There was much to be encouraged about following West Ham’s Premier League defeat against Manchester City. In many respects, I feel more positive after witnessing the Erling Haaland super show than I did following the League Cup win against Bournemouth.
The fact that the Hammers remained in the game until late on was a testament to our perseverance, and there were occasions in the second half when an equaliser seemed possible.
One of the major positives from the final 45 minutes was the performance of Mohammed Kudus. After a poor start to the game, the Ghanaian managed to find a way to impact the match and break free from the constraints of the left wing.
However, a pattern is beginning to emerge where Kudus struggles to influence the game from the left-hand side. Eventually, through his own efforts and tactical adjustments, he finds a way into the game, but his starting role remains ineffective.
At his best, Kudus is a borderline world-class player and, most importantly, a goal threat. When cutting in from the right-hand side or playing centrally, he can unleash his powerful shot and wreak havoc on opposing defences.
If I were an opposing manager, I’d prefer to see the Hammers rampaging attacker on the left wing, where he can be forced onto his weaker foot or guided down the line to cross.
Lopetegui is missing out on a significant asset and goal threat by deploying Kudus in an unfavourable position, and I suspect he knows it. The former Ajax man gave a telling interview to the official club website in July, where he praised the new West Ham coach and declared, “He knows how to get the best out of a right winger.”
As always, the international break has come at the wrong time, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see a tactical tweak when the Irons resume Premier League action.
Have to agree, he’s near impossible to knock off the ball. Has good vision, and range of passing.
Not to mention he can score inside the box, outside the box, and if he’s too far away, he can dribble it into a goal scoring position.
Elephant in the room is dropping Paquetta, he’s a luxury we can afford with a 2 goal cushion, but at times a liability without.
Hope to see Summerville on the left, Kudus in the centre, Bowen on the right come Craven Cottage.
Honestly think we can start to dominate teams with the right formation.
There were spells in the game yesterday that we looked really good against probably the best team in the world.
Onwards and upwards.
If paqueta plays pants the next game I’d drop him. But I’d like to see,
Awb-Kilman-Mav-Emerson
Bowen-Alvarez-Paq-Summerville
Kudos
Fullkrug
Let Guilherme take Paqs place might kick him up the ass a bit.
Now that the Hammers have assembled a first team squad which is fit for purpose, the happy position that Lopetegui finds himself in is how to fit the talent he has available into an effective eleven on the pitch. We have yet to see Soler, who appears to be suited to the Paqueta role, and space surely has to found for Summerville and Todibo. Leaving aside the central striking position, which still seems to be an unresolved issue, notwithstanding that Fullkrug needs more time, the midfield player whose form has yet to return to the heights of last season is Paqueta. So with this in mind the acquisition of Soler (with no option or obligation to buy?) makes perfect sense in both the short, and possibly, long term. It is worth noting also that Kudus himself favours playing through the middle apart from the right wing role.
Based on the four games to date, it seems that the whole team struggles in the first half, not just Kudus yesterday. Our second half performances have been much improved in every game. To me, there’s a wider issue to get us on the front foot in the first half (albeit we were very good for the first 5 minutes yesterday.
I don’t see much point in Paqueta right now. Every game he gives the ball away in dangerous positions and is responsible, far too many times, for other teams’ chances or goals. Plus his ability to get win the ball back when he loses it are almost non-existent. But would Kudus have been more effective in the middle as a replacement? He was an escape route for us out wide and is a much better ball carrier than anyone else in the team. Summerville is too lightweight for that role that was needed against City. Kudus may be more effective as a goal threat on the right or through the middle but his dribbling and close ball control are what is needed more than that against some opponents, hence his position on the left. It’s a tricky conundrum. Maybe he should replace Antonio, who like Paqueta, seems to offer very little right now?
Totally agree. LP was the weakest link in the match, and has been for a long time, especially against City!
He is so full of talent but fanny’s about and it’s so frustrating to watch.
Yeah
Three games in is hardly enough of a sample to make a declaration about how Kudus is being ‘wasted’.
Particularly, when Kudus played in a similar role for most of last season.
IF Kudus is a ‘borderline world-class talent’ then it will matter little if he’s left, right or centre, he will shine.
When you play against a good team like Man City and you provide him too much respect without a close marking. And a strategy to break their play before they get close to your 18 box. Then the probability for you to concede more is very high. That is s the coaching system of pep he breaks his opponents attack with close tackling before they get close. And teams with strategy like these concede less since they a appear threatening and that is why in the second half when we decided to break their play before they came close it was working. In matches like these a good coach plays good dribblers behind the attackers so Kudus was supposed to play behind the attackers with three back midfielders before the diffence… Our new coach will need to begin changing things…..
The answer is clear. Summerville (a natural left winger), Bowen (right), Kudus (10) and Fullkrug as the 9. Drop Paqueta. Antonio is done. Offers nothing.
👍🏻
This would be my preferred choice too, Mr. Lurve.
Sullivan choose Fullkrug over Duran, & proved a point to Villa ? I think this was a major error & not only players ages, Duran is fast & mobile, as Fullkrug looks static & slow. Its early days but Duran has won 2 games for Villa, & not seeing much from Fullkrug
I agree with the general thrust of the comments – the improvement in the second half seemed to come from moving Alvarez into a back three so we could have a 3-4-3 of
Areola
Mavro Alvarez Kilman
Wan Bissaka Rodriguez Soler/Soucek Emerson
Bowen Kudus Sommerville / Paqeta
or a slightly adjusted 3 – 5 – 2
Agree with Saul about Paqeta – it looks like the best scenario is that the charges against him get dropped and he leaves on a big fee (Pep still hugged him after the game) and solves all of our PSR worries
I can understand why Ings decided not to leave – if the competition for the central striker role is Antonio and Fullkrug then he is right to fancy his chances
To all the fans salivating over our “perfect” transfer window – I checked on the internet and found that in Slaven’s first transfer window he signed Payet, Lanzini, Ogbonna, Pedro Obiang, Antonio, Jelavic, Stephen Hendrie, Darren Randolph and Victor Moses
That lot did quite well in the first season (with victories over Liverpool, Man City, Arsenal and Man Utd) – so over to you J-Lo let us see how you do
Kudos must play in the middle,
Summerville, kudos,paqueta,bowen
Fullkrug up top.
4-4-1-1 kudos behind fullkrug and then we’ll see all our players at our best playing in the right set up and position. We must keep the ball more and play and create our own chances not relying on counter attacks all the time, needs to be mixed. Alvarez and Roddie in the middle will be a solid midfield, wan bissaka must start over coufal and I like coufal but awb is better fitter smarter and more skillful (nice on the eye to watch, which we all want). Antonio walked around against city if he wasn’t sprinting 40yards to nowhere, ok relieves pressure but at what cost, a hamstring just to give them the ball back. Killman/Mavrapanos will get better and gel to be a solid pairing as games go by just like alvi and roddingthats what i think anyways, each to their own ⚒️
Not a difficult decision . Bench Paqueta who is a liability . Play Kudus through the middle . Paqueta struts around and constantly gives the ball away or gets caught in possession . He is an expensive luxury and contributes nothing but a few minutes of skill which rarely effect the outcome of the game . Strong teams are solid through the middle .. we have Paquetta and the pedestrian German waste of money … say no more. COYI
I’ve posted before saying Kudas centre, Bowen Right & Young Somerville left. Paqueta needs to be dropped he’s become very sloppy and to casual at times. His mistake gave City their first goal yesterday even if the pass from Emerson was t the best. ⚒⚒⚒
Chelsea, Liverpool and Man City have an important common factor.
Man City mainly but all of them have built teams to accommodate Haaland, Palmer and Mo Salah.
JLo has the troops_Bowen/Kudus/Summerville and Paqueta (if he can find form which he possesses).
Kudus has his preferred role in middle of field and to keep him happy this is where he should be.
Kudus should be the man who the team is built around.
Whether JLo would allow this to happen is questionable.
Without doubt a striker is still needed and Antonio should only be introduced at last 20 minutes.
Agreed they did play much better second half and it is early days with so many new players.
I know we’ve heard it before but it is early days. We have to give Julen a few months to discover what he has and a few months more to get them playing the way he might want. A work in progress. In the meantime, we will safely suffer in 13th – 15th position in the PL. We will be unfortunate against Liverpool in Carabao. We will be unlucky to draw Man City in FA Cup and although we will put up an improved performance, we will still be beaten. After that, we will be told that we are improving and have a better squad than in seasons past. We just need time and luck.
Hope I’m wrong – big time.
Don’t want excuses. Just want something to inspire and put a smile on my face.
COYI
Kudus is coming along fine. He is a classic example of how playing in the PL gives a player visibility, increases his value and (unfortunately) puts him in the shop window for the monied clubs. Border line world class? He had a couple of decent chances yesterday. When he takes those chances maybe.
I think Bowen is the key factor. Kudus is far more effective coming in from the right and Bowen has proved in the past that although its not his preferred position he can play centrally, especially when JL doesn`t play to a target man and he can alternate with Kudos to give some speed and variation up front and use Fulkrug as a plan B. would definitely give Todebo and Soler a run of games as both are quality players
The coach wants Bowen as the face of the team and not Kudus hence his decision to deploy him on the left. Can u imagine a front trio of Summerville- Bowen-Kudus? Or betterstill Kudus centrally(midfield) as he does for Ghana? Teams would be terrified of us. But no, this coach cannot see what even the average Hammer can see. It makes me think some coaches do not have superior knowledge that the average football fan. It’s just try n error for them.