El Hadji Malick Diouf to transform Potter’s attack after what new West Ham ace did v Grasshoppers
West Ham have beaten Grasshoppers 3-1 in their opening pre-season friendly on Saturday.
Goals from Andy Irving and Callum Marshall kicked off the scoring, before Jonathan Asp Jensen’s half-volley halved the deficit for the home side.
But Lucas Paqueta’s late penalty sealed the victory for the Hammers, with Graham Potter likely to be happy with the way his team performed.
West Ham will now fly to the United States, where they will take on Manchester United, Everton and Bournemouth, before returning to play Lille at The London Stadium.
Diouf impresses on debut
For many West Ham fans, all eyes would have been on new signing El Hadji Malick Diouf.
The Hammers have been chasing the defender for much of the window, finally agreeing a deal with Slavia Prague worth around £19million.
Diouf did not fail to impress on his debut, coming on at half-time and instantly giving fans a taste of what he can do.
Just minutes into his first appearance in a West Ham shirt, the 20-year-old could be seen bombing down the wing and delivering a cross into the box.
It was the first of several crosses that were hit with conviction and accuracy, often finding the heralded ‘corridor of uncertainty’.
| El Hadji Malick Diouf | Chance Liga (2024/25) |
| Appearances | 24 |
| Goals | 7 |
| Assists | 3 |
One should have earnt him an assist, but Marshall’s shot was blocked by a sprawling Grasshoppers defender.
Diouf’s attacking ability was clear, judging by his stats and time in Prague, but Hammers fans would have been pleasantly shocked to see the free rein given to him by Potter.
The full-back essentially owned the entire left flank, constantly offering an option out wide to his teammates deployed on his inside.
That did not mean the Senegal international forgot his defensive duties, sprinting back to cut out one Grasshoppers attack midway through the second half.
But Diouf’s eagerness to support the attack was so strong that when Paqueta was found inside the box and curled towards the far corner, it was West Ham’s left-back who was there to attempt to head home the rebound – his header deflecting off an arm and leading to the late penalty.
Diouf can be transformative
West Ham’s attack could often look lethargic last season, relying on Jarrod Bowen to muster up a moment of magic.
But Diouf’s arrival could add a completely different dimension to Potter’s attack.
If the left-back is given the same freedom to join West Ham’s forward line when the Hammers go from back-to-front, opposing teams would be forced to stretch their numbers further.
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