Lucas Paqueta stinks in 3/10, Vladimir Coufal MOTM – West Ham United player ratings v Freiburg
West Ham were condemned to a 1-0 loss by Freiburg in the Europa League round of 16 on Thursday (7 March), travelling back to the London Stadium with it all to do in the second leg.
The Hammers were unable to make the most of their chances against the Bundesliga side, with Noah Atubolo thwarting Jarrod Bowen on multiple occasions.
Unable to take their chances, David Moyes’ side were finally punished when Michael Gregoritsch fired home from five yards out, with Kurt Zouma switching off at a vital moment.
Here West Ham Zone rates the players out of 10 for their performances.
Vladimir Coufal stands out despite West Ham United defeat
Lukasz Fabianski – 5
Not left with much to do but made the necessary saves when called upon. Centre-backs in front of Fabianski meant a much easier job for the shot-stopper.
Vladimir Coufal – 8
Flying up and down the right wing, causing trouble for the Freiburg defence but was unable to make that final pass or cross into the middle, which was eventually punished.
Kurt Zouma – 4
Played a major role in the match’s opening goal, switching off as Michael Gregoritsch netted from five yards out. Had a decent game up until the goal but lost focus on the key moment.
Konstantinos Mavropanos – 6
Slightly more comfortable in defence than Zouma, despite a wayward pass that was nearly punished in the first half. Unable to do anything as Freiburg took the lead.
Emerson Palmieri (Off for Aaron Creswell 68′) – 5
Could be a huge blow, having been taken off with an injury. Was not his best display by a long stretch but was one of the better performers on the night.
Edson Alvarez – 6
An exemplary performance from the Mexican midfielder, pushing his team up the pitch and and involved in most challenges on the night. This was until he gave a ball away in midfield before Freiburg scored the opener.
David Moyes’ side struggle in attacking third v Freiburg
Tomas Soucek – 4
Was sound defensively but sloppy going forward, misplacing several passes in the attacking third of the pitch, losing far too many duels in midfield.
James Ward-Prowse (Off for Kalvin Phillips 81′) – 4
Despite his incredible passing range, his lack of pace stopped the Hammers from breaking quickly against Freiburg. Was unable to make many dangerous passes into the front three.
Mohammed Kudus – 7
Lacked quality on the ball, but made up for it with energy and tried his best to push West Ham further up the pitch. Should have had a couple of assists, but the final touch from his teammates was not good enough.
Lucas Paqueta (Off for Michail Antonio 90+2′) – 3
Struggled to make the required impact in the match in Germany, giving the ball away on too many occasions and generally slopping in possession.
Jarrod Bowen – 5
Had a couple of opportunities to score and should have done much better at the top of the field. Was a constant threat throughout the match.
Substitutes
Aaron Creswell (On for Emerson 68′) – 6
Did his job after replacing Emerson, especially considering his lack of game time this season. Won his duels but will be disappointed to concede.
Kalvin Phillips (On for Ward-Prowse 81′) – N/A
Michail Antonio (On for Paqueta 90+2′) – N/A
In other West Ham news, Fabrizio Romano has shared an update on the Hammers’ interest in Borussia Dortmund star Marco Reus
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