Dean Aston empties both barrels on West Ham ace Aaron Cresswell

Dean Aston has emptied both barrels on West Ham ace Aaron Cresswell after his sending off against Eintracht Frankfurt.

The Hammers crashed out of the Europa League semi-final against the Bundesliga outfit having lost 1-0 on the night, and 3-1 on aggregate.

Former Irons striker, Ashton, was in no doubt of the red card, bemused at the defenders’ actions.

West Ham

Aston told talkSPORT: “Ultimately, I can’t see why it isn’t [a red]. It has to be. I don’t know why he’s trying to win it, he just needs to drop off.

“He doesn’t win it and he’s climbing all over the opponent. Cresswell can have no complaints, it’s his own fault, he just needs to shepherd him.

“You certainly don’t plan for that. I don’t know what he was thinking. You know what it was? It looked like panic. He was so desperate, the striker had the pace on him.

“He missed the ball completely and it was a clear red card. I couldn’t believe the ref gave a yellow.

“I’m sure he’s distraught inside the dressing room. There’s no way he meant it, but he can’t take it back.”

Monumental effort.

It just wasn’t meant to be for West Ham in the Europa League, was it?

West Ham

They should have won and they certainly would have if they had played the full game with eleven players on the pitch. 

Frankfurt showed their quality and clinical edge throughout the tie but there was nothing to suggest that the Hammers weren’t going to see the tie out in Germany tonight.

Even with all the odds stacked against them, the players fought right until the end of the game and for that, they deserve so much credit – they went out with their heads held high.

These are the crucial steps the Irons have to take if they want to establish themselves at this level year in, and year out.

This season has been a brilliant learning curve for everyone at the club and hopefully, with more quality added to the squad over the summer, they can right this season’s wrongs.

In other West Ham news, a BBC pundit has urged West Ham to sign a £40million rated Chelsea wantaway, saying he would be a “great fit”.

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