Former Celtic star Arne Engels opens West Ham account in three-goal comeback
Former Celtic star Arne Engels opened his West Ham account on Wednesday night during a memorable comeback for his side.
It has been a tough time for the Hammers, who sacked their manager Nuno Espirito Santo this week following a disappointing start to the season, albeit they were still in a playoff spot.
But the Iron have not only kept hold of much of their Premier League talent, including Jarrod Bowen, but they have also invested, notably signing Celtic's Engels on a £22million deal to make him the most expensive EFL signing of all time.
Engels has been a regular for the Iron so far this season, racking up 13 league appearances, and he now has his first goal.
West Ham went 3-0 down by half-time against Cardiff City away from home on Wednesday night, with new boss Scott Parker, who only arrived in the morning, watching on in the dugout.
But whatever Parker said at half-time worked, and so did a clear tactical adjustment to allow Bowen a free role, which he took advantage of to cause problems aplenty in the second half.
Engels scored the second to close the gap to one, latching on to a flick on before finishing brilliantly from the edge of the box, taking the shot early.
West Ham went on to find an equaliser and draw 3-3, completing the comeback in South Wales.
Engels is likely going to be a key player for Parker, who loves ball-playing midfielders having been one himself. The former Celtic star certainly fits that description and will likely be key to a more expansive approach compared to what was played under the more pragmatic Nuno Espirito Santo.
What Scott Parker said
After watching his new side rally back from three down, Parker, who also represented West Ham as a player, told BBC London: "The first-half performance was pretty poor.
"We had a really slow start. A lot of things didn't go well. We were very passive and slow with the ball.
The biggest thing for me tonight is that there's a lot of learning that's taken place, particularly in terms of the team and the group.
"I came in here at nine o'clock this morning and met the players for the first time, so I didn't have a lot of input as such.
"The biggest positive is the team we saw in the second half. There were some changes based on what I was seeing in the first half, and the players adapted very well. We looked a real threat and dominant, and that's the team I want us to be."
