Match of the Day’s pundits have been raving about West Ham’s transfer window business and on player especially.
It was two mainstays of the last four years who gave West Ham their 2-0 win at Crystal Palace.
The victory gives the Julen Lopetegui West Ham era lift off after a damp squib defeat to Villa in the season opener last weekend.
The Hammers have brought in eight new signings this summer, impressing fans, pundits and journalists alike.
But it was David Moyes’ first signings when he returned to the club in January 2020 who got the goals in Tomas Soucek and Jarrod Bowen.
Make no mistake, though, this victory was very much built on the new arrivals as much as anyone else.
MOTD gang rave about West Ham signings
Aaron Wan-Bissaka made an instant impact as a second half substitute, creating the opening goal.
Guido Rodriguez was brilliant in the middle of the park, breaking up play and reading the game expertly – as you’d expect from a World Cup winner.
But Max Kilman was comfortably the man of the match by some distance.
The 27-year-old made Bowen’s goal with the kind of marauding run out of defence Lopetegui signed him for.
It follows a brilliant debut in the game against Villa and West Ham look like they’ve got themselves a bargain considering the man at the other end – Marc Guehi – is set to be sold for nearly £70m this week.
Now the Match of the Day gang have raved about West Ham signings but especially one new star.
New star Kilman ‘the full package’ says Richards
That man Kilman.
Gary Lineker highlighted West Ham’s summer business in a graphic showing Kilman as the most expensive of the lost at £40m.
And Micah Richards picked out the defender as the best of the lot – calling him ‘the full package’.
“He’s a quality player,” Richards said of West Ham’s Kilman on MOTD.
“Only the three relegated teams conceded more than West Ham last season and that’s why I think he (Lopetegui) has invested in him. In terms of positioning, in terms of organising a defence, in terms of playing out from the back, in terms of tackles, I think he’s got the full package I really do.
“There’s so many times in this position (being pressed by striker when on the ball at the back) where a defender would panic. But on his left foot, really calm, composed, breaking the lines and then it’s about the right pass at the right time – and he’s so good at that.
“I talk about breaking lines, what about that (the run to set up Bowen’s goal, he beats) one, two and then it’s just the vision and it’s about the technique and the weight of the ball which is so important.
“I think he’s going to be a real star for West Ham.”
West Ham’s £40m transformer
Lineker interjected: “Well Lopetegui would have known him from Wolves.”
Alan Shearer added: “He’s a good player, very solid.”
The words of the MOTD pundits mirror exactly what Hammers News said about Kilman in our West Ham player ratings from the Palace win.
Lopetegui pushed West Ham hard to sign Kilman.
When the club were in talks with Wolves a top spokesman exclusively told Hammers News that David Sullivan was willing to push the boat out to sign Kilman for the new boss.
That is now looking a very wise decision indeed.
Kilman is so good on the ball he will be the ones who completely transforms this West Ham team for Lopetegui.
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