BY the end of the first 45 minutes West Ham seemed to be almost up to the same pace of their opponents, having started by comparison the more lethargic-looking of the two sides. Rangers were snapping into challenges, frequently dispossessing Kanté and Lamadrid in midfield as the Irons looked short of a quality midfielder capable of holding the ball and linking the play. Which, of course, they are.
Several Hammers wore the bruises from their hosts’ determination not to let them settle: There’ll be ice packs aplenty after that half that saw the Hammers’ sole shot come via a James Ward Prowse free kick that caused Rangers goal keeper Ivor Pandur little stress in a comfortable, low near-post save.
Other than that it was available 45 minutes in the ‘first XI’s’ legs with little of note. Taty looked his customary, combative self but generally West Ham looked short on quality and inspiration as the struggled to impose themselves. Is this the slowest West Ham side since – the last one? No changes this time at half time.
West Ham came out in a more aggressive mood in the second half and went toe – to – toe with their opponents but the lack of pace was evident across the pitch and must be rectified. From Scarles, through the centre of the pitch and up-front, the lack of ability to take on defenders is stark.
Surely, patience must be starting to wear thin with Nuno’s mate’s son Pablo: Can’t score, can’t anticipate, can’t distribute: The warning flags, surely, are waving frantically. How much longer do you give the player that still looks as if he’s been plucked from the crowd to make up the numbers.
Looking more assured than last summer: Mads Hermansen
A couple of excellent ‘claims’ in his own ‘box and one great save from a free kick seems to show Hermansen to be free of nerves and jitters that set fans’ nerves jangling last August; A great save from a Rangers header mid way through the second half underlining his confidence.
Interesting changes at 72′: The youthful element arrives with Ajala, Earthy, Orford and Potts replacing Kante, Lamadrid, Ward Prowse and Taty.
More changes at 84′ as Marshall, Cornet, Golambeckis Mayers and Casey came on for Bowen, Mavropanos, Walker Peters and Pablo, which meant the age decreased and the sprightliness shot up for the last few minutes to no avail. Hermansen and Kilman the sole survivors form the starting whistle.
Full time, more minutes in the legs but little to get excited about against a Rangers team two weeks closer to their first fixture.
I think Elvis my tortoise has a chance of making this squad. We have to get some pace in and a playmaker No.10 otherwise this is going to be boring. We can probably hold onto the ball and dictate games but we need some fire up front, or certainly linking the front with the back. We are exposed to the quick break and a 1-0 defeat the way we are now.
With Pablo falling short of expectations in attack, that is one important position where a better new option should be hired.
Glad i read your report i am cancelling my season ticket already as clearly the team is rubbish and will only be fighting relegation again…….
Not sure what others thought but I felt we should have been paid to watch that pony.
If that’s the starting line up better hope there are some transfer rabbits in the hat.
Kante is not a CDM he is a box 2 box player, LaMadrid is also not a central midfielder and JWP is not a winger, Nuno needs to stop with the experiments and play players in their natural positions.
I thought we were better with all the substitutions than we weee with the starting lineup, a lot more fluid, more aggressive without the ball and had more cutting edge.
But that’s the problem: “play players in their natural positions”.. there aren’t any wingers or creative midfielders.
That was awful couldn’t pass any sort of decent play at all. Martin Your description of Pablo is so spot on. I am also amazed how easily he falls over. He had a number of opportunities where it looked like he just needed to pull the trigger and failed to even shoot on each occasion. I actually thought La-Madrid was decent, yes he did give away a few fouls but wasn’t dirty and was better than I expected. The whole team seemed incapable of passing and yet again it seemed to me the replacements seemed better than the main 11.
To be fair to Pablo, he is being played out of position.