Page pleased with progress

  • Full-back Lewis Page put in a solid performance against Seattle Sounders
  • The youngster said the Hammers did not deserve to lose by three goals
  • Page also revealed he looks up to fellow left-back Aaron Cresswell in training
Young left-back Lewis Page was philosophical about West Ham United’s 3-0 pre-season defeat at the hands of MLS side Seattle Sounders.
 
The Sounders, who are midway through their domestic campaign, were the more clinical in a match that saw each side register more than 20 shots on goal.
 
Both teams fielded much-changed starting XIs, with West Ham missing many regulars, and Slaven Bilic made ten substitutions at half-time to safeguard his players from over-exertion.
 
Page, who started the game at left-back and had one of those 20 goal attempts following a typically marauding run down his flank, was pleased to see his teammates come through the match with no ill-effects.
 
“We’ve only had a couple of days training so we’re a bit low on match fitness, but with that performance we didn’t deserve to lose 3-0,” he told whufc.com.
 
“I see they are near the bottom of their Conference, so they were probably out there to prove a point with their fans against a Premier League side, but it wasn’t really a full strength side for us either.
 
“But we have got to take the positives out of it. We got through it without any injuries and it’s another 45 minutes under our belt.”
 
The 20-year-old, who made three senior appearances for the Hammers in last season’s UEFA Europa League campaign, is enjoying every moment of the Irons’ US Tour and is hoping that exposure to the first team will help him make strides this season.
 
Training alongside the outstanding Aaron Cresswell will also, he believes, stand him in good stead if and when he is called upon this coming campaign
 
“It’s great to be here,” he continued. “The Seattle Seahawks facilities are unbelievable, probably one of the best training grounds I’ve ever been to. I am enjoying it a lot and the weather is pleasant to train in.
 
“It’s exactly what I wanted, to do a pre-season with West Ham and see where it goes from there, whether I need a loan or to stay here and push on.
 
“Getting experience again in Seattle in front of a big crowd was another thing that I need to push on, so it’s been good.
 
“I had a little bit of experience last year in the Europa League and I thought I did quite well there, but obviously Cress is one of the best left-backs in the league at the moment. I look up to him in training and see what he does to try and learn from him.”