Huge performance from exciting Hammer

By Hughie Southon

The biggest thing we learned last night was that Flynn Downes looks one heck of a midfielder.

From start to finish he didn’t put a foot wrong and his defence splitting pass for Gianluca Scamacca late in the first half deserved a goal such was its quality.

Sadly the Italian – returning after illness – failed to convert as he did on a couple of other occasions during what was clearly a difficult first 45 minutes.

But back to the former Swansea player and huge Hammers fan who was thrilled to have been signed.

He kept it simple throughout and I didn’t see him waste a single ball whilst defending brilliantly from midfield during a performance of rich promise.

He allowed Declan to get forward on one or two occasions and linked beautifully with the attacking midfielders.

The Premier League may be a different matter but should Tomas Soucek be unavailable for the Newcastle game  – should it go ahead given HM the Queen’s death – this lad looks more than ready.

Davkd Moyes says he will need time to adjust – it certainly didn’t look that way last night.

Exciting times ahead it seems!