A new [West Ham](https://www.claretandhugh.info/west-hams-dilemma-grows-as-captain-fantastic-lifts-another-trophy/) captain faced off against Burton Albion in the FA Cup fourth round as Konstantinos Mavropanos took the armband. Nuno rang the changes with a chance for spectators and TV viewers to judge new loan signing Keifer Lamadrid for themselves. Adama Traore and Callum wilson were deemed to be sufficient up front against the third tier opponent.
Fair enough, ahead of kick off – this side _should easily be enough_ to beat their hosts but on recent showings, perhaps finishing might prove problematic.
West Ham set up with Mayers, Mavropanos and Kilman, Scarles and Walker Peters taking on defensive duties, Nuno’s deployment looking pretty uninspiring with an ultra-cautious flat back five when out of possession. Seemingly the long hoof for Adama to run onto would be the most likely avenue of attack.
This looked very much the ‘_fearful_‘ West Ham of old, everyone defending, uninspiring, a creativity-free zone for the first half hour and their defensive set up inviting their opponents to attack. _“Lackadaisical_” was how TV pundit Graham Hoddle called it. A first half to forget. The Hammers had, by half time, morphed more into a 4-3-3 with Ollie Scarles pushed further forward: Not that it helped.
Thankfully the Hammers upped the tempo after, no doubt, a Nuno rocket at half time. Changes made by Nuno at 70 minutes – Freddie Potts brought on for LaMadrid was hardly a move to an aggressive set up, an attacking player withdrawn for another midfielder.
Finally further changes at 80 minutes with the score still 0 – 0, West Ham adding Summerville and Taty to loud cheers of relief from the away fans as Traore and Scarles departed. Disappointment that it took until extra time for Summerville to do his magic but pretty inevitable given the vein of form he’s in. Should have done that at half time, Nuno, the game would have been over within 90 minutes.
Potts gets his marching orders
Potts’ red card (another player suspended) forced more changes: Orford, Diouf and Disasi coming on to – hopefully – close the game down, Callum Wilson no doubt very relieved after 105 minutes of running. A defensive set up from a rank second XI producing, not surprisingly, an uninspired performance, subs too late: Nuno this week deserving no more than a 4. Just as well Summerville did the business or we’d still be waiting for a goal.