While there was much debate about what was wrong with Julen Lopetegui’s West Ham line-up against Fulham last weekend, there was an encouraging performance from a key Hammers player that flew under the radar.
While many, including myself, debated the merits of starting a fatigued Michail Antonio or an out-of-position Tomas Soucek, Edson Alvarez was almost back to his best in midfield.
I didn’t particularly like the West Ham head coach’s overly cautious midfield mix, but Alvarez’s performance within that framework was exceptional. The Mexican’s passing, tackling, covering, and overall awareness were impressive.
It’s important to remember that the former Ajax man hasn’t had the benefit of a pre-season and is therefore behind his teammates in terms of fitness. However, there is an ingrained intensity to Alvarez’s game that bridges the gap between fitness and match sharpness.
The tail end of last season ended in something of a whimper for the midfielder, who seemed to lose favour with then-manager David Moyes. Nonetheless, there was a point during his inaugural campaign where Eddy was a serious contender for the Hammer of the Year award.
If West Ham are to get anything out of tomorrow’s Premier League game against Chelsea at the London Stadium, Alvarez will have to be at his best… and I suspect he will.