Hammers lose on pens but lots to admire

Irons 2 Atheltico Bilbao 2 

Bilbao won 4-2 on pens

So in the end most found a stream and saw the Hammers lose out in a penalty shoot out 4-2 but not before they had come from two down and at times played some really decent football.

But these slow starts and sloppy defending have to end if we aren’t going to continually make life tough for ourselves although with the outstanding Seb Haller up front we are always going to score goals.

The Frenchman set up both goals after an own goal which I missed as I hunted for that available stream.

However, after that he showed himself  such a strong and imposing individual, incredibly hard to shake off the ball and provided a great assist for a Fornals overhead kick to allow  Lanzini’s third goal of pre-season.

Within a minute he had supplied another assist for Jack Wilshere – who had a fine game – to snatch an equaliser. On what I saw – having missed his clanger – Haller would have been my man of the match.

Bilbao provided ideal opposition ahead of the big  kick off playing a brand of attacking  football which provided a stern test at times.

But the Irons acquitted themselves well and Lanzini’s growing influence is a factor that is starting to count although the worries at the back go on and those early goals are becoming a bad habit.

With both teams committed to attack it was surprising that we saw no further goals after the break although the Spaniards were fortunate that their keeper was bang on the case to save at Chicharito’s feet midway through the second 45 minutes.

At the end of it all we are sure of one thing – there look to be loads of goals on the way at the London Stadium this season with still lots of work required at the back.