No West Ham player is in the spotlight more than goalkeeper Mads Hermansen so far this season and many feel the £15.5m new boy is simply too small.
If one person is laughing to himself about West Ham’s goalkeeper predicament right now it will be John Victor.
The Hammers left the Brazilian twiddling his thumbs at the airport as they used him in order to force Leicester into a agreeing a deal for Mads Hermansen.
After Graham Potter elected to release Lukasz Fabianski, West Ham needed a new goalkeeper.
With Alphonse Areola inconsistent, Potter wanted a new number one.
Hermansen was his pick on the advice of West Ham’s new goalkeeper coach Casper Angergren, who oversaw the 25-year-old’s development at Brondby.
The Hammers had walked away from the deal with Leicester reportedly demanding over £30m for Hermansen initially.
But the Victor ploy worked and a deal was agreed for just over half that figure.
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That makes Hermansen the most expensive goalkeeper signing in West Ham’s 130-year history.
On the evidence so far, it is safe to say the jury is well and truly out on whether that has been a disastrous use of limited funds.
Hermansen has struggled so badly in his first four games as West Ham’s number one that some fans have nicknamed him ‘the new Roberto’.
There have been flashes that Hermansen is a capable shot stopper.
And he is clearly good on the ball with quality distribution. Leicester fans raved about him when West Ham completed the deal, with many feeling he was worth double the amount.
The biggest concern at West Ham is that Hermansen seems simply too small.
Mads Hermansen concedes during West Ham United v Chelsea - Premier League
Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images
After being at fault for a number of goals in his first two games, Spurs targeted Hermansen on every single set-piece and throw-in.
Hermansen has struggled badly to command his box, not helped by Potter blindly sticking to zonal marking.
West Ham have conceded 32 corners in their four Premier League games, a new record.
Shipping six goals from them already is another unwelcome new record too.
Tottenham’s first and second goals in the rout of West Ham were not explicitly Hermansen’s fault.
But they are the result of his lack of presence, command, reach and ability to fill the goal.
Hermansen was in no man’s land for the killer second goal and as Lucas Bergvall’s header looped over him and evaded his reach, West Ham fans had seen enough.
Do West Ham really have a big problem with a little goalkeeper?
Almost in unison the entire fanbase was cursing the fact their goalkeeper is too small.
Many have also asked was Areola really that bad to be dropped in favour of the Denmark international.
And with Fabianski returning to replace Wes Foderingham, some have even predicted it won’t be long until the Pole is in pole once again as the club’s number one.
But do West Ham really have a big problem with little Hermansen, or is it just a theory born of frustration and the need for a scapegoat?
The Danish goalkeeper’s lack of height has come under scrutiny, with fans and pundits questioning whether his size is proving a weakness for the Hammers.
One Spurs star made it clear Hermansen is a big problem for West Ham in a rather embarrassing admission for Potter.
They say size isn’t everything and that good things come in small packages.
But there is a reason Pep Guardiola, the man regarded as one of – if not the – best managers in world football has just gone out and signed one of the biggest goalkeeper in the Premier League.
Mads Hermansen is beaten as Spurs score from a corner against West Ham
Photo by IAN KINGTON/AFP via Getty Images
Is Hermansen small for a Premier League goalkeeper?
At a time when the ball is in play less than it’s ever been as clubs look to take advantage of long throws and complex set-pieces.
The fact Guardiola has opted for a huge goalkeeper like Gianluigi Donnarumma, who is not the most comfortable with the ball at his feet, speaks volumes.
Potter has gone the other way by signing a stopper who has far less stature but is decent on the ball.
But is Hermansen really that small?
Well the answer is a resounding yes.
In fact there are only two first choice goalkeepers in the entire Premier League who are smaller than West Ham’s number one Hermansen.
The Hammers’ new boy is 187cm tall, that’s just over 6ft 1in.
For context, Donnarumma is a full 9cm bigger at 196cm, or over 6ft 4in.
Hermansen is 8cm smaller than 6ft 4in Areola and is even 3cm shorter than 6ft 2in Fabianski.
He’s also nearly 10cm shorter than Victor, who would be in the top five biggest Premier League ‘keepers if he was number one.
The only number ones in the Premier League who are smaller than Hermansen are Everton’s Jordan Pickford – often noted for his lack of stature, not that it has held him back as England’s number one – and, rather surprisingly, Arsenal’s David Raya.
Pickford is 2cm smaller than Hermansen at 185cm.
Spaniard Raya is 183cm, 4cm smaller than Hermansen at 6ft.
Raya does not seem to have issues from set-plays and being targeted, though.
And that is because Mikel Arteta’s defence are clearly far superior to West Ham’s and offer Raya more protection.
Raya also has more command of his area than Hermansen, probably for the same reason.
So if you have been looking at Hermansen and thinking he looks small for a goalkeeper, you would be right.
Whether he is too small, time will tell.
But if Potter persists with him – and zonal marking – and Hermansen continues to struggle the big problem will be the manager’s as it will cost him his job.
Every number one Premier League goalkeeper in height order:
Player Club Height Diff. to Hermansen
Altay Bayındır Man United 6ft 5in +11cm
Nick Pope Newcastle United 6ft 5in +11cm
Lucas Perri Leeds United 6ft 4.6in +10cm
Robert Sanchez Chelsea 6ft 4.6in +10cm
Gianluigi Donnarumma Man City 6ft 4in +9cm
Emiliano Martínez Aston Villa 6ft 3.9in +8cm
Djorde Petrovic Bournemouth 6ft 3.6in +7cm
Guglielmo Vicario Spurs 6ft 3.6in +7cm
Alisson Becker Liverpool 6ft 3.3in +6cm
Robin Roefs Sunderland 6ft 3.3in +6cm
Bart Verbruggen Brighton 6ft 3.3in +6cm
Jose Sa Wolves 6ft 2.9in +5cm
Martin Dubravka Burnley 6ft 2.6in +4cm
Bernd Leno Fulham 6ft 2.3in +3cm
Dean Henderson Crystal Palace 6ft 1.6in +1cm
Caoimhín Kelleher Brentford 6ft 1.6in +1cm
Matz Sels Nottingham Forest 6ft 1.6in +1cm
Mads Hermansen West Ham 6ft 1.3in N/A
Jordan Pickford Everton 6ft 0.6in -2cm
David Raya Arsenal 6ft -4cm