Premier League
Leicester City 2-1 West Ham United
Sunday, 28th May 2023
by Chris Wilkerson
A first half Harvey Barnes goal - the player a reported target for West Ham - gave Leicester a lead, which was extended with just under an hour to go by centre back Wout Faes. A lovely Fornals goal gave Moyes's side something to play for with 10 minutes left, but they never really threatened with any intensity.
The manager had made six changes from the victory over Leeds last weekend, with Emerson, Ogbonna, Zouma, Soucek, Bowen and Ings replaced by Cresswell, Aguerd, Kehrer, Downes, Benrahma and Antonio.
Because of the nature of this game, with West Ham almost primarily concerned with staying fit ahead of their final on June 7th in Prague and Leicester slipping through the trap door and out of the division, it is more interesting to look at what we can learn from this performance, taking the important points of a game that felt more akin to a preseason friendly.
It should be first noted that the first half performance was poor to the point of inspiring real apathy. Whilst we can discuss how this game mattered little in the grand scheme of things, the travelling fans deserved more than a halfhearted first half.
The only real highlights were Fornals and Antonio rushing half chances on the edge of the Leicester box, and Aguerd doing fantastically to recover after a diagonal ball landed just over him for Iheanacho to take the ball down. The Moroccan used his body and fast feet to take the ball and keep it.
Tomas Soucek does more than you think, and Flynn Downes can't replicate it.
The opening goal highlighted the importance of Tomas Soucek, whether some fans would like to admit or not.
It came from the left wing, with Barnes driving off the flank and getting to full pace as he cut in, laid off to Iheanacho and kept going into the box.
The striker can be a lovely passer and got this one right, putting it in the space inside of Downes, right into the path of Barnes, who took it on and passed across goal from the angle and into the bottom corner.
Watch Downes. This is a goal West Ham don't concede with Soucek there, the midfielder as good a defender as any at the club. Downes panics, a lack of awareness and composure in defence that let Barnes burst in without much opposition.
A touch unnecessary and harsh, yes, but the game wasn't one to fill column inches and it is time the lad was assessed as a Premier League player, not a nice West Ham boy with a classic haircut.
This is an area Soucek excels. Tommy is a spare centre back who can cover ground like a machine and yet always be there to defend the right flank, help his right back and cover runners from midfield.
The need to upgrade Soucek is not a fantasy - his season has been well below par - but it is not something that can be done with ease and by just anyone.
As an essential cog in the success of this team, and this includes the knockout stages of the Conference League, for many years, taking him out exposes the defence and a replacement must be able to fill that gap. Whilst they might not be quite as good, they have to be able to do the job adequately and bring the qualities on the ball to improve that role.
As for Downes, he has proven himself a useful substitute within very specific instructions, but not yet shown he has the qualities in any area to meet the standards around him. His passing is not good enough, his defending not strong enough, and so he becomes a problem on and off the ball.
Without intensity, this team will concede easy goals.
Both the goals Leicester scored will have disappointed the West Ham manager greatly. Not just because of how he values defending, it is more that they were far too easy for the opposition.
That little drop in intensity, the desire for defending not anywhere near the levels you have seen against AZ Alkmaar or Manchester United in recent weeks, can very quickly turn this side from obstinate to a soft touch.
It was not just that both goals were very easily scored, but they were scored by a poor Leicester side who were not playing well.
The Foxes were struggling in the occasion and amidst their own bad form. West Ham played through them comfortably, but barely threatened until the final half hour and lost a game they were more than good enough to win.
That may not have mattered yesterday, but the season is full of games where West Ham played reasonably well and were equally as reasonably beaten. This is why they have finished 14th and we're grateful to make 40 points.
The successes of Moyes's best seasons were built on strong foundations, and this team cannot move forward by forgetting them.
More players doesn't necessarily provide greater depth.
The manager added a lot of players over the summer, but the emphasis must remain on quality depth.
Emerson is a fine player, as is Cresswell, but neither are where West Ham should be by now with their left back.
Kehrer has improved, but the team is short of height with him at centre back. He is also a safer bet at right back, yet neither him nor Coufal are quite the perfect option there.
Flynn Downes has been discussed, whilst Cornet and Ings are proving themselves as luxuries.
Leicester were there to be beaten, but shorn of Bowen, Zouma and Soucek, the side looked considerably weaker at both ends of the pitch. One of those three has been rounded on all season as one to be ousted, another looks likely to miss weeks at a time every season. Too many of the new signings have been perfectly fine as individuals, but not improved the squad's quality, nor its ability to play in different ways with different threats.
Height matters, but it can be found in different areas...
The second Leicester goal is one you would rarely expect to see this West Ham side concede, and really should not be happening if the team is full strength.
All it was was a freekick curled in at goal from the left, with good height and decent pace. Faes got up early and unchallenged to flick it on and watch it fly into the far corner.
But with Zouma, Ogbonna and Soucek removed, the height and aerial prowess dropped greatly. Aguerd has yet to show particular dominance in the air since his move to England, whilst Kehrer is just a bit short for a centre-back.
Neither full back offers much in the air, so it was really on Aguerd, Rice and Paqueta to offer that in defence.
For West Ham to move on from Soucek, and to move on from Rice, they will have to find that balance in the team. A new left back or right back is likely going to need to be strong in the air if Soucek is replaced by anyone shorter than him.
Similarly, a Rice replacement probably needs to be good in the air. If both Rice and Soucek are out of that midfield next season, something that seems unlikely, then at least one of those two needs to be tall and strong defending set pieces.
It does not need to be the same equation as before, but the height and ability to defend in the air needs to meet the same standards as the full-strength West Ham team that will play the final. The balance will need to be found somewhere.
Pablo Fornals has played himself into some form, and gives the manager a minor selection dilemma ahead of Fiorentina.
It is fair to say that West Ham played the nicer football but lacked bite. Whilst earlier points mention a lack of intensity in defence causing issues, it was true in attack, too.
There just wasn't that desperate desire to score or to put in the extra work to earn the goal. They were not at it, not working as a cohesive unit at 100%, and it showed at both ends of the pitch.
However, they were still the team playing the better football. Benrahma was unlucky just before the Leicester goal, taking a Fornals pass from right to left, controlling the ball, cutting inside and hitting the foot of the post with an effort that beat Iversen all ends up.
Things definitely improved when Bowen was introduced for Benrahma. Ings came on for Antonio at the same time, but having that direct runner to not just have run at the defence, but also stretch them and try and get on the end of passes in behind, made a big difference.
The two substitutes combined for a big chance, Bowen recovering his own rebound and squaring the ball into the middle of the box for Ings, but the striker got under the ball and skied a chance he really should have scored.
When The Hammers did finally get their goal, it was Fornals who provided it. The midfielder was good against Leeds, working tirelessly and opening up the defence for the equaliser with his lovely chipped pass to Bowen.
His goal here had echoes of Alkmaar. Taking it from the left, Fornals drove forward with the ball at his feet, and burst into the space that he was allowed centrally.
Arriving at the edge of the box, this time the Spaniard passed it low and hard into the near post corner, clipping off the woodwork on its way in. His finish seemed to catch the goalkeeper out, although it was also just the perfect spot for that shot on goal.
Being too slow carrying the ball and a complete lack of composure in front of goal are two valid criticisms of Fornals, even when he's on form. The goals here and in Alkmaar have proven he can do both, and a confident, firing Fornals is going to get Moyes thinking.
He is the more defensively responsible of the two options on that left wing, so Moyes will surely be tempted to turn to Fornals for the final.
The good news is that he is choosing between two good options, rather than picking the best of a bad bunch. Benrahma's display in the first leg of the semi-final was brilliant, carrying a threat as his team floundered. But Fornals will track runners, defend the full back and is a better passer when it comes to launching counter attacks.
Benrahma holds the shirt, and was given the rest here from the bench over Fornals, but finally there is some competition in this squad!
At the end, it was West Ham fans celebrating, Leicester beaten by a Doucoure winner at a different ground in a different game, their season out of their hands and taken away from them. The Hammers did what every club does on these days, they mock the crestfallen to celebrate their own safety.
In the grand scheme of things, Leicester going down probably suits West Ham. It's one club less to compete with for players, and Leicester City are a club who could easily have seen this season as a blip, much like West Ham are trying to.
At the end of a long Premier League campaign for West Ham, this proximity to calamity was the right way to finish. It was a reminder that individual quality means nothing if it cannot come together as a team, and that the mistakes made in the summer can have dire consequences come next spring.
This is a league that punishes teams who can't provide their best. The intensity and desire must be present in every game, this is elite sport, every percent dropped is an advantage lost.
A season finishing 14th in the Premier League is not a disaster for West Ham, and history will look back on it more favourably. But the struggle felt nearly every week, that cannot be forgotten, to do so would only see this team back here again, or far worse.
Manager's Rating
David Moyes: 7/10
For the manager, the only thing that really mattered was getting good minutes out of his team over these last two games, without affecting form. It would appear to be mission accomplished, with a convincing win over Leeds and some good signs in defeat here. Importantly, the rotation worked for the squad.
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Not really given much chance on either goal, but neither did he make the most of his actions for them.
Vladimir Coufal
Barnes made the most of his best opportunity out of Coufal's shadow. An interesting debate can be had on whether the midfield need to be better prepared to cover the full backs or whether better full backs need to be bought so that the midfield doesn?EUR(TM)t need to be their to protect them so consistently. It is tempting, and easier, to blame the full backs, but the modern game requires players to be defending as a unit and attacking as a unit.
Aaron Cresswell
I cannot get over how unprofessional the pass he played in the first half was. You don't play across your backline lightly, and certainly not under pressure. But to do so blindly, playing a pass without looking, is a recipe for disaster. Leicester are awful, and that spared him. Otherwise, his performance was entirely forgettable.
Thilo Kehrer
His lack of height was exposed. Thilo has cut out some of the absolute madness in his game recently, but he still should only be considered a centre back as a last resort or against very specific attacks.
Nayef Aguerd
Doesn't take charge and dominate the defence when it is clear it needs to be him to do it. That may come with time, and West Ham have not seen the best of him yet. A full pre-season and more time at the heart of this defence will develop his leadership further.
Declan Rice
Nowhere near his best, a player who looked both desperate to do something memorable, but also like he had been told repeatedly not to get injured.
Flynn Downes
He has a long way to go if he is going to be a significant starting option for this club. He struggles passing forward, making decisions under pressure, covering runners, controlling the area between defence and midfield. Maybe he needs a different system, maybe it is just time to develop.
Lucas Paqueta
Played within himself, on the fringes of things as he kept out of any battle and danced his way through the game. Paqueta looked like a player who wanted to have fun, but without wanting to work for it.
Said Benrahma
His lovely effort that clipped the post was worthy of a goal. Benrahma seems to have found a bit more confidence moving into more central areas, something Fornals does well from the left, and looking at and finding pockets of space could get him into better positions to profit from his quick feet.
Pablo Fornals
You could see a player desperate to play and make an impression. He was involved in most of what made West Ham watchable, scored a great goal and created chances for others. His return to form is timely, one way or another, West Ham will need their bench if they are to find success in Prague.
Michail Antonio
It's a tough old job, playing up front for West Ham. If the team behind you isn't really at it, you're living off scraps. And sometimes, even when they're really at it, your entire role is to make something from little. In this game, he was given nothing much from the creatives and had no runners off him with Bowen on the bench.
(Replaced Benrahma 62) Brought a direct threat and a desire to score to a team that lacked either.
Danny Ings
(Replaced (Antonio 62) He is improving his all round play to fit more with some of the players around him, most likely from time training together and building understanding rather than improvement as a player, and he looks good when involved with Bowen and Paqueta. Has to score chances like the one he missed if he is to play, as the team loses so much without an Antonio-type.
Emerson Palmieri
(Replaced Cresswell 71) He certainly came on.
Maxwel Cornet
(Replaced Paqueta 71) What to say with Cornet? The man needs a big pre-season, probably a summer in the gym, and to learn the offside rule. Whatever happens next year, Cornet needs to be a bonus, the 25th man of a 25-man squad. He cannot be relied on.
Manuel Lanzini
(Replaced Downes 86) Given a brief cameo, although a goodbye like last week was probably better than one extra game. A fantastic player for the club, he is definitely still a useful part of the squad and could have been used much more this season. But it seems like his time is up, and he will go having left a big impression and some wonderful memories.
Alphonse Areola
Did not play.
Kurt Zouma
Did not play.
Angelo Ogbonna
Did not play.
Tomas Soucek
Did not play.
Goals: Pablo Fornals 79 .
Booked: Danny Ings 0 .
Sent off: None.
Leicester City: Iversen, Castagne (Pereira 90+1), Faes, Evans, Thomas, Soumare, Dewsbury-Hall (Mendy 71), Maddison, Tielemans, Barnes, Iheanacho (Vardy 77).
Subs not used: Smithies, Souttar, Praet, Amartey, Tete, Daka.
Goals: Barnes (34), Faes (62).
Booked: Evans.
Sent off: None.
Referee: Simon Hooper.
Attendance: 0.
Man of the Match: Pablo Fornals.
Leicester City 2-1 West Ham United
Sunday, 28th May 2023
by Chris Wilkerson
West Ham couldn’t force relegation upon Leicester City on the last day of the season, losing 2-1 at the King Power Stadium, but still saw their opponents sink through the trap door and down to the Championship.
In a game that felt not far different from a preseason friendly from The Hammers, they came through unscathed, gathered themselves to end the game playing much the better football and got beneficial time into the legs of players who now do not play again until the Europa Conference League final on 7 June.A first half Harvey Barnes goal - the player a reported target for West Ham - gave Leicester a lead, which was extended with just under an hour to go by centre back Wout Faes. A lovely Fornals goal gave Moyes's side something to play for with 10 minutes left, but they never really threatened with any intensity.
The manager had made six changes from the victory over Leeds last weekend, with Emerson, Ogbonna, Zouma, Soucek, Bowen and Ings replaced by Cresswell, Aguerd, Kehrer, Downes, Benrahma and Antonio.
Because of the nature of this game, with West Ham almost primarily concerned with staying fit ahead of their final on June 7th in Prague and Leicester slipping through the trap door and out of the division, it is more interesting to look at what we can learn from this performance, taking the important points of a game that felt more akin to a preseason friendly.
It should be first noted that the first half performance was poor to the point of inspiring real apathy. Whilst we can discuss how this game mattered little in the grand scheme of things, the travelling fans deserved more than a halfhearted first half.
The only real highlights were Fornals and Antonio rushing half chances on the edge of the Leicester box, and Aguerd doing fantastically to recover after a diagonal ball landed just over him for Iheanacho to take the ball down. The Moroccan used his body and fast feet to take the ball and keep it.
Tomas Soucek does more than you think, and Flynn Downes can't replicate it.
The opening goal highlighted the importance of Tomas Soucek, whether some fans would like to admit or not.
It came from the left wing, with Barnes driving off the flank and getting to full pace as he cut in, laid off to Iheanacho and kept going into the box.
The striker can be a lovely passer and got this one right, putting it in the space inside of Downes, right into the path of Barnes, who took it on and passed across goal from the angle and into the bottom corner.
Watch Downes. This is a goal West Ham don't concede with Soucek there, the midfielder as good a defender as any at the club. Downes panics, a lack of awareness and composure in defence that let Barnes burst in without much opposition.
A touch unnecessary and harsh, yes, but the game wasn't one to fill column inches and it is time the lad was assessed as a Premier League player, not a nice West Ham boy with a classic haircut.
This is an area Soucek excels. Tommy is a spare centre back who can cover ground like a machine and yet always be there to defend the right flank, help his right back and cover runners from midfield.
The need to upgrade Soucek is not a fantasy - his season has been well below par - but it is not something that can be done with ease and by just anyone.
As an essential cog in the success of this team, and this includes the knockout stages of the Conference League, for many years, taking him out exposes the defence and a replacement must be able to fill that gap. Whilst they might not be quite as good, they have to be able to do the job adequately and bring the qualities on the ball to improve that role.
As for Downes, he has proven himself a useful substitute within very specific instructions, but not yet shown he has the qualities in any area to meet the standards around him. His passing is not good enough, his defending not strong enough, and so he becomes a problem on and off the ball.
Without intensity, this team will concede easy goals.
Both the goals Leicester scored will have disappointed the West Ham manager greatly. Not just because of how he values defending, it is more that they were far too easy for the opposition.
That little drop in intensity, the desire for defending not anywhere near the levels you have seen against AZ Alkmaar or Manchester United in recent weeks, can very quickly turn this side from obstinate to a soft touch.
It was not just that both goals were very easily scored, but they were scored by a poor Leicester side who were not playing well.
The Foxes were struggling in the occasion and amidst their own bad form. West Ham played through them comfortably, but barely threatened until the final half hour and lost a game they were more than good enough to win.
That may not have mattered yesterday, but the season is full of games where West Ham played reasonably well and were equally as reasonably beaten. This is why they have finished 14th and we're grateful to make 40 points.
The successes of Moyes's best seasons were built on strong foundations, and this team cannot move forward by forgetting them.
More players doesn't necessarily provide greater depth.
The manager added a lot of players over the summer, but the emphasis must remain on quality depth.
Emerson is a fine player, as is Cresswell, but neither are where West Ham should be by now with their left back.
Kehrer has improved, but the team is short of height with him at centre back. He is also a safer bet at right back, yet neither him nor Coufal are quite the perfect option there.
Flynn Downes has been discussed, whilst Cornet and Ings are proving themselves as luxuries.
Leicester were there to be beaten, but shorn of Bowen, Zouma and Soucek, the side looked considerably weaker at both ends of the pitch. One of those three has been rounded on all season as one to be ousted, another looks likely to miss weeks at a time every season. Too many of the new signings have been perfectly fine as individuals, but not improved the squad's quality, nor its ability to play in different ways with different threats.
Height matters, but it can be found in different areas...
The second Leicester goal is one you would rarely expect to see this West Ham side concede, and really should not be happening if the team is full strength.
All it was was a freekick curled in at goal from the left, with good height and decent pace. Faes got up early and unchallenged to flick it on and watch it fly into the far corner.
But with Zouma, Ogbonna and Soucek removed, the height and aerial prowess dropped greatly. Aguerd has yet to show particular dominance in the air since his move to England, whilst Kehrer is just a bit short for a centre-back.
Neither full back offers much in the air, so it was really on Aguerd, Rice and Paqueta to offer that in defence.
For West Ham to move on from Soucek, and to move on from Rice, they will have to find that balance in the team. A new left back or right back is likely going to need to be strong in the air if Soucek is replaced by anyone shorter than him.
Similarly, a Rice replacement probably needs to be good in the air. If both Rice and Soucek are out of that midfield next season, something that seems unlikely, then at least one of those two needs to be tall and strong defending set pieces.
It does not need to be the same equation as before, but the height and ability to defend in the air needs to meet the same standards as the full-strength West Ham team that will play the final. The balance will need to be found somewhere.
Pablo Fornals has played himself into some form, and gives the manager a minor selection dilemma ahead of Fiorentina.
It is fair to say that West Ham played the nicer football but lacked bite. Whilst earlier points mention a lack of intensity in defence causing issues, it was true in attack, too.
There just wasn't that desperate desire to score or to put in the extra work to earn the goal. They were not at it, not working as a cohesive unit at 100%, and it showed at both ends of the pitch.
However, they were still the team playing the better football. Benrahma was unlucky just before the Leicester goal, taking a Fornals pass from right to left, controlling the ball, cutting inside and hitting the foot of the post with an effort that beat Iversen all ends up.
Things definitely improved when Bowen was introduced for Benrahma. Ings came on for Antonio at the same time, but having that direct runner to not just have run at the defence, but also stretch them and try and get on the end of passes in behind, made a big difference.
The two substitutes combined for a big chance, Bowen recovering his own rebound and squaring the ball into the middle of the box for Ings, but the striker got under the ball and skied a chance he really should have scored.
When The Hammers did finally get their goal, it was Fornals who provided it. The midfielder was good against Leeds, working tirelessly and opening up the defence for the equaliser with his lovely chipped pass to Bowen.
His goal here had echoes of Alkmaar. Taking it from the left, Fornals drove forward with the ball at his feet, and burst into the space that he was allowed centrally.
Arriving at the edge of the box, this time the Spaniard passed it low and hard into the near post corner, clipping off the woodwork on its way in. His finish seemed to catch the goalkeeper out, although it was also just the perfect spot for that shot on goal.
Being too slow carrying the ball and a complete lack of composure in front of goal are two valid criticisms of Fornals, even when he's on form. The goals here and in Alkmaar have proven he can do both, and a confident, firing Fornals is going to get Moyes thinking.
He is the more defensively responsible of the two options on that left wing, so Moyes will surely be tempted to turn to Fornals for the final.
The good news is that he is choosing between two good options, rather than picking the best of a bad bunch. Benrahma's display in the first leg of the semi-final was brilliant, carrying a threat as his team floundered. But Fornals will track runners, defend the full back and is a better passer when it comes to launching counter attacks.
Benrahma holds the shirt, and was given the rest here from the bench over Fornals, but finally there is some competition in this squad!
At the end, it was West Ham fans celebrating, Leicester beaten by a Doucoure winner at a different ground in a different game, their season out of their hands and taken away from them. The Hammers did what every club does on these days, they mock the crestfallen to celebrate their own safety.
In the grand scheme of things, Leicester going down probably suits West Ham. It's one club less to compete with for players, and Leicester City are a club who could easily have seen this season as a blip, much like West Ham are trying to.
At the end of a long Premier League campaign for West Ham, this proximity to calamity was the right way to finish. It was a reminder that individual quality means nothing if it cannot come together as a team, and that the mistakes made in the summer can have dire consequences come next spring.
This is a league that punishes teams who can't provide their best. The intensity and desire must be present in every game, this is elite sport, every percent dropped is an advantage lost.
A season finishing 14th in the Premier League is not a disaster for West Ham, and history will look back on it more favourably. But the struggle felt nearly every week, that cannot be forgotten, to do so would only see this team back here again, or far worse.
Manager's Rating
David Moyes: 7/10
For the manager, the only thing that really mattered was getting good minutes out of his team over these last two games, without affecting form. It would appear to be mission accomplished, with a convincing win over Leeds and some good signs in defeat here. Importantly, the rotation worked for the squad.
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Player Ratings
Lukasz FabianskiNot really given much chance on either goal, but neither did he make the most of his actions for them.
Vladimir Coufal
Barnes made the most of his best opportunity out of Coufal's shadow. An interesting debate can be had on whether the midfield need to be better prepared to cover the full backs or whether better full backs need to be bought so that the midfield doesn?EUR(TM)t need to be their to protect them so consistently. It is tempting, and easier, to blame the full backs, but the modern game requires players to be defending as a unit and attacking as a unit.
Aaron Cresswell
I cannot get over how unprofessional the pass he played in the first half was. You don't play across your backline lightly, and certainly not under pressure. But to do so blindly, playing a pass without looking, is a recipe for disaster. Leicester are awful, and that spared him. Otherwise, his performance was entirely forgettable.
Thilo Kehrer
His lack of height was exposed. Thilo has cut out some of the absolute madness in his game recently, but he still should only be considered a centre back as a last resort or against very specific attacks.
Nayef Aguerd
Doesn't take charge and dominate the defence when it is clear it needs to be him to do it. That may come with time, and West Ham have not seen the best of him yet. A full pre-season and more time at the heart of this defence will develop his leadership further.
Declan Rice
Nowhere near his best, a player who looked both desperate to do something memorable, but also like he had been told repeatedly not to get injured.
Flynn Downes
He has a long way to go if he is going to be a significant starting option for this club. He struggles passing forward, making decisions under pressure, covering runners, controlling the area between defence and midfield. Maybe he needs a different system, maybe it is just time to develop.
Lucas Paqueta
Played within himself, on the fringes of things as he kept out of any battle and danced his way through the game. Paqueta looked like a player who wanted to have fun, but without wanting to work for it.
Said Benrahma
His lovely effort that clipped the post was worthy of a goal. Benrahma seems to have found a bit more confidence moving into more central areas, something Fornals does well from the left, and looking at and finding pockets of space could get him into better positions to profit from his quick feet.
Pablo Fornals
You could see a player desperate to play and make an impression. He was involved in most of what made West Ham watchable, scored a great goal and created chances for others. His return to form is timely, one way or another, West Ham will need their bench if they are to find success in Prague.
Michail Antonio
It's a tough old job, playing up front for West Ham. If the team behind you isn't really at it, you're living off scraps. And sometimes, even when they're really at it, your entire role is to make something from little. In this game, he was given nothing much from the creatives and had no runners off him with Bowen on the bench.
Substitutes
Jarrod Bowen(Replaced Benrahma 62) Brought a direct threat and a desire to score to a team that lacked either.
Danny Ings
(Replaced (Antonio 62) He is improving his all round play to fit more with some of the players around him, most likely from time training together and building understanding rather than improvement as a player, and he looks good when involved with Bowen and Paqueta. Has to score chances like the one he missed if he is to play, as the team loses so much without an Antonio-type.
Emerson Palmieri
(Replaced Cresswell 71) He certainly came on.
Maxwel Cornet
(Replaced Paqueta 71) What to say with Cornet? The man needs a big pre-season, probably a summer in the gym, and to learn the offside rule. Whatever happens next year, Cornet needs to be a bonus, the 25th man of a 25-man squad. He cannot be relied on.
Manuel Lanzini
(Replaced Downes 86) Given a brief cameo, although a goodbye like last week was probably better than one extra game. A fantastic player for the club, he is definitely still a useful part of the squad and could have been used much more this season. But it seems like his time is up, and he will go having left a big impression and some wonderful memories.
Alphonse Areola
Did not play.
Kurt Zouma
Did not play.
Angelo Ogbonna
Did not play.
Tomas Soucek
Did not play.
Match Facts
West Ham United: Lukasz Fabianski, Vladimir Coufal, Aaron Cresswell, Thilo Kehrer, Nayef Aguerd, Declan Rice, Flynn Downes, Lucas Paqueta, Said Benrahma, Pablo Fornals, Michail Antonio.Goals: Pablo Fornals 79 .
Booked: Danny Ings 0 .
Sent off: None.
Leicester City: Iversen, Castagne (Pereira 90+1), Faes, Evans, Thomas, Soumare, Dewsbury-Hall (Mendy 71), Maddison, Tielemans, Barnes, Iheanacho (Vardy 77).
Subs not used: Smithies, Souttar, Praet, Amartey, Tete, Daka.
Goals: Barnes (34), Faes (62).
Booked: Evans.
Sent off: None.
Referee: Simon Hooper.
Attendance: 0.
Man of the Match: Pablo Fornals.