Six things spotted as West Ham beat Grasshoppers and El Hadji Malick Diouf could seriously embarrass Mohammed Kudus

West Ham picked up a win over Swiss side Grasshoppers in their first pre-season outing, but there were six key takeaways — one being El Hadji Malick Diouf threatening to embarrass Mohammed Kudus.

West Ham looked abysmal in pre-season under Julen Lopetegui last summer.

Many wrote it off as nothing to worry about, saying ‘it’s only pre-season’.

The reality was that all the warning signs were there and it came home to roost in the season proper.

This time around Graham Potter is keen to start as he means to go on in pre-season as he rebuilds the team, their fitness and the mentality.

West Ham have been back in training for two weeks, culminating in their first warm-up game against the most successful side in Swiss football history, Grasshopper Club Zurich.

West Ham took a 1-0 lead into half-time courtesy of an Andy Irving goal – set up by brilliant work from super sharp captain Jarrod Bowen.

Six things spotted as West Ham beat Grasshoppers

The skipper weaved past several players as he made his way into the box before laying it off for Irving to clinically find the bottom corner.

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Youngster Callum Marshall made a brilliant impression when he came on at half-time, scoring a superb goal from outside the box soon after the restart in an all-changed side.

The second half saw new boy El Hadji Malick Diouf get his first minutes for the Hammers.

Some lacklustre play in midfield and poor closing down – the story of West Ham’s last 18 months – saw the Swiss side get a deserved goal back.

But West Ham held on and Lucas Paqueta converted a late penalty to make it 3-1.

Here are six things spotted as West Ham beat Grasshoppers and Diouf could seriously embarrass Mohammed Kudus.

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Diouf gives Potter’s West Ham rebuild wings

The Hammers were forced to sell Kudus to bitter rivals Spurs in order to provide Potter with funds to make his own signings.

Supporters were angry but word from the club is the manager is not overly concerned about losing Kudus as a player or character and the owners don’t see it as a disaster either.

What it did enable West Ham to do is sign Diouf from Slavia Prague in a deal worth up to £23m.

The Senegal left wingback came on in the second half for his first game in claret and blue. And he shone from the first moment.

Bursting with pace, power and energy, Diouf was a constant threat, always available and always in space. He got to the by-line countless times and was unlucky with some of his crosses not to get at least a couple of assists.

He was also denied a goal due to a superb Grasshopper clearance off the line.

Excellent on the ball, Diouf looks a real find. And the regularity at which he got in and around the box, with his cultured left foot, means the 20-year-old could threaten to make Kudus look silly next season.

Diouf matched Kudus’ goal and assist contribution last season – from left-back.

Playing in Potter’s system, he will be very advanced in games. And there is no reason he cannot get more assists than Kudus next term, not least because he is totally unselfish – the antithesis of Spurs’ new £54.5m man.

A superb first outing for Diouf.

Contrasting striker impressions means Hammers must step up search

Marshall was a livewire when he came on, pestering the Grasshopper defence and scoring a superbly taken goal.

The way he burst through and confidently curled the ball home from outside the box showed why the Hammers rate the Northern Irishman so highly.

Huddersfield fans loved Marshall and it is easy to see why.

The 20-year-old did more in his time on the pitch than experienced Germany international Niclas Fullkrug.

Much has been made of the fact Fullkrug has lost three kilos in weight over the summer in a bid to be a success – and avoid persistent injuries – next season.

While it was only the first game, Fullkrug looked off the pace and this game has proved West Ham simply must sign at least one other striker with pace and power. Fullkrug is undoubtedly a great finisher but West Ham need players who can bring a bit of everything to the game, like a Marko Arnautovic.

At the end of last season Potter said he sees Fullkrug as an impact sub at best for West Ham.

On this evidence that won’t and shouldn’t change. The Premier League would be a big step up for Marshall but even if he became a squad regular, another quality striker must be brought in.

New-look Academy midfield shows promise

West Ham’s central midfield which started the game was far too pedestrian and immobile.

Guido Rodriguez, Andy Irving and James Ward-Prowse are not the answer to West Ham’s midfield problems.

It says everything that goalscorer Irving was head and shoulders West Ham’s best midfielder in the first half.

Academy duo Lewis Orford and Freddie Potts came on in the second half along with Paqueta.

It was night and day in terms of what it offered the team, Orford regularly bursting forward, Paqueta pulling the strings and Potts breaking up play.

There was plenty of promise from the young duo. But some phases of play showed they still have a way to go to be at Premier League level.

Potter will still feel he needs two new midfield signings. But it will be the likes of Rodriguez and Edson Alvarez who are sold to make way for them with Potts and Orford very much the future.

Of the two it was actually Orford who impressed more, making bursting runs and playing some lovely cross-field and reverse over-the-top passes behind the defence.

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West Ham: Find us keepers

Alphonse Areola and Wes Foderingham both looked uncomfortable with the ball at their feet.

West Ham simply must sign a new goalkeeper to challenge for the number one spot not someone just to replace Lukasz Fabianski as back-up.

There could be a major development on West Ham’s goalkeeper hunt after a Fabrizio Romano update.

A leopard never changes its spots also applies to Hammers flops

The short memories of some West Ham fans never ceases to amaze.

When Ward-Prowse came back from his disastrous Forest loan, there was a faction of supporters who were treating him like a new signing who would transform the team.

Many of the same supporters have been trying to sell the idea that flops Maxwel Cornet, defender Nayef Aguerd and Konstantinos Mavropanos could suddenly be reborn too.

The trio cost West Ham £65m. But they will struggle to get £25-30m back selling all three this summer.

Cornet was anonymous in the first half, looking like a fish out of water on a football pitch never mind playing for West Ham.

Aguerd did better at Real Sociedad because his game is more suited to the slower, less competitive La Liga.

Aguerd did not have much to do but gave the ball away several times and offered little assurance West Ham were safe with him at the back.

Mavropanos wasn’t much better and while they were on the pitch it was no surprise the Hammers conceded. They were lucky not to concede more too.

If West Ham don’t sign a centre-back who can – and wants to – head the ball, they will be in trouble next season.

Guilherme shows he can come good for West Ham

To end on a positive note is to end by talking about Luis Guilherme.

The young Brazilian endured a terribly difficult debut season after arriving from Palmeiras in a £20m deal.

Former technical director Tim Steidten admitted he may have made a mistake signing Guilherme in a new interview this week.

There have been claims that Botafogo want to bring Guilherme back to Brazil.

It was reported the Brazilian club have sent a bid to West Ham for Guilherme, but that the player is determined to make a success of his Hammers career.

Well he started pre-season like a player determined to do just that.

Guilherme came on in the second half at right wingback.

He played a major part in the counter attack which led to Marshall’s goal. And he was a constant threat with his pace down the right, bursting past several players on multiple occasions to get into crossing positions.

Most of his passes at the end of those runs were good too and, like Diouf, he was unlucky not to register an assist.

Overall West Ham look a lot sharper from the off this season compared to last.

Plenty of positives but it was also clear to see why West Ham are planning to sign at least one new striker, midfielders, a centre-back and a goalkeeper.

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