A sign of things to come? Match Review: West Ham 5-3 Hertha

Wow, you can’t call that game not entertaining, can you? West Ham overpowered their Bundesliga competition, coming from behind three times to eventually take the win. Is this run-and-gun style of play a sign of things to come?

The Hammers started off poor, even before the game began. Hammer of the Year Lukasz Fabianski was pulled from the match prior to kick-off after a rumored injury occurred in his warm-up. His replacement, Roberto, couldn’t come up with a save just four minutes into the match after a brutal pitch took out Balbuena and his man, freeing up Kopke for an easy goal.

West Ham would rebound with a lightning-quick counter, lead by Sebastien Haller and Pablo Fornals. The new guys combined on a great play as their driving play pushed defenders back, opening space for a Haller pass and Fornals finish into the top of the net to level the game.

Just a few minutes later Hertha pushed up the pitch on a quick run down the left side that saw Selke hold off Declan Rice before finishing well in the top corner of the net. The Hammers counter-punched almost immediately back, however, as Haller picked up his second assist of the night on a Lanzini dart off the bottom post.

The second half would start slow, but after another quick counter-attack and a phenomenal Roberto save from in close, Hertha pulled ahead again on Kopke’s second of the match. The goals would end here as West Ham set up a beautiful long-range set-piece from Snodgrass that found Haller at the back post for his first in a West Ham kit.

Despite the majority of starters being replaced in the second half, the Hammers continued to play strong, possession-based football which opened up an opportunity for Grady Diangana to get in alone. The youngster placed a perfect shot into the bottom corner on his first touch from Carlos Sanchez who had a strong showing himself.

Michail Antonio added a late goal, too, bombing a shot across the box making no mistake on his placement. The winger/forward played alongside both Haller and Chicharito in this match proving he is still applicable as a winger or secondary striker.

The cause for concern in this match was defensive errors by the West Ham defenders, specifically the first-half fullbacks in Ben Johnson and Aaron Cresswell. Both players know that Pellegrini wants them in the attack, but staying forward opened up an opportunity for Hertha to work the ball wide and hurt them on the counter.

Overall, if West Ham can outscore their errors supporters won’t be complaining. The midfield battery consisting of Anderson, Fornals, Lanzini, and Wilshere is pure class and overwhelmed their opponents time and time again with pressure and precise passing that created opportunities at every turn.

Outside of this group of ballers, Sebastien Haller was an absolute stand out, assisting twice and scoring his first West Ham goal. He looked strong, creative, had his head up, brought the midfield into the attack, and was a big target for the Hammers to launch the ball to in Hertha’s box.

Scoring a landslide of goals like this was important for the Irons and Atheltic Bilbao, West Ham’s final preseason opponent, should be worried about handling this deep and multifaceted attack. If the defensive errors can be straightened out quickly, this team could achieve great things on the back of their offensive structure! What a fun match!