By Kris Gonzo | Senior West Ham Columnist (Follow on X)
Ever since West Ham’s players resumed full pre-season training this summer, Claret & Hugh has been hearing just how well Lewis Orford has been performing.
Rush Green sources have been waxing lyrical about the academy midfielder, with some claiming he was the standout performer during Nuno Espírito Santo’s preparations.
Even so, there were plenty surprised to see Orford named in the starting XI for Saturday’s 3-1 Carabao Cup victory over Portsmouth.
He certainly didn’t look out of place.
Orford produced some very smart passing and finished the game as West Ham’s leading tackler statistically, providing another glimpse of why the club rate him so highly.
A Dream Come True
Speaking to West Ham TV afterwards, the lifelong Hammer revealed just how much the occasion meant to him and his family.
“It means everything to me. I grew up supporting this team, going to Upton Park and then transferring over to here.”
Orford added that starting in front of 50,000 supporters was a “dream come true”, with his dad, mum, grandad and girlfriend all inside the London Stadium.
His father has followed his academy journey since Orford joined West Ham at eight, travelling to games and even making the trip to Germany during pre-season.
Orford Is Only Getting Started
Perhaps the biggest indication of West Ham’s faith in Orford came when Nuno sanctioned Freddie Potts’ move to Club Brugge, safe in the knowledge that an even more exciting youngster was emerging.
Let’s not forget that Orford was drafted into Thomas Tuchel’s senior England environment at just 18 after impressing in the youth ranks.
He’s still taking baby steps into senior football, but this is a midfielder with genuine vision and an excellent range of passing.
Saturday was his first West Ham start.
Judging by everything we’re hearing from Rush Green and what we saw against Portsmouth, it certainly won’t be his last.
I thought you promised to stop using the “wonder kid” term Gonzo? We must be careful how we encourage our young players, I remember a certain Freddie Potts winning man of the match on his full debut last year. However I must admit it was a credit to our academy that Orford, Scarles and Kante created our first goal on Saturday (with the first proper football of the match).
The club has to convert more younger talent from the academy, or at least if they are sold are done so with buy back clause.
Strange how the loan spell to Stevenage didn’t work out.
I hope like Declan Rice he gets many games, watching him for u23’s he has the odd bad game but the best way to
Improve is game time surrounded by quality players like Alvarez and Soucek when he is fit. Orford can spot a pass.