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.
McAvennie back in the good old days – forty – yes, forty years ago!
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.
Nothing learnt from past pre-season’s no one brought in a negative thinking manager who should have been gone and with the lok of this squad it looks like a repeat of the last 2 seasons but in at a lower level. Talk of a 100 points and a bounce back seem a bit ambitious. I hope I’m wrong but with time run out I can’t see it
I haven’t taken pre season seriously since I was a kid . It’s all About building fitness and little else .
When the U21s play together, they pass the ball quickly and they know where the others will be instinctively. That is how they can pass the ball into space and the receiving player is already running into that same space. That is why it is quick and looks fluid. That’s hours of training together, small tweaks and changes.
Never see this instinctive cohesion with the 1st team, whatever that team might be.
Understand the idea of experimentation, moving players, but I don’t think the game against Rangers proved anything which works and as for bringing on Orford & about 4 other subs with 5 mins left in a pre-season friendly – why? Cornet came on for about 4 mins, raring to go, has a point to prove, never touched the ball and was visibly fed up.
Going to wait and see what recruitment team come up with and the manager’s intentions. Just hope he does not lose a shed load of points at the start nor play a failing midfield for too long – no idea what to expect.
Sincerely hope I’m wrong, but I’m afraid the only thing that’s changed is we have a weaker side. It’s going to be a long hard struggle to get out of the championship unless we start playing for ninety minutes ,with more emphasis on attacking football.
It didn’t look like Taty had his mind on the game yesterday and i forgot that Pablo was playing
We so lacked any threat up front and we were sloppy in midfield.
Hopefully someone has a cunning plan to overcome our deficiencies
Is it just me or is it whenever Ward-Prowse enters the fold we drop down to testemonial pace?
My gut feeling is Nuno will be gone by October…They won’t wait till Christmas if results don’t happen.