West Ham United are on the countdown to the start of their 2022/23 Premier League season and will begin their campaign against Manchester City at the London Stadium.
The Hammers’ pre-season saw them play seven friendlies and while they only tasted defeat once, David Moyes recorded just two victories, drawing in their remaining other four pre-season clashes. The Irons’ wins were against Swiss side Servette and League One outfit Ipswich Town, losing to Europa League champions Rangers, as well as draws against Boreham Wood, Luton Town, Reading and RC Lens.
With the season just six days away from getting started, here are the winners and losers from Moyes’ side’s friendlies ahead of the new season starting against Pep Guardiola’s Premier League champions.
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Winners
Ben Johnson
It could be another big season for young full-back Ben Johnson this term after he made 34 appearances in all competitions last season. Earlier this summer, Johnson was handed the number two shirt, a sign of intent that he is likely to continue with his major involvement in the Hammers’ squad.
During Saturday’s draw in France against Lens, Johnson started as a left centre-back showing his versatility and if Moyes does use a three/five at the back system this term, Johnson’s versatility may bolster his chances of being included in it.
He reportedly turned down a bumper contract offer that would have kept him at the club until 2028, a massive sign of West Ham’s desire to keep him for the long term. Starting in each of the club’s final four friendlies of the summer perhaps highlights what could be a regular starting spot this season.
Tomas Soucek
The Czech Republic international midfielder only saw the back end of pre-season due to international involvement, but ended the summer as the club’s top scorer after strikes against Rangers and Luton Town.
While he did score five league goals last season, it was a 50 per cent decline from the previous campaign, so two goals in the summer will only bolster his confidence going into the new season, with his presence at a free-kick almost leading to Lens almost scoring an own goal at the weekend.
Departures for Mark Noble and Alex Kral take the club’s numbers of central midfielders down, despite Flynn Downes’ arrival, so Soucek can feel confident of keeping his place next to new captain Declan Rice as long as he continues his good form.
Lukasz Fabianski
Polish stopper Lukasz Fabianski saw last season’s on-loan teammate Alphonse Areola join on a permanent transfer earlier this summer, but the status quo from the 2021/22 campaign could be about to be repeated, with Fabianski remaining first choice and Areola being used as back-up and starter in cup competitions.
The Polish stopper started in five of the seven friendlies played by the Hammers, only missing the Boreham Wood draw due to playing in the win at Ipswich at the same time. He was helped by Areola’s delayed return from internationals, but when both were available, Fabianski started against Rangers, Reading and Lens.
Losers
Nayef Aguerd
The £30million signing of centre-back Nayef Aguerd from Stade Rennais is an exciting one, but his pre-season was cut short in just his second appearance in the defeat to Rangers at Ibrox. Aguerd, who had also started against Reading three days earlier, was forced off midway through the first half in Glasgow with an ankle problem that kept him out of the final two friendlies of the summer and is likely to miss the opening games of the season.
Aguerd required surgery following the ankle injury he suffered, a major blow for the Moroccan international who is expected to now have to wait before making his official debut for Moyes’ side.
The trusted partnership from last season, Craig Dawson and Kurt Zouma, partnered each other and Johnson in defence against Lens in the final friendlies, with Dawson and Zouma front runners to continue their partnership, for now at least.
Michail Antonio
Jamaican international striker Michail Antonio led the line against Servette, Ipswich, Reading, Rangers and played the duration of the second half against Luton, but finds his goal tally at the same number he started the summer with, zero.
His frustrations could grow further with the arrival of £30.5m man Gianluca Scamacca, who was left out of the tie against Lens as the club looked to build the Italian’s fitness and sharpness back at Rush Green, with the 23-year-old not playing a match since representing his country in the Nations League in June.
Jarrod Bowen was used up front ahead of Antonio in the first half at Luton and while the 32-year-old has scored 10 league goals up front in each of the last three seasons, he has more competition than he did last term and will need to re-discover his form to avoid risk of missing out.
Jarrod Bowen
Last season’s top scorer Jarrod Bowen got a lot of pre-season minutes under his belt after returning from international duty, starting against Reading, Rangers, Luton and Lens, but failing to get on the scoresheet.
The former Hull City talisman had stints up front and out in the right in his quartet of pre-season outings and while he did have hands in goals scored by Nikola Vlasic and Soucek against Reading and Rangers respectively, he would have undoubtedly wanted to get off the mark himself.
His form last season and his quality does make him too good to drop after excellent form that has seen him linked with interest from Liverpool and Arsenal, but with the Hammers sometimes struggling for goals last term, Moyes will hope for a similar or better return from winger this season.
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