The benefit of a successful international break will hopefully be felt at West Ham as players start their journeys back to London. Although Jarrod Bowen’s England start received a lukewarm reception, the Hammers captain should have no problem getting back to his ‘happy place’ and picking up his West Ham form where he left off before heading off for three lions’ duties.
Evan Ferguson comes with a goal and a start, valuable match time behind him and hopefully an eagerness to get into Graham Potter’s starting eleven. Edson Alvarez returns from his transatlantic travels with a trophy.
Mohammed Kudus will have the usual fragmented journey back but surely this time with a spring in his step: For the first time this season the Ghana midfielder has taken part in games yielding two wins for the national side- following up their victory last week the Ghanaians completed a three-nil win over much fancied Madagascar – Kudus himself netting the third on 58 minutes. As described by uk.sports.yahoo.com:”He raced on to an Ayew pass and fired past Luxembourg-based goalkeeper Geordan Dupire.” Welcome news for Hammers fans who will hope this kind of form can continue back in east London.
However much the BBC website claims ‘Kudus is a shadow of the player’ of last season – I suspect they are now behind the times: The mood in Kudus’ national side has lifted after the deluge of criticism both he and the team endured in 2024 after failing to qualify and finishing bottom of their group for AFCON 2025.
The insults and derision on twitter / x that Mohammed Kudus had to endure last year need to be seen to be believed – suffice to say – that, plus returning to play out of position in a failing Lopetegui XI would have contributed hugely to his nose-dive in form last year.
The 24 year old will surely experience the opposite effect now as his popularity has been restored within the national side. Kudus, resurgent in Claret and Blue will be a feast for Hammers fans who’ve been starved of a little bit of magic this year. Definitely a ‘confidence’ player, don’t bet against Kudus getting back on the scoresheet against Wolves next week.
