Sebastien Haller netted a hat-trick as West Ham beat the Blues 4-1 at Portman Road in a behind closed doors friendly. The Frenchman put the Hammers in front just before the break, added a second on the hour before Freddie Sears pulled one back for the Blues and Tomas Soucek made it 3-1. Haller completed his hat-trick on 63 as the teams scored four goals in five minutes.

Andre Dozzell, Flynn Downes and Teddy Bishop were the Blues midfield three as Town are lined up in their increasingly familiar 4-3-3 system.

Skipper Luke Chambers at centre-half alongside Toto Nsiala with Janoi Donacien and Stephen Ward the full-backs. Tomas Holy was in goal.

Up front, Gwion Edwards was on the right with ex-Hammer Freddie Sears on the left and Aaron Drinan in the centre.

James Norwood, Oli Hawkins and James Wilson again all missed out but Emyr Huws was among the subs having travelled without being involved at Spurs on Saturday.

Norwood, who is continuing his rehabilitation after his groin operation, and Wilson, who has been out with a calf problem, were expected to start training yesterday. Prior to joining the Blues last Monday Hawkins had been training on his own.

Kane Vincent-Young, Luke Woolfenden, Kayden Jackson, Cole Skuse and Myles Kenlock were notable absentees from the squad.

West Ham, who were also in action at Wycombe Wanderers this afternoon, included ex-Blue Aaron Cresswell, who skippered, as well as Jack Wilshere, Darren Randolph and Felipe Anderson, who was among their scorers when they beat Town 2-1 in another friendly two years ago. Manager David Moyes was at Portman Road rather than Adams Park.

The Town team emerged from their temporary dressing room in the Sir Bobby Robson Suite, walking down the steps of the empty Sir Alf Ramsey Stand, the visitors having previously emerged from the tunnel.

There was a chance for the Blues within the opening seconds when a clearance deflected into the path of Drinan inside the area but the Irish U21 international’s strike was blocked.

Ward sent it back in and another Drinan attempt was blocked by Fabian Balbuena before Randolph in the Hammers goal claimed.

Town caused themselves significant problems in the opening minutes as they tried to pass out from the back and in the fifth minute Andriy Yarmolenko was found in space at the far post but Chambers was able to push him wide and then stab the ball out for a corner.

From the flag-kick keeper Holy punched uncertainly and Donacien helped it out for a goal-kick off a West Ham player.

Drinan’s low shot was saved by Randolph on 10, then Grady Diangana took the ball past the advancing Holy on the right of the Blues’ area but took it out of play.

On 14, with Town already having shown far more threat than they did at Tottenham on Saturday, Ward found Bishop on the left of the box and the midfielder skipped past two men before cutting across the six-yard box but with no Blues player there to add the final touch.

West Ham should have been in front a minute later when Haller, a scorer on his last pre-season visit to Portman Road as the Blues drew 1-1 with Utrecht in 2015, found himself unmarked eight yards out after Chambers had failed to deal with a long ball but the Frenchman somehow hit the ball too close to Holy, who saved.

Penalty area action became rarer, although West Ham were looking a threat on the break whenever Town lost the ball in the opposition’s half.

On 29 the Hammers appealed for a penalty as the ball appeared to catch Dozzell on the arm as it came in from the right, the midfielder colliding with Donacien as a number of players landed in a heap. Referee Neil Hair waved away penalty protests.

Two minutes later, Downes, a West Ham fan, stuck a powerful effort which Randolph pawed behind. From Sears’s deep corner from the left Ward nodded into the Irish international keeper’s hands.

The visitors again should have taken the lead in the 38th minute when Haller was played in behind the Blues backline but again was unable to beat the advancing Holy, who blocked. Moments later Idris El Mizouni replaced Edwards, who walked straight off to the dressing room.

On 43, with Town starting to look more confident when breaking forward, Bishop took the ball on into the West Ham half and with options either side of him hit a shot which flew over Randolph’s crossbar.

The Hammers took the lead in controversial circumstances a minute later. The ball looked to have gone out of play on the left and the Town players had stopped as Diangana squeezed it across for Haller to turn home from a few feet.

The Blues players protested towards the linesman, but to no avail and soon afterwards the referee’s whistle ended a half in which Town had been more competitive than they had been in the opening period at Tottenham on Saturday.

The Hammers should have been ahead prior to their late goal with Haller having missed a couple of very good chances, while the Blues had had one or two opportunities of their own, albeit less clear cut.

Neither side made a change ahead of the second half, unusually for pre-season, with the Hammers making the early running.

On 51 El Mizouni, playing on the right of the front three, not his preferred role, made a clever run on the left of the box and looked to find Ward, who had broken forward, but the ball was diverted behind.

Two minutes later, Yarmolenko was found at the far post on the right by Haller’s backheel from where the Ukrainian shot against the outside of the post.

Town swapped Dozzell, Downes and Bishop, who had been far from out-classed by their Premier League counterparts, for Jon Nolan, Emyr Huws and Alan Judge in the 59th minute and soon after the visitors extended their lead.

Diangana was again the creator crossing for Haller to slam his second of the afternoon into the net.

The two-goal lead didn’t last for long with Sears pulling one back against his old club having been found in space on the left of the box by Huws following a powerful run forward from halfway on 61.

However, the Hammers quickly made it 3-1 as Holy failed to reach a cross from the right from Conor Coventry allowing Soucek to nod in at the far post. The Czech keeper won’t want to see that too many times.

Almost immediately it was 4-1 as Town were made to pay for playing themselves into trouble in and around their own area, as they have done throughout pre-season, skipper Chambers turning away from Diangana inside his own area not realising Haller was behind him and the Frenchman gleefully stabbed home his third goal from six yards.

The goal deluge abated and on 74 the Blues made three substitutions, David Cornell, Corrie Ndaba and Tommy Smith taking over from Holy, Ward and Chambers.

On 78 Huws did well to stop a West Ham attack in the box - the Blues again having given the ball away inside their own half - but collided Donacien and Town were fortunate the Welshman’s clearance cannoned off Haller to Cornell.

Ben Folami replaced scorer Sears for the final seven scheduled minutes and on 86 hit a low shot from a tight angle which Randolph claimed comfortably.

In the final scheduled minute, Nolan was found at the far post but Randolph was out quickly to block with no time for further action.

Most of the post-match discussion will be about the ease with which West Ham scored their goals - and they might well have scored more in the first period - with the fourth particularly poor.

While manager Paul Lambert has encouraged his side to pass out from the back, they regularly play themselves into trouble and inevitably a Premier League side was going to make them pay eventually.

There were more positives before the break, although Idris El Mizouni put in another bright cameo from the bench.

Town: Holy (Cornell 74), Donacien, Chambers (c) (Ndaba 74), Nsiala, Ward (Smith 74), Dozzell (Nolan 59), Downes (Huws 59), Bishop (Judge 59), Edwards (El Mizouni 38), Sears (Folami 83), Drinan.

West Ham: Randolph, Cresswell (c), Balbuena, Yarmolenko, Anderson, Coventry, Alese (Cardoso 56), Wilshere, Haller, Soucek (Kemp 74), Diangana (Lewis 74). Unused: Jimenez, Odubeko. Referee: Neil Hair.

Photo: Matchday Images

Suffolkboy added 16:51 - Aug 25 Comments from a number of lTFC senior staff members might be interesting to digest ; but alongside some unfettered views from the players . So many commentators appear to voice contrasting ,but similar, views about our line up , formation and system it does rather look as if there's much to be decided and yet much to ponder . Let's see greater resolve , Manager down ! COYB

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prebbs007 added 16:55 - Aug 25 Calamity 😂😂😂😂 enough said !
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StavangerBlue added 16:55 - Aug 25 Just watched the highlights. Were they in slow-motion? Gaping holes in the defence, errors across the board, shooting so weak that an 11-year-old would find it easy, and a keeper who cannot catch a ball. We are a shambles. Seriously my expectations are nill. I cannot see us being in the top half of the table and if we get a poor run (which is possible) we could be fighting the drop!

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therein61 added 17:15 - Aug 25 While big mick kept us in the championship(just) it was his blind faith in 4&8 selected every week that cost us points in his reign and has continued to do so(can't blame skuse today but had he been on the park whu midfield would have knackered him inside 20 minutes.
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Razor added 17:16 - Aug 25 Sounds like a disaster-----play it out from the back----NO!!-----WE ARE NOT GOOD ENOUGH!! Where is Norwood and Jackson----thought they were our front two. It all just looks and sounds so SAD SAD SAD!!
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Bluearmy_81 added 17:21 - Aug 25 Only at Ipswich would a manager who oversaw our worst finish in 60+years and a shambolic failure of a campaign still be here. It beggars belief. Saying that only at Ipswich would fans put up with this s hit for years without hardly a murmur of protest towards the owner. Pitiful and embarrassing
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BlueandTruesince82 added 17:23 - Aug 25 I'm lead to believe we are searching for an identity... currently we're schizophrenic
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therein61 added 17:26 - Aug 25 Come in no/4 your time is up!!
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gosblue added 17:30 - Aug 25 Donacien's best game in a blue shirt. Nsiala looked assured for the first time although I'm still to be convinced. Ward looks great going forward. We didn't see enough of Ndaba today but was impressive v Spurs. Downes, Bishop, Sears and Huws are looking good and Folami gave a decent cameo performance. Nolan and Judge look rusty but I think they'll be ok. A CB and LB would be welcome and I'm not too impressed with our two main keepers yet but on paper the squad looks good enough to go up automatically although if we continue to give the ball away in stupid areas it's never going to happen.

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BlueandTruesince82 added 17:36 - Aug 25 Really worrying post game comments On Chambers "he knows its sloppy, he wont do it again" reallu? He's been doing it for 4 years! On Toto "He's been really good since he came back"...when? He's an accident waiting to happen... like doing sit ups with a loaded gun in your waistband and the safety off! On the Wool "He needs to get himself going a bit".... yeah, out best defender, the only one that is probably capable of actulally playing out from the back, the one who due to his age and lack of experience whom you would probably forgive a mistake is the one that needs to sort himself out? WTAF! Lambo also seems to think James Wilson is called Luke. We are well and truly #####d.... what worries me is KVY aside I think that might actually be his 1st choice back 4!

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Otesus added 17:43 - Aug 25 Watched the game today and must say that playing out from the back SHOULD only be done with players comfortable and able to do so .......... which Chambers, Nsiala, Ward and Donacian aren't able to do - at any level it is asking for trouble!! So why persevere? We will struggle and look incompetent at the back all season long. Judge and Nolan, slowed the play down and never had their heads up - looking to try and go forward. Always passed the ball short, square or backwards. Hughes was the complete opposite ..... injected drive, head and tried to play a forward ball as 1st option. Ward was slow and out of position, too often ...... young lad Smith was far better, when he came on. Perhaps give him a chance to see what he can do. Drinan toiled away up front, with out much joy - mainly due to the lack of service ...... but he never gave up running or trying. Pre-season results should matter, regardless of the opposition. It builds shape, communication and confidence ....... none of which the team has at the moment. My starting XI Holy KVY - Woolfenden - Wilson or Ndaba - Smith Huws -Downes - Bishop - Edwards Jackson - Sears or Hawkins But then again, what do I know ..... never played to any really standard, rubbish at FIFA20 .................but passionate about my club #ITFC forever

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Skip73 added 17:56 - Aug 25 Just as I predicted, Lamberts cone out and said "really happy with the way we played" Fool.
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rabbit added 18:01 - Aug 25 Bluearmy_81 and such a great judge you are, hahaha direct quote from you, copied and pasted by the way before you accuse me of being a liar again, just before Christmas: "Ha ha town fans crack me up, turning on Lambert." !! Another quote from you although not copied and pasted but exactly as you wrote it and a short while before he was given a 5 year contract: "Lambert is great, agreed" As with most of your bilge totally unreliable, you will be telling us about the teams best players next when you haven't even seen most of them playing

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runningout added 18:02 - Aug 25 These games only seem insignificant to some if we lose. Teams with any ounce of pride win them. Defence needs facelift now. Why wait any longer when it's more or less the same shoddy one of years ago that let themselves DOWN
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shortmarine1969 added 18:08 - Aug 25 A bit sad to say but Dozell should be got off the books a waste of a wage in this era - he has been around for some time and to be honest does nothing, he gets a few (only a few) good passes in but is so lightweight it,s unreal - time to part ways. Nolan not much better, and MF is where the squad need to trim the fat.. due to the new limits and losing these 2 will not have any real negative impact, IMHO.

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jas0999 added 18:24 - Aug 25 Again, the result is largely irrelevant and we were playing superior opposition. BUT these defensive errors will be punished at most levels of football. I remain concerned by our defence. Wilson was bang average last year, whilst the less said about Chambers and Toto the better. We need a CB. Urgently.
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Bluearmy_81 added 18:34 - Aug 25 I've seen all current town players play rabbit, multiple times. If I was criticising criticism of Lam ert it would have been in relation to the lack of it towards Evans. Selective copying and pasting I suspect. Keep burying your head in the sand and pretending all will be well and thinking Evans is a good egg if you like, I couldn't care less. Just stop lying, thanks

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grow_our_own added 18:37 - Aug 25 The 11 that thrashed Col Utd in the first game looked our best in pre-season: Wright, Vincent-Young, Ward, Nsiala, Woolfenden, Edwards Skuse, Bishop, HuwsEl Mizouni Dobra, Drinan
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Kickingblock added 18:48 - Aug 25 West Ham chose to field some good players at Ipswich today. How strong was their side that beat Wycombe Wanderers 1-5?
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rabbit added 18:58 - Aug 25 Bluearmy_81 no lies from me just you and your selective posting, seen all the Town current players play multiple times hahaha now who's lying you didn't even see Ipswich play multiple times last season. If you don't like being caught out or are unable to respond when called to account don't post, but if you are called to account for your comments at least be a man about it and respond rather than hide up and pretend not to read it.

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Bluearmy_81 added 19:04 - Aug 25 I've noticed Rabbit that when you respond to me you often use a similar word/phrase, (in this case "selective" ) in your post. It's like you've learnt a new word/phrase. Glad to be of help... 🤔😂
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BlueParadigm added 19:17 - Aug 25 I understand the prestige of playing PL teams but in order to prepare us for the hurly burly of L1 surely we should be playing pre season friendlies against good L2 teams?
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BlueParadigm added 19:17 - Aug 25 I understand the prestige of playing PL teams but in order to prepare us for the hurly burly of L1 surely we should be playing pre season friendlies against good L2 teams?
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Michael101 added 19:33 - Aug 25 Rabbit,at least bluearmy Write a lot more sense than the drivel you write.as long as Ebenezer evan,s is at this club the only way we are going is downhill
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DifferentGravy added 20:10 - Aug 25 Im simply not a fan of Lambert. His player/tactical decisions are baffling. I understand his need for positivity in interviews.....but there is optimism....and there is delusion. From his managerial record....and considering the last two years of utter tripe....i fail to see how Town will gain promotion under his tenure. Selecting players that are making mistakes over and over again.....season after season. Players that are simply not good enough/not contributing to the improvement of our side. We need a captain ON the pitch that other players look up to, respect and have confidence in....for their footballing ability and communication.I do not have any faith in our current captain whatsoever. You need to have a strong spine to a team.....and he have a soft under belly.

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