Pre-season is not all about building up fitness. West Ham United’s squad is chock-full of players either fighting for their futures or looking to cement a first-team spot under Nuno Espirito Santo.
Two friendly games down, and with Rangers to come on Sunday at Ibrox, some are making better use of the opportunities afforded to them than others.
The Hammers were held to an underwhelming draw by Southend last weekend. Three days later, Nuno’s side thrashed Stevenage 5-0 with James Ward-Prowse, Max Kilman, Lewis Orford and co giving the West Ham United head coach plenty to ponder.
West Ham v Rangers! Which youngster are YOU most excited to see? 🤩
Ahead of their trip to Scotland, Hammers News take a look at which players may have boosted their hopes of a bigger role under Nuno, as well as those in danger of squandering the summer months.
Who impressed and who has disappointed for West Ham United in pre-season?
Keiber Lamadrid ⬆️⬆️
Perhaps the biggest compliment we can play to the Venezuela international is that Keiber Lamadrid produced a passable impression of Mateus Fernandes in Southend.
A £1 million signing from Deportivo la Guaira, Lamadrid was expected to benefit from the impending sale of Crysencio Summerville. Instead, he is presenting himself as a potential answer to Nuno’s central midfield problems.
James Ward-Prowse ⬆️⬆️
Hammers News can confirm that Ward-Prowse may be offered a clean slate at Championship level. There are certainly plenty of supporters who feel that the experienced England international was harshly sidelined by Nuno following his appointment last September.
Ward-Prowse was West Ham’s stand-out performer against Stevenage; scoring the opener, getting through so much work off the ball, and generally demonstrating the sort of leadership this squad is often accused of lacking.
Airidas Golambeckis ⬆️⬆️
Golambeckis dodged what initially looked a serious injury in Hertfordshire. That would have been a sorry way to end a night in which the 18-year-old stepped in for Dinos Mavropanos and looked the part.
Golambeckis is cool, collected, and plays with the sort of maturity you might expect considering he captained the Hammers’ U21s before while still only 17. The loss of Axel Disasi and the likely departure of Jean-Clair Todibo means the door is wide open.
Max Kilman ⬆️⬆️
Where has this version of Max Kilman been hiding? Ok, Stevenage are hardly elite opposition, but the confidence and authority with which the much-maligned centre-back shrugged off a forward before punching his pre-assist into Bowen’s path was a very welcome sight.
With no Disasi to start at left centre-back these days – and offers scarce – Kilman’s redemption arc is only just beginning.
Lewis Orford ⬆️
Orford had a spell on loan at Stevenage last season but his most memorable moment at Broadhall Way came in a claret and blue jersey. Back at the club who handed him only 16 League One minutes, Orford curled a delightful first-time effort into the top corner.
Of the two silky number tens looking to catch Nuno’s eye, it looks like Orford 1-0 George Earthy so far.
Josh Ajala ⬆️
As we touched on above, Summerville is set to leave West Ham for Al-Hilal. The Saudi outfit are said to be paying an up-front fee of £55 million, but maybe the Hammers don’t need to reinvest heavily on a replacement.
Josh Ajala looked an absolute menace in both of his sub appearances in pre-season; a one-man wrecking ball on the left. He scored one and assisted Jett Murphy’s tap-in in midweek.
Nuno talked glowingly about Summerville’s pace, directness, and his one-v-one qualities. Three attributes Ajala also appears to possess in abundance.
Mohamadou Kante ⬆️
The powerhouse Frenchman was always going to be a first-team player next season, so the fact he has started both of West Ham’s friendly games should not come as a surprise. He was a little underwhelming in Southend but, against Stevenage, played with the intensity and the thrust we know he is capable of.
James Collins even sees shades of Mark Noble in young Kante. With Fernandes gone and Tomas Soucek injured, a starting role in the middle of the park is his to lose.
What does Mohamadou Kante have to do to ESTABLISH himself at West Ham?
James Collins makes some good points…
Preston Fearon ⬆️
Fearon maybe falls somewhere between ‘too good for academy football’ and ‘not quite ready for the senior side’. A loan spell in the EFL feels the most sensible next step for a creative machine of a midfielder who helped create a goal for Murphy with a lovely trivela pass.
Still, a few good moments in the EFL Cup against Portsmouth could see him fast-tracked.
Ryan Battrum ⬆️
The 20-year-old hasn’t even featured in a matchday squad before, but that could soon change.
Versatility can be as much a curse as it is a gift. But Battrum, a right-back who grabbed an assist from central midfield and then filled in on the left at Stevenage, may become a useful utility man for Nuno.
Ezra Mayers ➡️
Mayers is one of the first names mentioned by West Ham fans when you inquire about potential breakout stars. Yet, the left-footed defender has had to be content with substitute appearances in both pre-season matches so far.
He hasn’t overly impressed in either, although Maxwel Cornet denied him a certain assist last time out.
Callum Marshall ➡️
Marshall is a potential wildcard in West Ham’s frontline. His ferocious pressing and darting runs off the shoulder certainly make the Northern Irishman a rather unique profile.
However, he will go into next season as third-choice at best.
Mads Hermansen ➡️
Despite an impressive final few months of last season, Hermansen still has his doubters. A couple of edgy pre-season performances won’t have changed that. The Dane’s distribution was extremely poor against Stevenage, while he was easily beaten by a Southend penalty at Roots Hall.
Ollie Scarles ⬇️
With El Hadji Malick Diouf still on his post-World Cup holiday, Ollie Scarles is Nuno’s go-to left-back for the time being. Don’t be surprised to see Mayers start instead at Ibrox, however.
Scarles was very loose going forward against Southend and offered little in midweek.
George Earthy ⬇️
Even before Orford’s Stevenage stunner, George Earthy missed a good chance to impress Nuno. The youngster struggled to impose himself at Southend.
His contract expires in 2027 and, following a nightmare second spell at Bristol City, Earthy is at a crossroads.
Maxwel Cornet ⬇️
Barring a remarkable turnaround – or an electrifying Ibrox display – £17 million forgotten man Cornet surely has no future at West Ham. That he did not stand out while sharing a pitch with a host of baby-faced kids at Stevenage didn’t bode well.
Cornet also hit the post from point-blank range.
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