Moyes' misplaced trust in experience
David Moyes opted against handing starts to a number of his promising youngsters with substitutes Armstrong Okoflex and Aji Alese the only Under-23 players involved in the matchday squad.
Moyes is proud of how the Under-23 team are faring in the Premier League 2 and with the youngsters facing Manchester United on Saturday afternoon, the boss decided against calling up the likes of Sonny Perkins and Harrison Ashby.
During the course of the game West Ham played 10 internationals but were the second best team throughout. Declan Rice's display was the only positive for the Hammers, who were thankful to their vice-captain for sparing their blushes with a late, late strike to take the match into extra-time.
Andriy Yarmolenko put in a shocking display for the Hammers in attack with Nikola Vlasic not much better and it raises the question of whether Moyes would have been better off handing starts to promising youngsters Armstrong Okoflex and Sonny Perkins. Both have been in fine form for the Under-23 side but are largely untested in the first team. However, with West Ham so poor in attack it is hard to imagine either player could have been worse than those on display.
Kral fails to makes case
Alex Kral did himself no favours in pushing for more minutes in a West Ham shirt, along with many of his teammates on Saturday afternoon. The August loan signing has found game time hard to come by so a solid performance in central midfield was needed from the Czech Republic international but he could not deliver.
As with many of the Hammers players he gave the ball away too regularly, often misplacing the simplest of passes. Harriers pressured the West Ham players in possession and Kral was guilty of being caught on the ball on a number of occasions.
Just eight months ago Kral was starting alongside Tomas Soucek in the heart of the Czech Republic midfield at Euro 2020 but he looked a million miles off that level yesterday.
Moyes said on Friday that Kral would hopefully see more action in the second half of the season, but if that performance was anything to go by it could be a while until the midfielder starts again.
Tough opposition
Kidderminster proved in the opening exchanges they were no pushovers. The home team had the best of the first-half chances before taking the lead with Alphonse Areola was forced into a number of saves. The Hammers, meanwhile, failed to hit the target until after the hour mark and needed an injury time equaliser from Rice to keep them in the game.
Harriers were physical in attack and looked to get down the wings and cross into the box. Kurt Zouma, Issa Diop and Areola were the busiest players on the pitch in the opening exchanges but it was a mix up between Areola and Diop that lead to the non-league side's fully deserved early lead.
Diop and Areola got in each other's way as the goalkeeper came to punch the ball clear at the same time as Diop went to head it away. Diop's header was a poor one and bounced into the path of Alex Penny who finished well.
Diop's afternoon continued in poor fashion with the defender giving the ball away on numerous occasions, conceding free-kicks and forced into errors by the Harriers attackers before being replaced at the break.
The French defender went into the winter break in poor form and unfortunately his return to the team was not a good one. He like so many of the starting XI may have to wait quite some time before they get another start.
Declan Rice heroics
Moyes would have been hoping to hand Rice a rest with the fringe players expected to get the job done but at half-time, the manager had to call on his star player.
Rice was the one standout performer for West Ham driving his team up the pitch and almost singlehandedly getting them back into the match. He received the ball from the backline on numerous occasions and carried it upfield to get the Hammers on the front foot.
He took his goal superbly, surging into the box and smashing it into the roof of the net. That West Ham had to turn to their vice-captain was a testament to the quality of Kidderminster but when the Hammers needed him most Rice stood up and saved his team, much to the relief of Moyes and the West Ham faithful.
Fringe players waste opportunity
Moyes handed starts to a number of squad players but not one of them managed to take their chance to impress him.
Diop and Kral were subbed at the break, Areola was somewhat at fault for the goal and made a number of other errors during the game.
Fredericks was wasteful in possession, Noble looked off the pace and the attacking duo of Yarmolenko and Vlasic were poor. Benrahma did just about enough to merit his place amongst the recognised 13 or 14 players pushing for regular starts, but only just.
West Ham have a clear first XI and beyond that there is little by the way of quality backup as was proved yesterday afternoon. Diop looks a long way from breaking back into the team and there was great worry when Zouma went down injured towards the end of the game. With Angelo Ogbonna out for the season, Diop and Dawson would be the only two fit senior centre-backs but on yesterday's form Diop needs a break from action after struggling against sixth-tier opposition.
The likes of Coufal, Cresswell, Rice, Soucek, Lanzini, Fornals, and Antonio are set to return from the start on Tuesday night in what will be a huge relief to all involved at West Ham.
