Denied a full debut by Graham Potter and yet immediately started by Nuno Espírito Santo, one of West Ham’s summer acquisitions has been roundly complimented for his Everton performance: At just 21 he is far from the finished article but on first showing, it is a complete mystery why Graham Potter kept him on the bench whilst choosing James Ward Prowse to start instead.

The real head scratcher is that Soungoutou Magassa appeared to have been a Macaulay / Potter pick in the summer window. The inconsistency and lack of logic in shelling out £17 million for a player an then not starting him is baffling: Especially considering Mads Hermansen went straight into the team with no pre season.

West Ham’s debutant showed much – needed physicality in midfield

West Ham’s new – look midfield suddenly seems more mobile and stronger with both summer purchases- Magassa and Fernandes – looking every inch the part in Nuno’s first game: Thewesthamway.com report that Espírito Santo selected Magassa for one good reason:

” Physicality. He can bring physicality in the middle of the park. He can help with the build up, we want to know the players out there.”

Magassa’s physicality was...