Thinly veiled criticism of team mates shows where West Ham need to up their game

Whilst the bookies may have been a little hasty to install West Ham as the pre – season odds on favourites to bounce back to the Premier League at the first attempt, supporters who have watched three pre season games now will be painfully aware of the shortcomings in the squad which has been depleted by the sale and departure of half of the starting XI.

Supporters knew that Summerville and Fernandes were the most likely candidates to depart the club and bring in much needed funds – however, not many would have expected to be two weeks from the new season without a single addition to the unbalanced squad which showed its painful one speed, one dimensional football yesterday against Rangers.

Captain Jarrod Bowen’s comments amount to a thinly veiled criticism, an accurate critique of his own team mates:

“..This is the closest we’re going to get to a competitive match in terms of a crowd, a full crowd, our crowd being here, the opposition that we’re going to play against.

It was a really big test for us, and at times I thought it was sloppy on our behalf, it wasn’t the level, but then at other times I thought we upped the level well and could have maybe got a couple of goals at the end of the game, but it wasn’t to be.” (whufc.com)

Former Hammers legend Frank McAvennie called out the West Ham side for ‘strolling‘ around Ibrox Park (insidefutbol.com) – both he and Bowen correctly pointing the finger at a one paced, lethargic Hammers display.

Whilst the intensity may have risen with the introduction of Earthy, Orford, Ajala and Co. midway through the second half there’s no doubt that the focus and pace needs to step up if the Hammers are to come close to justifying that odds- on favourite mantel.

In case the management or fans missed it, Wrexham yesterday overcame Premier League Leeds United at a canter and will, alongside every other Championship side, be itching to take a crack at the Hammers in their now reduced circumstances.

I’m not sure that the Irons are quite ready for what is about to hit them next month when the Championship kicks off and without at least four, decent recruits to plug the gaps left by first team players leaving, without wishing to puncture the sense of optimism around the club just now, there’s a sense that it could all get very messy.