Whether this game was an irrelevance or a benchmark with which to test ourselves depends on your outlook. West Ham came up short against a modest Premier League side in a game that will soon be forgotten as the season unfolds.
But it contains a valuable lesson which was repeated time and again last season, ignored in the summer window and one which may yet come back to bite us.
Using the same defence that failed last year is asking for trouble and simply means West Ham are frequently giving sides a head start.
In the Championship we will probably get away with it: Strikers don’t hit the target as regularly, chances go begging – but having centre backs that go AWOL and don’t even get in a challenge will get punished time and again in the top tier – as was demonstrated by Fulham’s clinical forwards when presented with gifts last night.
West Ham fixed it in January with the loaning of a decent centre back and despite ignoring it in the summer window, the chances are, they’ll have to fix it again with a new centre back pairing. Until they do, the recurring theme will be dropping precious points.
One of the big positives: Pablo scores his first West Ham goal during the EFL Cup game against Fulham
Positives? Loads. The very attitude of this team that spoke of not folding, but coming back twice from behind and almost three times.
Engels delivery, Pablo’s first goal for the club, Bowen and Solomon’s impact from the bench, Kanté’s driving runs…soon enough the Hammers can get back to playing sides at their own level and hopefully return to winning ways at The Den.
But relying on defenders who switch off every in every game they play (and, incidentally, inexplicably making the more meek of the duo the side’s captain last night) hasn’t worked, didn’t work and won’t work.
In the meantime congratulate Pablo for breaking his goal drought in such style – that was a challenging angle and the young forward took it like a 20-a- year man: Let us hope the floodgates open and we look back at this game as his personal turning point.
Agree with Peter 100%
No need to apologies to Brian he doesn’t remember the Southampton game. The youth played exceptionally well but most players were out of position last night.
Engels was poor,one decent set piece the other woeful.
The senior players let us down and so so did Nuno. This shows that he doesn’t learn and has to tinker to the extent he’s confused what to do.
Pablo scoring won’t do us much good. His overall play was dire again. Now he’ll be coming on after 60 minutes. Our senior defensive players thought they were PL again. Golambekis should have started and at least come on at half time with Morato in the middle.
The manager selected a team to lose. No desire to progress in the competition and no thoughts for the fans
Where was a wide right player ? Walker peters got no help what so ever. robinson was having a field day. I blame nuno again 20 mil for one goal nothing else.
C&H sounded the alarm when Orford was missing from the squad after the Southampton game – only to re-appear later so it was probably a knock
So it is possible that either Estbo or Bioro or both are carrying knocks
Nuno is very secretive about knocks and absences – after the team leaks when Bilic was in charge it is not entirely a bad thing (tho he takes it to extremes)
Currently full-back seems to be our weak spot – maybe Magassa could fix it (if Liverpool can do it so can we playing a midfielder at full back)
We weren’t so bad last night. Is it really suprising we aren’t at PL standard with this squad? Anyway – Couple of things did stand out – Walker-Peters is a terrible defensive RB. Yet again he came up short. We need Veltman back. Second, Golumbeckis is head and shoulders better than Kilman so pick him for Christ sake. And finally, and unfortunately, Orford is a liability defensively. I love the kid but he is miles off what is needed in a professional midfield. Can’t stroll back as we are caught on the break time after time. That second goal last night, coming as it did from a 50 yard ball straight over his head, said it all. Finally – Go Pablo!
The difference between Wrexham and Fulham was like night and day. We played pretty much our full strength eleven against Wrexham but we didn’t against Fulham. How can we be surprised by the results.
A lot of good comments here and I think it tells us that NES doesn’t really know what he is doing. The Kilman-Mavropanos partnership should have been broken up and never used again. What on earth is wrong with playing Golambeckis ar CB – he has surely earnt the chance.
Golambeckis_perhaps against Millwall along with Magassa and Alvarez
It is difficult to understand why Nuno is persisting with Kilman . It took him half a seson to realise why we were shipping goals so easily and he changed personel but the damage had been done. Kilman’s multiple errors and lack of defensive qualities were one of the main reasons for relegation . Last night he was again awful . Out of position ,letting balls go under his feet or through his legs and a pathetic attempt at a clear header towards goal skimmed off the top of his head for a goal kick . He cannot jump .For a big man he has zero aerial ability . Wake up Nuno . He took us down last season and he is in danger of keeping us down this season ….
Kilman can hardly be held solely accountable for West Ham’s relegation?
He only made 17 Prem starts, none after January, and was just 1 player….
Have a look at goals conceded and points gained before Xmas and how many after Xmas …. There were three major reasons we went down ….. Kilman’s errors and awful defending , Paqueta who was a total waste of space and the ongoing ownership of Sullivan . Kilman cannot be depended upon and gives Dino no support . He is totally offensively useless and gets in everyones way in defence . Among top 3 worse every players to play25 games in the shirt .
In danger of keeping us down this season? We are top of the league with Kilman playing every game. I don’t think he’s premier league standard but pretty good at championship level and has been fine in the league games. Not his fault the club paid 40 million, get promoted with him then sell to whoever goes down.
I’m not too alarmed by our CB pairing, it was likely that we’d get the same types of mistakes and drops in concentration that in the PL would lead to a loss of confidence. That said we’ll likely get away with it most of the time in the Championship. When this season ends it’ll be another amortised meaning less of a loss selling at a lower price. Mav has shown he can perform with a solid partner so that just leaves Kilman.
NES tried using 4 midfielders and I had wondered if that would ever happen because we have so many good midfielders, but it must take a lot of practice for players to know exactly what to do. Apparently Cruyff played 3-4 (diamond)-3 at Barcelona. Would have been interesting with Golambeckis as sweeper, as he reads the game so well! He should have played on merit alone – could be an exceptional player.
I am disappointed though, because this proves NES does not sufficiently trust
ex-academy players to represent WHU. They are stand-ins for 1st team players who need a rest, grabbing minutes here and there, filling out the squad. Bad for the future.
Against Soton that was NES giving up on the cup, but in fact, the ex-academy players played some very good & effective football, outplayed Soton and this is what is ignored and already forgotten, while to me it is an effective but very different style of play the 1st team could use as an alternative.
U21 style is one-touch football, progressing quickly up the pitch, sometimes through the centre and this would be a great alternative to the NES 4-4-2 game plan (which is brave and great to have👍). However, pity we missed out on an opportunity to implement & practice this style of football which is second nature to all the youngsters, ex-academy and suits Bowen, Solomon, Piroe, etc. You are not using the ex-academy players properly if you do not use it as a chance to play some attractive U21 style football.
This team was a hodge-podge of ideas (Pablo with Ajala does not fit) with a scattering of replacement ex-academy players here or there, while they could have formed the core of the team if the manager trusted them enough and was willing to play another, equally effective style of football.
Anyhow, manager tried something out and most of all Pablo scored!! I was not at the LS but nevertheless was applauding Pablo as he walked off the pitch – brilliant.
sorry. For what it matters meant ‘NES 4-2-4 game plan’ with 2 CMs, 4 forwards on a pitch.
cheers
How long do you think the media & fanbase would endure West Ham getting tonked 5-0 every week, while the youngsters learn & adapt to Championship football, before they’d be calling for NES to be fired?
Lovely idea of truly bringing through the Academy players, but football just isn’t that patient nowadays
Hello Brian, I meant playing a majority of ex-academy players in the cup only, along with a few regulars. 1st teamers get rested, U21 style gets a bit of practice and I think would take the game to Fulham as they did against Soton.
Otherwise in league games same selection as now if you like, but sometimes play what I call an U21 style of football as a tactical switch from the very good 4-2-4 NES game plan which is very attacking & brave I think; but uses players in a different way.
Just 2 styles of play, no major team changes in the league.
Nice option to have, use cup as chance to practice and use in the league when manager wants to switch from his 4-2-4 game plan. Both should suit the 1st team as have many skillful players. Being familiar with it ex-academy players will become more usable as subs in the league, which sees them play more and good all round.
that’s what I meant. Sorry if not clearer 1st time round.
cheers
Kilman was back to his glorious best, let’s not forget he gave them another golden opportunity in the last few minutes by stumbling around.
Don’t care what division he’s in, he’s a liability .
Goalkeeper doesn’t look great for a number two, but with Kilman in front of him….
in reality we’re not winning this cup, so the extra game wouldn’t help us with the amount of games we have , so we move on to more important things at hand.
Where was Austbo and Boirio, surely this was a game to try both out, and if we’re looking to build a squad for the season, Magassa should have come on regardless of Fulham’s 3rd goal, give him minutes, instead of Scarles — Nuno’s made worse choices for players out of position!
Shame we lost, could have given the youngsters another run out in the next round
Hello Steve F – You’re right about Magassa. WIth players like Engels, Orford, Kante around him, he would fit in well. Pity did not get to see him get his chance.
Peter, Steve F – you are both so right. Nuno’s conundrum – so many holes and only one shovel.
Fulham can only play the team in front of them. Change our team and Fulham adapt. We all might like to be able to play the last 15 minutes again with some of our suggested changes but would that necessarily change the result? Maybe if Taty had been able to touch the ball over the line when he had the chance and we somehow managed to win the penalty shoot-out, we could be singing Nuno’s praises and looking forward to further experiments in the next round.
That said, I do think that our defence is better suited to the Championship and the rest of the team will find it more difficult without that base behind the pressing style. Without an adequate defence the rest of the side have to drop back and we lose any advantages of attack.
Keep up the good work, guys. Keep those thoughts coming.
PS. Observations well made Martin.
COYI