By Kris Gonzo | Senior West Ham Columnist (Follow on X)
There was a performance from one West Ham player in particular which may have slipped under the radar as the Hammers beat Portsmouth 3-1 in the Carabao Cup.
Naturally, and deservedly so, the finishing of Taty Castellanos will have grabbed most of the headlines, as will the goal and assist from captain Jarrod Bowen. Indeed, Bowen and Castellanos demonstrated exactly why West Ham were so determined to keep their better players following relegation.
But scratch beneath the surface of the Hammers’ attackers firing on the first day of the season and there was a performance from Kyle Walker-Peters which was every bit as important.
West Ham’s right flank was tickety-boo
Whilst West Ham’s left flank failed to function, the right wing was tickety-boo.
Walker-Peters provided the perfect foil for captain Bowen, who frequently stepped inside to take up a more central position. This allowed KWP the space to operate and dominate Nuno Espírito Santo’s right flank.
It wasn’t the first time Walker-Peters has caught the eye either. He was one of the senior players who looked a class above against Stevenage during pre-season.
West Ham have brought in Joel Veltman from Brighton and no doubt the versatile Dutch defender will be a decent addition to the squad. But Walker-Peters demonstrated against Pompey why he’s likely to keep the shirt for the majority of the campaign, with both his defensive and attacking work shining.
KWP could be crucial for Nuno
Indeed, it was unfortunate he didn’t grab a goal following Max Kilman’s impressive imitation of Lionel Messi as he dodged and weaved through the Portsmouth midfield before releasing the Hammers right-back with a pinpoint pass which put him through on goal.
No matter though.
There were plenty of highs and lows to take from West Ham’s opening victory, but Walker-Peters’ performance was certainly one of the positives.
It maybe didn’t grab the headlines, but it bodes very well for the season ahead.
I agree, he was my man of the match. He defended very well and was one of the few players willing to make forward runs. I also felt young Scarles did well, with a bit of patience this season could make him