Roberto: Some poor distribution and flapping – will want to forget this one 4
Johnson Looking entirely comfortable on his fifth outing – could easily start the season 6
Zabaleta ( 71), What you see is what you get, found space down the right and did ok 5
Balbuena: Slipped up for the first Hertha goal and never looked entirely comfortable 5
(Ogbonna 60): Parson’s egg – good and bad …not truly the answer is he?
Diop: Didn’t look to have a great deal of faith in the keeper and not really on his game 5
Cresswell: No complaints today 6
Rice: Did well as usual – defended well and always looking for the out ball to set things off 7
(Sanchez 60): He’s had a tough time but was better today and produced a lovely pass for Diangana’s goal. 6
Wilshere: Quieter than in previous games but always looking to be involved 5
(Snodgrass 60) Had a terrific time and remains very much a part of this squad 6
Anderson: Still a bit hit and miss but always threatening and loads went through him 7
(Yarmolenko 60) Really starting to look the part – impressive outing 7
Fornals: Easy to see why the money was spent – forever looking for and taking up good positions 7
(Antonio 60) Powerhouse – got his goal and scared the defenders. Starting off where he finished off last term 7
Lanzini: Great goal – his second of pre-season but may still be short of his best generally 6
(Diangana 71) Enormous work rate. Scored one and perhaps should have had another when failing to get a touch in front of goal 6
Haller: At last we look to have a real striker. Strong imposing line leader who inspires confidence. 8
(Chicharito 71): Little impact again 3
Are you sure about Rice? He’s a good player indeed but today one to forget! Fornals..POT OF GOLD! That fella is going to ring the cash register for Gold and Sullivan..what a player
I don’t see the Johnson hype. Yes he has potential but all I saw was him losing the ball and getting beat far too often. His distribution and crossing was also poor. Don’t get me wrong I love the guy and want him to do well but people saying he should start the season as our right back are seeing him with rose tinted glasses!
Couldn’t agree more, his worst game of pre-season so far, cost us the 1st 2 goals today, I made a comment after the Fulham game that we should bring him on nice and easy. No doubting his potential but please stop the hype.
You have to be joking giving Cresswell a 6 . He was terrible again
Cresswell wasnt great to be honest
I can’t comment as I didn’t see the game but all im hearing is Johnson is nowhere near good enough ..I haven’t seen him play but Hugh and co seem to think he is the next big thing ,so witch is it.. My father had been in hospital so I’ve seen no football so can’t comment..????
Wilshere looks class worth much more than 5
Let’s all be honest it’s good going forward but we need to sort out the defence , we need another player or two .
Wilshere a 5, what did he do in the game. Gave no protection to his defense. He started the first 4 games last season and we lost them all, if he starts the first four this season we will lose them all is well. I don’t blame the back four as you can drive a bus through that midfield with Wilshere in there. Much improved when Sanchez appeared. Time to sign a quality midfielder with LEGS. This will significantly improve our defensive structure.
The good news is we were very clinical and look like we can score goals from lots of positions. Great competition for places in attacking midfield (look at how Antonio, Yarmo and Grady did second half). Fornals just looks like a complete midfielder to me.
On the other hand, we looked very weak defensively on both sides (not just the full-backs but lazy covering from Lanzini and Anderson first half). Roberto looks a poor replacement for Adrian, so that’s a worry.
Lots of attacking talent but I think/hope we’ll see a pragmatic team selection when it comes to the likes of Citeh. Expect to see Antonio play more than expected, maybe Yarmo also. It’s great to have ability on the ball but we have to be harder to score against. Defending as a team and all that..
I truly think the club will regret not strengthening the defence before the season kicks off. For years it’s been clear for all to see that if you want to beat West Ham, you go at us down the wing. More examples in today’s match despite it being just a friendly. Johnson has potential but that is all. He also looked fairly slow today and was being left for dead just as Zabaleta would have been. Fredericks is pacy but the jury is still out. Right side is iffy but it’s on the left where we’re really poor. Both Cresswell and Masuaku are positionally suspect. The amount of times they seem to think they’re in a back three and just leave their man to do what they like, it’s crazy. Cresswell is often injured. Masuaku really only should be used as a wing back. We are so short of quality it’s painful.
It’s questionable if there’s a point building a fantastic front line (which we undoubtedly have) if we are just going to let teams walk through us. A left back is the priority before the window shuts, we will also need another CB and possibly a RB next summer. Spend anything we have on a left back and get a freebie up front.
He’s like a better, younger and hopefully injury free version of Andy Carroll
Parson’s egg? Curate’s egg, surely.
West Ham score 5 goals and everyone is complaining about the defence!
If we wanted defence and boring football we’d be screaming for the return of BFS Allardici and then decry the loss of the ‘the West Ham way’…..?