West Ham United ratings v Crystal Palace: 1/10 Kurt Zouma truly abysmal, best player gets 5/10
West Ham fell to one of their worst defeats of the David Moyes era as they were thumped 5-2 by Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
The Irons found themselves three down inside 20 minutes to goals from Michael Olise, Eberechi Eze and a comical Emerson own goal.
Jean-Phillippe Mateta added a fourth after half an hour and, while Michail Antonio did pull one back before half-time, Mateta doubled his tally in the second half before Tyrick Mitchell’s own goal.
West Ham Zone rates the performance of each player in South London using data supplied by WhoScored.
Kurt Zouma struggles at back for West Ham
Lukasz Fabianski – 3/10
Made a couple of very good stops, but that was all undone by a couple of notable errors, including for Palace’s first goal. The Eagles had seven shots on target and scored five times – one being an own goal – which is simply not good enough.
Vladimir Coufal – 3/10
Moyes’ decision to move Coufal into a more advanced position helped take some of the pressure off him, but he cannot be let off the hook for what happened in the first half in particular. Offered nothing at either end.
Kurt Zouma – 1/10
Pretty much as bad as performances come. Arguably could have done more to prevent each goal, but was particularly at fault for the second and fifth, the latter seeing him left embarassed as he was nutmegged. Did absolutely nothing from a defensive sense, even if desperately trying to find positives.
Angelo Ogbonna – 2/10
Brought into the side for his fourth Premier League start of the season and was also terrible at the back. Just could not cope with Palace’s movement and cannot even use fatigue as an excuse. Time at the club is coming to an end.
Emerson – 2/10
Another who just could not get close to any Palace player in the first half. Own goal would have been funny had it happened to anyone other than a West Ham player as he tucked the ball past his own goalkeeper. Slightly improved when used as a wing-back in the second period.
Edson Alvarez way off normal West Ham levels
Tomas Soucek – 3/10
The holding midfielders looked as though they have never played alongside one another. Soucek completed just 13 passes in a one-sided opening 45 minutes and was sacrificed at the interval – rightly so.
Edson Alvarez – 4/10
Arguably his worst showing in a West Ham shirt as he backed off the Palace players and badly let down his defenders. In fact, Moyes took it upon himself to shift him into the back-line in a desperate attempt to stem the flow. Did make a team-high four tackles and three interceptions, but this was not a day to remember.
Mohammed Kudus – 4/10
One shot, which was off target, and one completed dribble was all Kudus had to show for his efforts. The defence was really bad, but the attack was not much better in the absence of Jarrod Bowen. Moyes kept him on for 84 minutes, but that was down to a lack of alternatives more than anything.
James Ward-Prowse – 5/10
Did get more of a grip on things, albeit too late as the game was over inside 20 minutes. Played one key pass and finished with a pass-completion percentage of 89. Playing as a more advanced midfielder, though, he had to offer more in terms of connecting defence and attack.
Lucas Paqueta – 4/10
Could not get a real grip on proceedings, highlighted by the fact he was dispossessed a game-high six times. Did not shy away, with his 61 touches the second-most of any West Ham player, but still not good enough by his standards.
Michail Antonio – 5/10
Scored a goal late in the first half to give United just a glimmer of hope. Did little else, in truth, but that is now goals in back-to-back games so he is at least doing his part.
In other West Ham news, “big” changes are anticipated at London Stadium ahead of next season.
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