“West Ham’s best player” | Game changer who turned West Ham’s surrender around

Having been one of his biggest critics for the best part of a year, it would seem only fair to bang the drum for one West Ham player in particular whose entry after an hour helped transform an abject capitulation into a rearguard action that earned point when none was deserved after one of the worst first halves in memory.

Pablo, Austvø and Mohamadou Kanté arrived with West Ham a mess. The only saving grace form that abject first ’45 was that the Hammers were just two goals down when it could easily have been game over, so poor was their level of competitiveness or willingness to respond to Millwall’s bullying, swarming tactics – it  wasn’t as if our opponents coming out of the trap like a train should have been any surprise, after all.

Pablo, fresh from his goal midweek, looked a different player: So much so I almost did a double take when the Brazilian completed a driving run on goal, coming within a whisker of scoring, being denied only at the post and winning a corner along with a bucket load of kudos.

Confidence is an amazing thing but the running was there, the touch looked better (unbelievably) and the desire to compete that was lacking in his team mates showed the bearded one head and shoulders above some of his more meek colleagues.

As Geo on Hammers chat put it, “West Ham’s best player” and nobody will argue with that.

West Ham’s strength from the bench saved them this afternoon: Austbø’s running set up the first, Kante scored the second and Pablo provided the cojones that few had shown before.

And a word of encouragement for the red-carded Kanté. The young French midfielder whose brilliant goal started the fight back took responsibility after his own terrible touch gifted possession, and an almost certain goal. He took the red card on the chin to save a point – and pride- for his side. Not often I’ll congratulate a player for a professional foul but against this opponent – well done, young man.