West Ham United completed their pre-season ahead of the 2019-20 season on Saturday, coming back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Athletic Bilbao before falling to a 4-2 defeat on penalties at the London Stadium.
Manuel Lanzini and Jack Wilshere scored in a hectic 83 seconds to level the scores after just 23 minutes, but it was the La Liga side that ultimately lifted the *coveted* Betway Cup.
Friendlies are so spontaneous in terms of managers’ experimental approach with tactics in low-risk situations, but there’s always something to analyse in football.
The Hammers won three and lost three of their pre-season games, those wins coming against Altach, Fulham and Hertha Berlin – but ultimately the results aren’t what you want to focus on.
So, what exactly are the key things we can take from the sequence of friendly fixtures as we set sail on the highly-anticipated campaign ahead?
Take a look at the five findings we have observed from West Ham’s, no doubt, rewarding pre-season preparations.
