It may seem churlish to try and seek out the positives after West Ham United shot themselves in the foot for the third time in three games, but at least that Carabao Cup exit at the hands of Wolves throws up a few dilemmas.
Again, the Hammers were let down by a few crucial mistakes from a few usual suspects.
Tony Gale hit out at Guido Rodriguez as the experienced Argentine gifted Wolves a penalty from which Rodrigo Gomes put the hosts in front. The wing-back squirming his finish under Alphonse Areola’s body after Hwang Hee-Chan’s spot-kick bounced off the post.
And mere moments after supersub Jorgen Strand Larsen followed up another rebound – Areola kicking the ball straight back out to the edge of the area – Wolves’ talismanic number nine ghosted in unmarked as Konstantinos Mavropanos and the £40 million Max Kilman were caught ball-watching.
Yet, on the upside – admittedly a very hard-to-see upside – this was arguably a West Ham United display with more good performers than bad. A bright handful undermined by a few error-riddled teammates.
Mavropanos was actually excellent until Strand Larsen’s 84th minute winner. Tomas Soucek did what he does best with a superb back post header, Jarrod Bowen and Lucas Paqueta combined beautifully for West Ham’s second goal, while Kyle Walker-Peters has surely played his way into the starting XI for Sunday’s trip to Nottingham Forest.
West Ham United fans urge Graham Potter to replace Aaron Wan-Bissaka with Kyle Walker-Peters
After a bright cameo off the bench against Chelsea, England international Walker-Peters made his first West Ham start at Molineux.
Coming just four days after a ‘terrible’ Aaron Wan-Bissaka was arguably at fault for three first-half concessions – another Hammers lead squandered brutally – Walker-Peters defended manfully while assisting Soucek with a beautiful cross from his so-called weaker left boot.
“Actually been impressed with Kyle Walker-Peters,” one fan wrote on X, a silver lining bordering even the darkest of clouds and one of West Ham’s abbreviated full-backs outshining the other.
“‘KWP’ is a better attacking wingback than ‘AWB’.”
“Nice to see KWP doing a bit. Thought he was good business for the squad! Should be able to push AWB!”
“KWP on his weaker foot, he can use his left. I did think early on if we’re going to play wing-backs, he’s more suited to this role than AWB.”
“KWP is five times the player that AWB is.”
“Give Walker-Peters a go against Forest. AWB is class but had a poor start. Let’s see what Kyle can do.”
“I swear Guido and James Ward-Prowse have some sort of dirt over Potter. I don’t understand why poor Freddie [Potts] can’t even get a sniff at starting. I do like Walker-Peters instead of AWB.”
Walker-Peters a plus point as Graham Potter suffers Carabao Cup exit at Wolves
Signed on a free after his contract at Southampton expired, Walker-Peters may lack Wan-Bissaka’s highlight reel sliding tackles or his penchant for a dramatic step over.
But West Ham’s number two brings a real tidiness in possession and a two-footedness which allows him to move inside into midfield or stay wide on the touchline.
“On the plus side, Dino, KWP, [Malick] Diouf, Bowen and Lucas played well,” another fan writes.
“KWP actually looks pretty decent.”
“Would AWB be able to play [as a] right-side centre-back with Walker-Peters at right-back? I just feel KWP is faster and more agile for wing-back.
“KWP, great performance son. Been superb.”
Receive a digest of our best West Ham content each week direct to your mailbox
