“Paqueta Branded a Disgrace, Areola the Lone Hero – Brutal West Ham Player Ratings vs Liverpool”

December 30, 2024

West Ham suffered a humiliating 5-0 defeat against Liverpool on Sunday evening, piling more pressure on manager Julen Lopetegui, whose future now hangs by a thread.

The Irons were outclassed from start to finish at the London Stadium on 29 December, with Liverpool cruising to victory in what has become another dire display under Lopetegui’s tenure. The manager’s tactical missteps and inability to rally his team against the Premier League leaders have left West Ham fans demanding change.

West Ham’s embarrassing 5-0 defeat to Liverpool on 29 December has left the team on the brink of falling further down the Premier League table. If Manchester United secure at least a draw against Newcastle on 30 December, the Hammers will slip to 14th, putting Julen Lopetegui’s position as manager under even greater threat.

In light of the crushing defeat, West Ham Zone has evaluated each player’s performance:

Alphonse Areola (6/10): One of the few players to emerge with some credit. Made several saves to prevent the scoreline from being even worse.

Vladimir Coufal (4/10): Overrun defensively and offered little going forward. Struggled to contain Liverpool’s relentless attack.

Kurt Zouma (4/10): Failed to organize the defense effectively, leaving huge gaps for Liverpool to exploit.

Nayef Aguerd (3/10): Poor positioning and decision-making, contributing to a dismal defensive performance.

Emerson Palmieri (3/10): Struggled both defensively and offensively. Lopetegui’s decision to play him out of position continues to backfire.

Lucas Paquetá (2/10): A disgraceful performance by his standards, offering little creativity or fight in midfield.

Tomas Soucek (3/10): Overwhelmed by Liverpool’s midfield trio, providing minimal impact on the game.

James Ward-Prowse (5/10): Tried to provide some control but was ultimately ineffective against Liverpool’s dominance.

Jarrod Bowen (4/10): Worked hard but couldn’t make an impact in a game where service was virtually non-existent.

Michail Antonio (3/10): Completely isolated up front, with no meaningful contribution.

Said Benrahma (3/10): Anonymous for most of the match, failing to influence the game in any way.

Substitutes:

Hamza Igamane (5/10): Showed some fight but couldn’t change the game’s course.

Pablo Fornals (4/10): Brought on to add creativity but failed to make an impact.

Danny Ings (4/10): Had little time to influence proceedings but looked off the pace.

Manager:

Julen Lopetegui (1/10): A tactical disasterclass. His decisions, particularly playing Emerson out of position, continue to hurt the team. The Hammers looked disorganized and devoid of any game plan, leaving his future in serious doubt.

Alphonse Areola earns credit despite West Ham’s humiliating defeat

Alphonse Areola – 7/10

In a game to forget for West Ham, Areola stood out as the only player to show any semblance of fight. Despite conceding five goals, the Frenchman made a string of outstanding saves that prevented the scoreline from becoming even more embarrassing. Liverpool’s relentless attacking left him exposed time and again, but Areola’s heroics kept the damage from reaching double digits, earning him some well-deserved credit in the bank.

Vladimir Coufal – 4/10

Coufal’s 45-minute cameo was one to forget as he struggled to contribute meaningfully on either end of the pitch. He failed to win any of his defensive duels, leaving the right flank exposed, and managed just seven completed passes, a dismal output in such a high-stakes match. Hooked at halftime for Todibo, his performance epitomized West Ham’s disjointed and ineffective first-half display.

Max Kilman – 4/10

Kilman avoided major individual errors but was part of a defensive line that was consistently breached by Liverpool’s relentless attack. His positioning was suspect at times, and he offered little resistance to the Reds’ incisive play. Areola’s heroics spared further embarrassment for the defense.

Konstantinos Mavropanos – 4/10

While slightly improved compared to previous outings, Mavropanos was still unable to provide the stability West Ham desperately needed. His attempted block deflecting into the net for Liverpool’s fourth goal summed up a night where little went his way. Despite marginal improvement, he failed to shield Areola effectively.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka – 5/10

Wan-Bissaka showed intent to push forward and join attacks, but the lack of creativity and cohesion in the team limited his impact. Defensively, he held his own more often than not, though his efforts were overshadowed by the overall poor team performance.

Emerson – 4/10

Struggled in an unnatural role, which hindered his effectiveness both defensively and offensively. Offered no real threat going forward and was unable to cope with Liverpool’s pressure. Lopetegui’s tactical decisions did him no favors.

Edson Alvarez – 5/10

Alvarez worked hard in midfield during the first half, keeping his play simple and tidy despite Liverpool’s dominance. However, his influence waned as the game progressed, and he was substituted at halftime, likely a tactical move to chase the game.

Lucas Paquetá – 3/10

Paquetá had an abysmal showing, offering no creativity or energy in midfield. His poor decision-making and lack of urgency contributed to West Ham’s struggles. A performance this dire might see him benched for the next game.

Carlos Soler – 4/10

Soler’s careless mistake directly led to a Liverpool goal, compounding an already mediocre performance. His inability to provide stability or spark in midfield leaves serious questions about his role in the team.

Mohammed Kudus – 6/10

Kudus was the only West Ham player who appeared capable of making something happen offensively. Twice denied by the woodwork, his efforts deserved more, but he was ultimately let down by the lack of support from his teammates.

Jarrod Bowen – 4/10

Playing Bowen centrally was a tactical misstep that completely nullified his natural strengths. Struggling to find space or impact the game, he looked out of place and was largely ineffective before being subbed off.

Substitutions

Niclas Fullkrug (45′ for Alvarez) – 4/10

Failed to influence the game in any meaningful way, offering little presence or threat.

Jean-Clair Todibo (45′ for Coufal) – 3/10

A disastrous substitution, with his lethargic defending nearly costing another goal. Brought no improvement to an already struggling backline.

Crysencio Summerville (58′ for Bowen) – 6/10

One of the few bright sparks, Summerville injected energy and creativity but lacked support to turn his efforts into results.

Andy Irving (72′ for Soler) – N/A

Entered with the match effectively over and didn’t have time to make an impact.Luis Guilherme (80′ for Kudus) – N/ACame on too late to influence the game.

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