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How we rated the Irons against the Foxes

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Hugh hands out his marks

Fabianski: Some top stops but a  few fumbles along the way – finally we saw him release a couple of balls out quickly. 7

Couval: The usual quality performance with just the the odd ball given away. 7+

Diop: Quiet game given the crazy finish but did very little wrong 7

Dawson: Probably not to the high standard of earlier season games and given an examination by two goal Iheancho

Cresswell: Looks as though he suffered a hammie and came off second half. Before that good getting forward and defended well 7

Noble: Top game from the skipper with some neat lay offs, passing and one tremendous block which eventually saw him come off with what looked like a damaged thumb 8

Soucek: Quiet for the most part but once again rarely wasted the ball and defended well towards the end 7

Masuaku: Provided some great trickery down the left 7

Lingard: Astonishing first goal  and simple second during an amazing first half. Quieter in the second as we let Leicester into the game 8+

Fornals: The usual abundance of energy – becoming key to our forward movement 7

Bowen: A goal and assist and a 90 minutes which saw him always causing trouble. Great performance 9

Subs:

Benrahma: Little chance to show himself offensively after late arrival 5

Balbuena: On for the injured Cresswell and did very well 7

Johnson: Made some key blocks and interventions when the pressure came on 7

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Hugh Southon is a lifelong Iron and the founding editor of ClaretandHugh. He is a national newspaper journalist of many years experience and was Bobby Moore's 'ghost' writer during the great man's lifetime. He describes ClaretandHugh as "the Hammers daily newspaper!"

Follow on Twitter @hughsouthon

22 comments

  • STEWART WHITEFORD says:

    Why on earth would you insult our own players calling them stupid after we have just beaten a very good team top three in fact for the second time this season and i think Masuaku played in the first game as well…

  • STEWART WHITEFORD says:

    If we had a fully fit squad Moyes probably would be making more changes around the 60 minute mark as fatigue sets in…but we ain’t….so he doesn’t…simples.

  • Anthony Gore says:

    Last three games, 3-o lead and almost chucked it

  • GaryD says:

    I think the ratings are correct. Dawson scores two own goals, Soucek one and Masuaku might have well have. Mistakes are making our games worrying as we lose momentum and confidence.
    Think Masuaku should have come off once he stopped running. Bowen put in his best game for a while and could have stayed on as part of the counterattack. Benrahma gave away the ball that led to their second goal. He has yet to prove he is EPL quality.

  • Muckraker says:

    I think Masuaku has coped well considering he was out for so long and has literally been thrown into the deep end as it were. Credit to him for lasting the full 90 mins in the circumstances. His pass to Iheanacho was clearly induced by fatigue, which should be less of an issue for him now going forward

    • Toby Sampson says:

      Very sensible mate, people are too polarised over masuaku! Either he is amazing or “the stupidest player ever to Don a West ham shirt”… Like sanchez and zaza never existed…. Or Roberto… His defending let’s him down but he made our 1st goal

  • Thor Simonsen says:

    Masuaku 7, really??
    It is an insult to the other players getting a 7.
    Please, drop Masuaku…now!!

  • West Ham Fan No 32 says:

    Masuaku did gift them the opportunity but he also helps us offensively, if that can be trained out of him we will have a player on our hands, Noble did prove me wrong, one of the best games I have seen him play for us.

  • kcockayne says:

    Yes, some great trickery from Masuaku; but also a great pass to Iheanacho for their first goal – he couldn’t have got it any better if he had been playing for Leicester !
    There might be reasons for playing Masuaku, but , for heavens sake , do not let him anywhere near West Ham’s penalty area – ever. 5 – I thought that , overall, he wasn’t too bad. But, he simply has no idea of defending.

    • Leonard Seales says:

      Couldn’t agree more. Masuaku a major defensive liability and at this level cannot possibly command a squad place let alone a place in the team.

  • zahamoore says:

    Certainly Masuaku was at fault for the first Leicester goal but equally his suberb cross led to our first goal

    • STEWART WHITEFORD says:

      EXACTLY everyone makes the odd mistake and after seven months out injured Personally i feel he has done pretty well on his return…

  • johnham1 says:

    One last comment, what a team, to win without Ogbonna, Rice and Antonio is just incredible to think and it shows that we have a squad of very good players.

    • STEWART WHITEFORD says:

      Positivity love it yes totally agree Moyes is being tested to the limit with injuries but still coming up strong. Would also like to say that if Nobes is out Conor Coventry looks a good shout for some game time against Newcastle he was superb against Man Utd. u23’s.

  • HammerheadSaint says:

    Masuaku – 3/10 for me. Is he the stupidest player ever to don a West Ham shirt? I’ve seen a few stupid players for us in the 57 years I’ve watched the Hammers, but he is in a class of his own. Cannot defend to save his life and gives away possession almost every time he gets on the ball. Very nearly cost us this game. Gave Leicester a goal at 3-0, then failed to cut off the cross for the 2nd goal. Mr Moyes: PLEASE do not ever pick him again. He is a total liabilty. Wolves soon realised the gains to be had from attacking down Masuaku’s side, hence their comeback. Happily Leicester were a bit slow on the uptake and took 75 minutes to realise how hopeless Masuaku is. Johnson is not the finished article but should always be picked ahead of him.

    • Pete says:

      Too many negative comments, we are punching above our weight and doing well!! We’ve put six goals past the 3rd placed team this season!

    • STEWART WHITEFORD says:

      Rubbish, yes he gave the ball away for the goal but other than that he had a good game oh! and by the way who else is Moyes gonna pick bare bones mate bare bones its not like we have loads of choices….

  • Mikey says:

    Generous rating for Masuaku, in my opinion, totally responsible for first Leicester goal, that changed the game. Also Benrahma was a 2 for me. Not a single completed pass, and could not keep the ball. Not sure where he goes for here. I thought Soucek was better than 7. Solid in midfield and created the third goal.

  • johnham1 says:

    Not sure we were watching the same game, I thought both Balbuena and Johnson were not a 7, in fact Balbuena looked a little out of sorts. I thought Fab was outstanding, he was my man of the match with Lingard. How Noble gets an 8 is incredible, he did his job no more but again tired so early in the game, should be swapped out around the 60 min mark. I thought Bowen was good but not a 9. For me our best players were Fab, Diop, Fornals and Lingard.
    Either way a terrific result and performance for the first 70 mins.

    • Robert Paul Bass says:

      Rustiness due to lack of game time for Balbuena, slow reaction to cross for second goal maybe. Feel for Johnson, he mostly played right back in youth football, but having to learn new positions with Moyes, he may or not become a utility player but needs time. Fornals is a good player for 65 minutes, disappears when we start defending for our lives

  • Peter Amos says:

    Would give Masuaku a 5 after gifting the ball to Ineacho for his first goal. Up to that point I thought we were fairly comfortable.

    • STEWART WHITEFORD says:

      He was outstanding up to that point and he might be a bit rusty still from being out injured for so long. HE was better than 5…

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