CandH ratings expert Niall McDonald hands out the points at this afternoon’s prestige friendly against Juventus
Adrian: Let in three but made several sharp saves. Always encouraging the team to push out 7
Antonio: No defensive aberrations today. Didn’t get long pushed forward after the break unfortunately 5
Reid: Back in his less-preferred right sided role. Not sure who he was blaming for their second as he was drawn to the ball, turned and left on his backside without any other influence 6
Ogbonna: Eased back into the team and understandably needs more game-time 5
Byram: Has excellent positional sense. Very keen to see him in his natural one on the right! 7
Noble: Looked pretty emotional as the teams lined up. Big day for the club and the skipper. Always eager to break play up and move the ball on 6
Cullen: Now… Call me harsh but he doesn’t initially strike me as having the size to play at the top level. Can’t fault his effort today though 5
Nortveidt: He was either doing something right or had done something wrong as he was the only outfield player who played the full 90 mins 6
Feghouli: Some nice touches in first half Interested to see where he fits in when Payet and Tore are available 5
Carroll: Saved the day pretty much with the goals getting us back into the game. The second showed that even well-drilled Italian defences have no answer to AC in full flight 8
Valencia: No magic today but in fairness he was up against Dani Alves for most of the game 4
Subs: Now, don’t ask me who replaced who, but these are at least in the right order of entrance…
Collins: A timely interception, one towering headed clearance, couple of long forward balls – a gentle 45 mins for the Ginger Pele 5
Oxford: Caught with a ball over the top for the winner. Good in possession, needs games at a decent level now 5
Burke: Looks to have really developed physically since I last saw him in the flesh. Impressive at right-back especially tracking back 7
Fletcher: Now this guy looks to have real ability… Can we get him involved enough to see if he has goals in him too? 6
Quina: Another who I feel may lack the stature for the top level 4
Payet: Not seen a warm-up more enthusiastically received since Dimi returned from injury last season. Unfairly booed by a few round me for not going for goal from the free-kick he took 5
Samuelson: Probably not a right-winger but had 10 mins or so out there. Showed he has decent touch and movement 6
Browne: * see Quina comment
Page: ** also see Quina comment
Carroll plus an attacking combo from Payet, Tore, Feghouli, Ayew and Lanzini ( when he’s fit ), will mean plenty of goals this year. I’m not worried about whether Bacca comes. We’ll also get goals from Antonio, Kouyate and Nobes.
If the Slimani rumours are true, we’ll have plenty of attacking options, especially if we can give Fletcher playing time too.
Oxford will continue to improve. However he either needs to develop his pace over the first five, or sort his position out by standing off, or moving forward to make the attacker offside for the long ball.
Burke looks in excellent form.
Whilst we assume our defensive formation quickly when the opposition gets the ball, for me, we seem to fall back too far, giving their midfield both time and space. We need to press earlier.
Byram is going to be a very good player imo.I don’t understand the critics who are not won over by him or dont rate him.They have been doing it so far this season when he has been filling in in what is to all intents & purpose an alien position to him.Why do fans never give players a chance to bed in before writing them off.It was the same last season.A handful of games in to his irons career & Antonio was a useless £7m rip off for some.Well that was a good judgement call based on one or two matches wasn’t it lol
well said Antman. Too many of our fans think they are much better managers than Slav. Give em tim e and I’m sure the youngsters will eventualy emerge. I like the look of Byram. He arrived last year and has been brought on gradually and now looks like he’s gonna be a good un. Have patience fellas. We are going to have some set backs this year, as most teams will. Just because we are West Ham we should expect set backs. ffs we’ve been having them for 130 odd years but were still here ain’t we. COYI X
If Byram emerges as first choice RB, bearing in mind the mass of strength we are accumulating in attacking midfield, I fear for Antonio – he could well be getting some bench splinters at the beginning of the season.
Time to play Byram Oxfotd and Burke with Ogbonna as they are the future,
Don’t be so hard on the small people Hugh lots of great players were not Giants
Cullen has the skill and work rate Quina has class and both have time,
It’s new to them big Stadium against top players with a side not settled,
Things are warming up just right for Chelski
AC loves playing against them and has things to prove just hope he stays fit until Calleri arrives or Sak I fit,
Like you Hugh some of the younger players look lightweight, which is natural because of their age hopefully they will fill out and develop because they all have ability they just need time and experience. I thought considering the shift he put in the other night Valencia did well, he also looked much better on the right wing than the left, Carroll had one-off his better days although I would always have him as plan b rather than plan a. Collins was really good even playing in what for him is the wrong side of centre defence. For them Zaza looked good and could easily have had another goal but for that brilliant save by Adrian.
I thought Cullen had a good game. We gave them too much time in the centre of midfield and were a bit slow to the ball, so they looked good spraying the passes about, so we need that break up midfielder to deny time and space. Valencia had no idea what to do with the ball when he got it, though couple of good tackling backs, but not on to keep for me. Carroll did ok but he will not get us 20 goals a season and we need a striker who will alongside him, so I still long for a Bacca, someone who just puts the ball in the back of the net. Gone are the days when players come for the badge, it is a job for them and a short term one at that, so we need to get real. I don’t blaim Bacca for holding out for the best deal he can get and for wanting to play in the CL, that is reality, and I do hope we can get him or Slimani because we need a striker of that ilk. It was great to take my son to his first ever Irons game and in our new home, which is amazing; here’s hoping for a very good season on all fronts.
I find myself thinking along exactly the same lines Re Bacca.I dont understand why fans are getting their noses put so out of joint.I remember when we used to chase players all summer & if we got them or talked them round it was seen as great perseverance by the board.These days if a player doesn’t commit within hours or days we should bin them & the board are considered useless negotiators.By a minority I should say,many fans are very patient.I would still take Bacca 100%, he is a really good player.
Funny thing how different people rate different players,
Just read Readwestham and their personal score for Cullen was 9 out of 10 and MOTM,
And no light weight,I was not there and did not see the game but they made Byram second best with 8 out of ten and Novedt the next best,
Ogbonna better then Reid by 1 point 7 to 6
But that’s opinions and that’s what makes the world go round
I’ve been one that is not convinced by Byram. I’m not slating him. I’m not saying I know better than Slav (obviously). I’m just having my opinion in the same way that a score of 5 has been given to Cullen by Hugh, who in my opinion gave a solid performance barring the first few minutes where he was understandably slightly overwhelmed by the occasion but quickly came into his own. Samuelson looks like he is good enough for the subs bench, as does Burke. Page deserved more than 5 minutes so we could actually have a LB on the pitch. The Enner experiment has run its course, as well as the Antonio one at RB. I also do wonder whether Antonio will be on the bench more this year as it will be choice between him and Feghouli. I’m still keen to see what Tore can do on the left