West Ham dodged a potential banana skin on Tuesday night after they beat giant-killers Newport 2-0 with goals from Jack Wilshere (his first for the club) and Pablo Fornals.
Newport – who have beaten Leeds and Leicester, and drawn with Tottenham in recent cup runs – gave a good account of themselves and could have made things much harder for the Hammers if striker Padraig Amond had taken a gilt-edged chance in the first half.
Manuel Pellegrini gave striker Albian Ajeti his first game for the club after joining from Basel in an £8m deal this summer.
He didn’t get on the scoresheet and had a tough game, with little service in the first half. He showed some good running and had a couple of chances in the second half but couldn’t convert either of them.
West Ham fans weren’t impressed with their debutant but some were willing to give him the benefit of the doubt in a tough game at the lower league club.
Here are the best reactions to his debut on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/bradleyjames22/status/1166438961012772866
Ajeti isn’t looking right at all, can’t control the ball or make simple passes. Hoping as I tweet this, he makes me look stupid!@theribman
— Katie (@flump9) August 27, 2019
Ajeti didn’t have a great first half and struggled to make an impact on the game. However, you have to cut him some slack – it’s not easy going to a place like Newport in a cup game and making your debut. It’s not the sort of game he’d get against Premier League opposition.
https://twitter.com/hewhu6/status/1166473431606583296
https://twitter.com/puffa_the_gen/status/1166483547236052993
Diop and Ajeti looked woeful tonight (I know it’s Ajeti’s first start) but let’s hope he can improve that was painful to watch at times especially before Wilshere’s goal
— Kenny T ? (@kennythornton) August 27, 2019
Ajeti is sooooooooo bad
— MC (@CleverCoventry) August 27, 2019
One fan said Ajeti was “painful to watch at times, especially before Wilshere’s goal”. That helped West Ham settle down and the second half was more comfortable for the Premier League side. Ajeti looked better and came into the game more but ultimately the best thing you could say about him is “promising”.
There were plenty of West Ham fans who were prepared to cut him some slack. One said, “Newport are a rough team. Just give him time”.
Another said he “worked his socks off which is all you can ask for”.
He might well have to wait until the next round of the EFL cup to get his next start when he can try to prove the doubters wrong.
Very difficult for ajeti. Tough game for his debut. Newport are a rough team. Just give him time and we could have a quality player on our hands.
— Kyle (@KyleMollan) August 27, 2019
https://twitter.com/BlairDavidson16/status/1166483204846641152
Feel bad for ajeti didn’t think he was poor seemed like no one trusted him was making runs and showing for the ball but wasn’t getting no service
— Charlie Fry (@Charlie_Fry_) August 27, 2019