris Wilder’s side have three centre-backs up against one striker in Sebastien Haller, you can see why the Frenchman struggled to make an impact.

3) Shooting On Sight

In their last two matches, over a third of West Ham’s shots have come from outside the box. Three of the nine in the 1-1 draw against Sheffield United were not from within the penalty area, while three of their seven at Goodison Park were long shots.

The opponent’s defence can play a role as if they are difficult to break down, it forces you to shoot at goal from long range, with a much-reduced chance of hitting the target.

In those circumstances, you are relying on your technically gifted players to score spectacular goals or preferably to make something happen by sharp interplay around the box.

Unfortunately, the latter isn’t really happening, and if the Hammers are to improve in front of goal, the likes of Felipe Anderson are needed to create more clear cut openings.

Newcastle next up should be an easier challenge, though. The Magpies are fifth in terms of giving away big chances so hopefully, the home side will make the most of their opportunities on Saturday.