There’s been something of a split amongst the fan base over one Hammers signing of Graham Potter’s era, ever since his wobbly first four performances in a West Ham shirt.
Having been a big proponent of Mads Hermansen‘s recruitment from Leicester City last summer, it is perhaps ironic for me to re-open the debate on this platform about his London Stadium future. However, I’ve been guilty of a certain amount of ostrich-like head burying, despite what is seemingly staring me in the face: The Dane is not cutting it as a top level ‘keeper.
Yes, he has his strengths. Playing as a sweeper keeper, recycling the ball whilst looking 100% assured with the ball at his feet is all well, good, and an admirable ‘bolt on’ extra in a keeper. However, his failure to command his box, lingering vulnerability from set pieces and lets face it, somewhat diminutive stature for a goal keeper combines to suggest – with Areola’s future also looking uncertain – that the Hammers need to take bold action to recruit and replace one of the two in the January window.
Hermansen – the jury is still out, twelve months on from his calamitous debut games under Graham Potter
Even ignoring, for a second, the unkind ‘T rex” nickname given to Hermansen ( alluding to his apparent inability to reach out for the furthest or highest saves – long legs, short arms – in case you wondered!) the comments made by Hermansen’s Danish Manager made me pause for thought last week when ‘Mads’ found himself replaced by Chelsea loanee Filip Jorgensen for Denmark’s recent Norway clash:
“I think Filip has a little more range and Norway has been superb on set pieces….We also know that Norway likes to pull in from the wings and finish with these twisted kicks. Filip may also have a little more range there. But it is in close competition.“(yahoo sports)
A little more range? Code for ‘a couple of inches taller‘ maybe? I’d always defended Hermansen by saying he’s the same height as England ‘s Jordan Pickford but he’s been dropped in favour of James Trafford…..four inches taller than Pickford.
Whatever the argument about height, Hermansen lacks the command of his box and retains a vulnerability at set pieces which his international head coach has already worked out. As has every manager in the Championship.
Perhaps it is time to wake up, smell the coffee and bow to the critics who suggest the intensely likeable young man is simply not good enough to be the foundation of an aspiring Premier League defence. No doubt there’ll be readers commenting both for and against – but I suspect a number of his former advocates are having the same rethink.
Those luxury days when Ludo joined as Phil Parker’s was finishing his wonderful career are long gone. How they dominated their areas as well as making wonderful saves, giving us fans such confidence
Money, money, money.
Not our top priority and if we have any money surely a commanding centre half is our priority.
We just need to hope we have the cash to recruit the appropriate quality players if/when we are promoted at the end of the season.
Mamardashvile……he’s looking to be a starter not a bench warmer.
We have Herrick who has the craziness associated with keepers but also makes World Class saves.
I know what you mean about range with Hermansen but he has been generally pretty good this season and let’s be honest there aren’t an abundance of top keepers out there, I would have liked us to get Suzuki but he is now at Villa and imho we have bigger problems in defence and central midfield to solve ahead of the keeper situation and with the abundance of academy prospects perhaps a cost effective solution will emerge that saves us the expense?
Neither Hermansen nor Areola are Premier League standard. The keeper is the backbone of every defence and our defence is a Championship defence at best. If we aspire to be a top ten Premier League side, ALL of the back five need to be replaced at some point during the next twelve months.
For all his faults areola is a better keeper
This goes back to moyes who wouldn’t pay 17 million to Liverpool for kelleher who is now one of Europe’s top keepers. Moyes the gift that keeps on giving.