West Ham player ratings vs Nottingham Forest: Alphonse Areola impresses as Kalvin Phillips nightmare continues

Defence crumbles as Hammers’ wait for a win goes on
Malik Ouzia @MalikOuzia_17 February 2024

Another disappointing day for West Ham saw them beaten 2-0 by Nottingham Forest at the City Ground.

In truth, the Hammers had Alphonse Areola to thank for avoiding a more merciless beating as they continued their disparate run of form.

Taiwo Awoniyi fired Forest ahead in first-half stoppage time before Callum Hudson-Odoi added a late second.

Here’s how David Moyes’ side rated at the City Ground...

Alphonse Areola 8

Made a brilliant early save to deny Anthony Elanga and another to keep out Morgan Gibbs-White. A similar story after half-time - this could have been extremely ugly.

Vladimir Coufal 5

In the wars and out of form. Produced a flurry of assists in the first half of the season but attacking threat has since vanished. Booked.

Kurt Zouma 3

Looks miles off it at the moment. Another sluggish display and lucky not to be sent off when only booked for the second of two clumsy fouls on Awoniyi on halfway.

Nayef Aguerd 3

Uses the ball well but defensive weakness exposed again when Awoniyi rolled him for the opener.

Emerson 6

Looked in trouble in the early stages against Elanga but recovered well. Put Mohammed Kudus in with clever pass but chance came to nothing.

James Ward-Prowse 4

Ought to have been a big factor against the worst defensive set-piece team in the league but West Ham won just two corners all game.

Edson Alvarez 5

Passing strangely off. Tends to struggle against mobile No10s and Gibbs-White had some joy here.

Is having an incomprehensibly bad start to his loan spell. Sent off for two quick bookings to doom hopes of a comeback.

Jarrod Bowen 5

Scuffed one chance straight at Matz Sels but otherwise struggled to get into the game.

Michail Antonio 5

Wasted an opening he had forged himself when failing to get shot off against Murillo. At least gave West Ham a presence up-front. Booked for dissent.

Mohammed Kudus 5

Doesn’t look especially well suited to playing off the left but Moyes has little choice until Lucas Paqueta returns. Booked.

Substitutes

Ben Johnson (Coufal 76’) 5

Maxwel Cornet (Antonio 76’) 2

Back-post air kick within seconds of coming on wasted a decent chance, then ought to have given away a spot-kick.

Tomas Soucek (Emerson 83’) N/A

Danny Ings (Zouma 90’) N/A

Unused: Fabianski, Cresswell, Ogbonna, Mavropanos, Mubama

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