West Ham may have ended a dismal season on a winning note but there are more questions than answers after a deeply worrying display.
Graham Potter has been talking about the importance of West Ham ending the season on a positive.
Well he has managed that with the Hammers beating already relegated Ipswich Town 3-1 in the season finale.
But nobody at West Ham should be fooled by that scoreline.
If it were not for Jarrod Bowen, West Ham would likely have lost this game.
Bowen’s brilliant assist for a James Ward-Prowse tap-in put the Hammers 1-0 up.
Bowen outdid himself by going one better and scoring with a stunning strike from outside the box which restored West Ham’s lead after some woeful defending – particularly from Jean-Clair Todibo – had let Ipswich back into the game.
Mohammed Kudus had been dropped after being hauled off in the defeat to Forest last weekend.
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The Ghanaian came on as a second half substitute and signed off in what is almost certain to be his last game with the kind of goal everyone knows he is capable of.
The strike certainly won’t do West Ham or Kudus any harm in terms of inviting bids from clubs this summer.
Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images
Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images
Victory meant West Ham finished 14th in the Premier League on 43 points – above 17th placed Spurs, Wolves and Manchester United.
But all three of those clubs are expected to do much better next season.
And the Premier League is expected to be much more competitive overall with ambitious Leeds, obdurate Burnley and youthful Sunderland likely to ensure the end of the run of promoted clubs all going straight back down.
With that in mind, this was a deeply worrying display from West Ham in which just three players showed they are worth keeping next season.
Ironically Lukasz Fabianski made Potter’s decision to let him go look questionable.
The Hammers favourite was handed a start for his final match in claret and blue.
And he more than played his part in West Ham’s win with some fine saves and the cool, calm and collected assurance that will see him remembered as one of the best goalkeepers in the club’s modern history.
The usual duo Bowen and Aaron Wan-Bissaka turned up yet again – as they have done all season.
Beyond that, though, all this game did was prove Graham Potter has a mammoth task on his hands this summer.
Because only one more player showed they are good enough to warrant sticking around at West Ham.
Photo by Alex Broadway/Getty Images
Photo by Alex Broadway/Getty Images
West Ham player ratings v Ipswich:
Lukasz Fabianski, 8/10: Given a hero’s reception by West Ham fans and rightly so. The best West Ham goalkeeper of the Premier League era alongside Ludek Miklosko. Made some good saves and calm presence helped as the Hammers were under the cosh for long periods.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka, 8/10: Brilliant yet again, rarely puts a foot wrong. West Ham would be dreadful without him and Bowen. How the Hammers nabbed Wan-Bissaka for £15m is a mystery.
Jean-Clair Todibo, 4/10: Has there ever been a West Ham player who looks Champions League one minute and Championship the next? Todibo is far too lackadaisical at times and lacks focus. His woeful excuse for a challenge led to Ipswich’s goal. Looked good on the ball in patches. Didn’t last the full 90 minutes yet again. Solving the Todibo enigma will be key to how West Ham do next season.
Konstantinos Mavropanos, 6/10: The big Greek still looks like he has a mistake in him every time the ball goes near him. But he actually did ok at Portman Road. If West Ham want to get back to being competitive next season this should be his last game before he is upgraded in the summer.
Max Kilman, 6/10: Didn’t do much of note as Ipswich targeted Todibo and Scarles. Comfortable on the ball as always. Potter needs to find Kilman a dominant partner to get the best out of him next season.
Ollie Scarles, 5/10: Everyone at West Ham wants Ollie Scarles to establish himself as the club’s starting left-back. But on this – and recent – evidence he has a long way to go. Scarles has been left out of late after being given a lesson at Liverpool. But he was guilty of ball watching against Ipswich and it nearly cost West Ham on multiple occasions. Offered little going forward although he did improve defensively in the second half. Scarles may well need a loan. West Ham may well need a new starting left-back.
Tomas Soucek, 5/10: Quiet game for Tomas Soucek amid links to Everton and talk Potter is happy for him to be sold. Selling Soucek would be a big risk. He is undoubtedly a crucial squad player but whether he has the attributes Potter wants in his midfield – which requires players to be able to take the ball on the half-turn – is up for debate.
James Ward-Prowse, 4/10: One of the worst players on the pitch yet again. Scoring a tap-in doesn’t change that. A Championship player in every sense. And if Potter continues to start Ward-Prowse next season he may well end up back there – with the Hammers. So far off it and offers so little.
Edson Alvarez, 5/10: Ran around like a headless chicken, giving the ball away and showing once more than he lacks the athleticism and power to be a top Premier League central midfielder. Alvarez has constantly talked up a move away since the day he arrived at West Ham. He would not be missed if he does leave.
Jarrod Bowen, 10/10: Absolutely brilliant display after the disappointment of his England snub. A beautiful assist and even better goal. But the way he chased, harried, worked for the team and led by example is just as important. Captain, leader, legend.
Niclas Fullkrug, 5/10: Big German Niclas Fullkrug is a fan favourite. But his performances of late have proved West Ham need to sign at least one, if not two, new forwards this summer. The Hammers are crying out for pace and skill up front.
Substitutes: Lucas Paqueta, Guido Rodriguez, Aaron Cresswell, Vladimir Coufal, all 6/10.
Mohammed Kudus, 7/10: Made an impact off the bench and scored a superb goal. This was Kudus’ last appearance for West Ham before being sold out of necessity. And ironically it is one which shows he’s one of the few players worth keeping. In an ideal world, the Hammers would build the team around players like Kudus and he would want to be here. Unfortunately selling him is a necessary evil.