The international break has been full of surprises for West Ham‘s participants. Not all of them good. The humbling of Dinos Mavropanos Greece side by the seven goal Dutch. Tomas Soucek’s return to the Czech side marked by a late mistake. Manor Solomon’s complete exclusion from the Israel side.
Few, surely, would have expected the headlines this morning to be fêting one West Ham player who has been roundly condemned for his domestic form.
Mads Hermansen had conceded eleven goals – without making a save – in his last four appearances in the Championship and had one of the worst shot to saves ratio within the division.
On top form for Denmark – is it the man or is it his defence? Parker has a conundrum.
And yet, yesterday he almost single handedly kept out the Portugal attack as his Denmark national side trounced their opponents 4-1 with the Dane making eight saves.
Pretty much more than he’s managed in fifteen starts for West Ham, in one ninety minute spell when he was only beaten in added time. Labelled as ‘superb’ by his own club web site but as ‘sublime’ by one football.com, the Dane has thrown down the gauntlet (goal keeping gloves) to his critics and has thrown a selection curve ball for Scott Parker, with West Ham fans clamouring for the Danish shot stopper to be dropped in favour of the apparently unfit Alphonse Areola.
85% of West Ham fans, to be exact. Now that leaves Scott Parker with a real dilemma. Fortunately Hermansen will have another outing on Tuesday against Norway before returning to Rush Green, giving the West Ham coach more food for thought.
Several West Ham accounts on line overnight have leapt to the conclusion that Hermansen’s West Ham form must be completely down to the woeful defence ahead of him. They may have a point. It is quite possible also that Hermansen has the confidence to perform better on the international stage in front of a group of supporters who aren’t on his back for 90 minutes. That may also be true.
Shambolic defence. Also a bit closer to home and his own fans turning on him and jeering his every mistake (in their eyes) and the online echo chambers like this one.
Some of the goals scored against us in the last few games have been truly spectacular and Hermansen cannot be blamed for them. We need to look at our defenders who at times can’t seem to get themselves in the correct positions when the opposition is attacking, Morato and Ollie Scarles are the worst offenders for positional sense. It would also help to have either Magassa or Alverez in as defensive midfielders.
We have a bad defence and an equally bad goalkeeper in Hermanson.Yes he played out of his skin for Denmark yesterday but when i look back at some of the goals he has let in for West Ham in which he doesn’t even seem to attempt to stop the ball he is very much underperforming.
If he made eight saves then by definition the Denmark defence was porous. The defence don’t make saves, they either do or don’t allow the chances from which the keeper makes saves.
You’ve hit the nail squarely on the head with the questions raised in your last paragraph Martin. Put a half competent defence in front of him and some supporters, in the true sense of the word, behind him and he will be great.
We have a number of considerably more urgent recruitment conundrums to solve before worrying about our goalkeeper.
It’s us Gonzo. How much more proof do we need. It’s not the goalkeepers at fault It’s Kilman and the terrible defending
He didn’t have a Kilman – Dinos pair in front of him and no defensive midfielder in front of them
If it was Disasi – Dinos with Alvarez or Magassa, then Hermansen could produce Premiership class
Who is our goalkeeper is not the problem
The defence has been shambolic, for a few years now.
We need to sort that out (CB, LB) and also the striker department needs sorting real soon.
We should of kept the Northam Irish lad, and got rid of the other 2 wasters.