Konstantinos Mavropanos seized a memorable opportunity to score his inaugural goal for West Ham United in spectacular fashion. The Greek defender executed a magnificent header, propelling the ball into the far corner via the underside of the crossbar, augmenting West Ham’s lead to secure a pivotal win against his former team, Arsenal.
Reflecting on the significant victory, Mavropanos expressed elation at claiming three points and entering the New Year on a high note. He conveyed, “We are really happy to get the three points and to go into the New Year with this result. It was a fantastic way to end the year. An amazing result away from here, especially here against Arsenal.”
The significance of scoring his maiden goal for West Ham in the Premier League at such a momentous venue was not lost on Mavropanos. He articulated, “What a day it was to get my first goal! What a place to do this as well, to score my first goal for West Ham in the Premier League. It was amazing.”
While the jubilation of this achievement beckoned him to celebrate, Mavropanos demonstrated respect towards his former club, acknowledging his tenure and the memories associated with Arsenal. He reflected, “Deep inside I really wanted to celebrate because I helped the team and in front of our fans as well. But I spent two or three years here and of course I respect Arsenal.”
The contest against Arsenal, a fixture that carried weight for both teams, unfolded as a resolute and successful encounter for West Ham, portraying the diligence of the players and the strategic prowess of the team. Mavropanos highlighted the significance of their gameplan, particularly emphasizing their adeptness in seizing counter-attacking opportunities to secure victory. He explained, “We knew that Arsenal is one of the best teams and there would be parts of the game where we would have to defend really hard. This is what we did with our plan, and we created a lot of situations for the counter-attack. We had them there and this is how we scored the goal.”
Furthermore, Mavropanos underscored the pivotal role of Tomáš Souček’s opening goal in laying the groundwork for their successful performance, citing its impact on energizing and galvanizing the team towards victory. He emphasized, “Getting that first goal gave us more energy and motivation to keep going. The first goal was really important for us and for the team.”
The triumph against Arsenal culminated a series of impressive victories for West Ham, marking the conclusion of a remarkable December with wins against strong contenders. Mavropanos reflected on this string of achievements as the team looks ahead to the New Year, expressing determination to sustain their positive momentum. He stated, “Having relished his first few months in Claret and Blue, the Greek international is now determined to continue the good form in the New Year.”
Significantly, he acknowledged the value of securing a second consecutive clean sheet while expressing the team’s eagerness to embrace the challenges and opportunities that the upcoming year holds. Mavropanos concluded, “It’s our second clean sheet in a row and it was really valuable for everyone. What a way to go into 2024. We are looking forward for the next game and the New Year to see what it will bring us.”
