West Ham player ratings: Who stood out in the loss vs. Chelsea?
Graham Potter's return to Stamford Bridge with West Ham United was not a happy one. His Hammers took the lead through Jarrod Bowen, but a strike from Pedro Neto and an own-goal from Aaron Wan-Bissaka won it for Chelsea.
Despite the result, Potter should be proud of how he has improved this West Ham team. They look a different side to the one that Julen Lopetegui was in charge of — which lost 3-0 to Chelsea at the London Stadium earlier in the season.
Chelsea–West Ham Premier League player ratings
Below, we're rating the West Ham players on a scale of 1 to 10.
Goalkeeper and defenders
Alphonse Areola (GK): 6
Made a fantastic save to deny Cole Palmer from a free-kick. Neto's strike did go straight through Areola, but he could do nothing about Wan-Bissaka's own goal.
Vladimir Coufal (CB): 7
Coufal made an excellent block on the line to deny Enzo Fernandez but it was in vain as Neto fired in the rebound.
Max Kilman (CB): 6
Kilman kept Nicolas Jackson quiet but was rash at times with his tackles. He should have headed away Neto's cross in the build-up to the Chelsea player's goal.
Aaron Cresswell (CB): 7
Cresswell was defensively sound and his diagonal pass to Mohamed Kudus from a free-kick was excellent.
Midfielders
Aaron Wan-Bissaka (RM): 7
He was effective going forward on the right but was unlucky to see his attempt to block Cole Palmer's cross deflect past Areola.
Andy Irving (CM): 6
Irving was solid in his first Premier League start for West Ham. He had a chance from the edge of the box but fired it over. West Ham recalled James Ward-Prowse on transfer deadline day, so Irving's minutes may be limited going forward.
Thomas Soucek (CM): 7
An all-action midfield display by Soucek, who did not forget his defensive duties. He headed the ball forward in the lead-up to Bowen's goal.
Emerson Palmieri (LM): 6
Emerson had an opportunity to get on the scoresheet against his former club but sliced his effort wide.
Forwards
Mohammed Kudus (AM): 7
Kudus was involved in Bowen's goal as he pressured Levi Colwill into giving the ball away. The Ghanaian had a chance to equalise late on but saw his effort blocked by Tosin Adarabioyo.
Carlos Soler (AM): 7
Soler is known for his excellent passing but is growing in confidence and starting to run at defenders.
Jarrod Bowen (CF): 8
With Lucas Paqueta out with a hip injury, Bowen came back into the side to lead the line as he has now recovered from his broken foot. Leapt upon Colwill's mistake and then finished superbly past Filip Jorgensen to give the Hammers the lead. West Ham signed Evan Ferguson on deadline day, so Bowen should be able to revert to playing in a wide position or as a second striker.
Substitutes
- Oliver Scarles, 6/10
- Dinos Mavropanos, 7/10
- Danny Ings, 6/10
- Lewis Orford, 6/10
- Luis Guilherme, N/A
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