Opinion

Four things we loved as West Ham kicked off Lopetegui reign with Ferencváros draw

16th July 2024

1. A new era begins under Lopetegui

It’s been almost two months since Julen Lopetegui was announced as West Ham United’s new Head Coach, but in Kitzbühel on Monday we finally got a glimpse of his side in action.

Up against 35-time Hungarian top-flight champions Ferencváros, the Hammers kicked off their enticing pre-season schedule with a 2-2 draw at Sportstadion Langau, and the game was not without intrigue.

Coming at the end of a week of hard work and double training sessions at altitude in the Austrian Alps, the Irons spent valuable time on the pitch, building fitness ahead of the 2024/25 Premier League campaign.

Spaniard Lopetegui played his trusted 4-3-3 formation - a balanced yet flexible structure that allows his teams to control possession, dictate the tempo of the game and create numerical advantages in key areas of the pitch.

There were clear signs of the players trying to deny their opponents space, and in the second half, in particular, the Irons had relative success in winning the ball back high up the pitch.

During the first half, goalkeeper Łukasz Fabiański was beaten twice by well-taken efforts from Owusu Kwabena and Aleksandar Pešić.

However, those in Claret and Blue appeared to visibly grow in confidence and conviction as the game went on, with Danny Ings curling an unstoppable free-kick over the wall and into the top left-hand corner to halve the deficit, before Nayef Aguerd volleyed into the net with his left foot to secure a draw with virtually the final kick of the game.

2. Kilman, Guilherme and Foderingham make debuts

Maximilian Kilman, Luis Guilherme and Wes Foderingham all made their first appearances in a West Ham United shirt on Monday afternoon.

Kilman, who completed his move from Premier League rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier this month, partnered Konstantinos Mavropanos in defence for the opening 45 minutes and put in an assured display.

The 27-year-old showed he is capable of playing out from the back, and his on-field relationship with Mavropanos, Aguerd and captain Kurt Zouma will undoubtedly grow stronger in time.

Brazilian winger Guilherme started following his summer transfer from Palmeiras, with his electric pace being the real stand out. His only opportunity in front of goal arrived after 15 minutes, when he evaded his marker on the left, but could only guide his effort straight at Adam Varga in the Ferencváros goal.

Foderingham put in a solid second-half performance between the sticks after replacing starter Fabiański during the interval.

The 33-year-old had little to do as the Hammers dominated the second 45, though did make a stunning save from point-blank range to stop Adama Traore restoring Ferencváros’ two-goal lead after 72 minutes.

3. Academy players take their chances

With the Club’s international players given time off for their summer break after their commitments with their respective countries, no fewer than ten Academy of Football graduates were included in Julen Lopetegui’s 26-man squad in Austria.

Seven were given game-time against Ferencváros, and all of them showed why they have caught the eye of the the new boss and the rest of his coaching staff.

2023 FA Youth Cup-winning captain Gideon Kodua, 19, shone in a new position at right-back, and showed good understanding with Kilman, Mavropanos and Mohammed Kudus.

Freddie Potts, 20, and Lewis Orford, 18, both put in composed performances in midfield and dictated a lot of the Hammers’ play.

Boyhood Hammer Kaelan Casey, 19, who made his Premier League debut against Luton Town at the end of last season, replaced Aaron Cresswell at half-time and showed his versatility and creativity playing as a right wing-back.

4. Ings' free-kick and Aguerd's volley

Ings did pre-warn us that he was ready to show his best form this season in West Ham shirt - and he showcased his ability with a stand-out second-half performance.

The 31-year-old is not necessarily known for his set-piece prowess - but he scored a stunning free-kick to halve the Hammers’ deficit shortly after the restart.

Aguerd made his first West Ham appearance since April, and popped up with a dramatic late leveller with the last kick of the game when a free-kick was cleared as far as Andy Irving. The Scot crossed from the right and Aguerd volleyed accurately into the net with his left foot to secure a draw!