During five months watching on as Alphonse Areola reclaimed the starting spot for West Ham United, Mads Hermansen opted not to throw the proverbial toys out the pram but instead let his football do the talking.
When explaining the decision to re-call the Dane for that 2-0 away win at Burnley a fortnight ago, Nuno Espirito Santo hailed Hermansen’s professionalism behind the scenes and his dedication on the training pitch.
Now that the £18 million summer signing from Leicester City has the number one jersey again, he is not going to give it up without a fight.
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Mads Hermansen is expected to keep his place when West Ham United host Bournemouth in Saturday’s 5.30pm kick-off.
And though there are some who are still yet to be convinced that he is their long-term solution between the sticks, Hermansen’s distribution has been ‘levels above’ what the supporters have witnessed from Areola. The 25-year-old also seems to have made some strides with regards to his command of the penalty area, too.
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Mads Hermansen says the West Ham United fans are now seeing the ‘real’ him
Speaking to the club’s official website, Hermansen insists that his West Ham revival is only just beginning.
In fact, if Benjamin Sesko had not flicked an audacious finish into the Hammers net six minutes into stoppage time, he would be preparing for the visit of Bournemouth on the back of three successive Premier League clean sheets.
“This season has been tough at times but, for me at least, my focus has been on working hard and being professional and positive every day,” Hermansen says.
“I try to do the right thing for the sake of doing the right thing and, of course, sometimes I felt like ‘it’s terrible’ and ‘I want to play’, but I’ve also known that there’s a team here and there are other goalkeepers who’ve been trying to do their best and perform.
“So, my focus has been on trying to be supportive and doing the best I can, and also to be ready if the chance came again.
“I think the thing I’m most happy for is that the work I’ve done the last four or five months to be able to perform when I got the chance again has put me in a good place.
“And I think this is the real Mads that you see in goal now.”
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Finlay Herrick and Mason Terry impress as Tom Wooster trains with Nuno Espirito Santo
It has been a good few weeks for West Ham goalkeepers.
Finlay Herrick saved a penalty against Tamworth in midweek as Josh Ajala fired the Under-21s into the National League Cup final.
Braintree Town loanee Mason Terry scored a goal and then produced a perfect ’10/10′ performance down in the fifth tier. And, as West Ham released their training ground footage ahead of that Bournemouth clash, Tom Wooster could be seen denying Jarrod Bowen with a fine, flying save at Rush Green.
“I don’t see much difference [in the player’s attitude in recent weeks] because I see them train every day, preparing themselves,” Nuno said during his press conference on Thursday. “What I realise is a commitment and a desire to get out of this situation, and this desire is there every day.
“We see them work, getting ready for the games and helping each other. This is what we want and what we need.
“Character, character. I think we’ve been able to show character in difficult circumstances. They are ready for the battle. This is what we work on; getting ready and trying to get enough details [right].”
Nuno says Bournemouth is a ‘massive game’
Nuno expects a ‘tough’ test against a Bournemouth outfit also moving in the right direction. The Cherries are one of only three clubs to pick up more points than West Ham [10] in their last five top-flight matches.
“I see it as another game. We have to focus on ourselves, do our jobs, and ignore what is happening with other teams. It is a massive game for us at home,” Nuno adds. “I expect again a good atmosphere at the London Stadium, the fans helping us and us helping the fans, so we can overcome [this] together.
“We have to play the game and realise it’s a tough opponent in a good dynamic, playing well with good results. They have good players and a good manager. We know it’s going to be tough, but it’s up to us to put in a good performance.
“It’s a big test. It’s a good team. It’s about realising the threats that they have and the good players that they have and trying to contain them. At the same time, it is very important for us—the need that we have overcomes everything. It is up to us to try and play a good game.”
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