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.
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 ….
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
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.