There was a different role for West Ham United youngster Keiber Lamadrid during Venezuela’s 4-1 friendly victory over Trinidad and Tobago on Friday night.
Lamadrid may have been hoping to benefit from Crysencio Summerville’s absence at club level.
Despite the injury-enforced unavailability of Nuno Espirito Santo’s first-choice left winger, however, the closest he has come to making a Premier League debut was a place on the bench in that 1-0 win away to Fulham.
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So when the international break rolled around, West Ham United’s Deportivo la Guaira loanee would have been relishing the chance to get some minutes under his belt.
Sixty-two of them, to be precise; Keiber Lamadrid earned his second cap and his first Venezuela cap as Trinidad and Tobago were swept aside in – for some reason – Uzbekistan.
West Ham United youngster Keiber Lamadrid starts for Venezuela
Lamadrid is a left-sided forward by trade. According to Venezuelan publication Meridiano, though, the 22-year-old played as a ‘second striker’ on Friday. A difficult challenge, as it turned out.
“Despite the resounding final victory, the team’s collective performance was not fluid for much of the match,” Meridiano write on a night when former Newcastle, Everton and West Brom striker Solomon Rondon scored twice off the bench.
Keiber Lamadrid playing for West Ham United against Burton.
Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images
“This general lack of comfort directly affected the performance of Keiber Lamadrid , who was forced to look for the ball in congested areas.
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“The youngster tried to create scoring opportunities through the middle, looking to link up with teammates and break lines with his individual skill. Unfortunately, he failed to gain any significant advantage against a Trinidadian defence that effectively closed down the spaces in the centre.”
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El Hadji Malick Diouf and Jarrod Bowen celebrate Fulham v West Ham United - Premier League
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According to Juan Domingo Tolisano, his former head coach at Deportivo la Guaira, there is ‘no ceiling’ to Lamadrid’s potential. He scored a thumping strike on his debut for West Ham’s Under-21s, while others say the January signing has ‘surprised’ the West Ham bosses with his fitness levels behind the scenes.
As Meridiano put it though, Lamadrid ‘needs to be more consistent’ if he is to ensure that potential is fulfilled.
“Lamadrid’s performance in this friendly can be seen as a valuable tactical test. While his brilliance was intermittent due to the team’s structural disarray at times, his starting position confirms that the coaching staff has him in mind for the generational transition.”
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