Depressingly, [West Ham](https://www.claretandhugh.info/west-ham-united-v-lille-lineup-announced/) picked up where they left off last season with a three at the back system who seemed to have no plan, apart from passing the ball between each other and then, inevitably, back to Areola. Without a centre-back willing to carry the ball forward West Ham still looked sterile and devoid of ideas.
Their low block – without concerted pressing on opponents – means that West Ham just seems to be surrendering possession far more often than they were winning it back. One chance in the first half was depressingly familiar too. Outnumbered in the midfield and ‘absent’ in numbers from the opponents penalty area.
Giroud scored for Lille just before the break, a lovely goal with a chest control and swivel before volleying into the goal. A dull, lethargic Hammers first half.
By way of contrast, early in the second half, Kilman – hooray- finally stepped out of defence and carried the ball forward, linked via Fullkrug to Bowen who shot just wide. Playing through the middle. Better. This became the trigger for a fifteen minute purple patch, with lots of one touch football, whatever Potter said at half time did the trick: Fullkrug had a header well saved as West Ham found some confidence and aggression.
For the second half, Bowen moving back to the right and Fullkrug back to a central striker seems blindingly obvious but always looks a better deployment.
However: Rodriguez for Potts, Soucek for Paqueta, Walker Peters on for Todibo at 74 minutes meant the reunion of West Ham’s midfield of murk: Suddenly Lille could play through the centre which they didn’t manage much in the whole of the first half.
For a brief period early in the second half West Ham had looked decent: Those three changes did send the Irons backwards again in midfield although Kyle Walker Peters as a right back looked bright and polished.
Diouf almost created late on, with a booming crossfield pass to Fullkrug who knocked down for Bowen to volley against the bar. Close! One minute later the Hammers were level through a well-taken Fullkrug goal with some great pressing from Bowen, Walker Peters and Soucek. A big, big lesson there, the team needs to work out how to press as a unit instead of piecemeal as per the first half.
The game finished 1-1 with West Ham certainly looking the stronger with no real threat on their goal in the closing minutes.
For the record, the penalty shootout was won by West Ham after a bit of Areola magic saving a couple of blistering spot kicks and throwing down a marker for Mads Hermansen: Don’t think he’ll be giving up that jersey easily.
A good workout but some big ‘structural flaws’ remain.