Most Improved West Ham Players This Season Including The Premier League’s Most Wanted Man

It hasn’t been the best of seasons for West Ham United so far. David Moyes’ team have struggled with injuries and spells of poor collective form – as such, it’s difficult to find positives from a playing perspective. Plus with the club losing Joint Chairman David Gold in January it’s been a very sad time off the pitch and around the club in general.

However, we’ve put together a (short) list of West Ham players who have shown improvements this year as there are always positives to be found. Another player might have made this list it’s just his form has only just started to pick up.

However summer signing Lucas Paquetá deserves an honourable mention as he is clearly starting to acclimatise to the Premier League after joining from Lyon in the summer.

The Brazilian attacking midfielder who has scored 2 goals in 14 games including a fine finish in the recent 1-1 tie with high-flying Newcastle is starting to show what he is made of and what he can provide for his manager.

Read on to see if you agree with our picks?

Ben Johnson

One of West Ham’s better academy graduates over the past few years, Ben Johnson has come along in leaps and bounds this year.

He has become West Ham’s first choice right back, over the aging Vladimir Coufal. He’s made 18 appearances in all competitions this year, notching up a single assist.

At 23, Johnson is finally maturing into the Premier League quality right back that West Ham fans were hoping he would. He’s uncapped by England, however – could that be his next challenge?

Angelo Ogbonna

After a major injury that sidelined Ogbonna for most of last season, many thought that the Italian’s time at the club could be up – however, this year, he’s shown he still has plenty left in the tank.

At 34, Ogbonna is certainly beyond his prime. He may have slowed down, but he’s shown a marked improvement in his defensive fundamentals to make up for it.

Powerful in the air and deadly from set pieces, there’s life in this old dog yet.

Declan Rice

Honestly, it feels somewhat redundant to put Declan Rice in a list such as this. He was excellent last season, but he just seems to get better and better as time goes on. The list of clubs strongly linked with a move for Declan Rice in recent press contains the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City and Real Madrid with other suitors yet to reveal their hands.

To say there is going to be a bidding war in the summer transfer window is an understatement and West Ham will be able to hold out for a premium as Rice is in a class of his own in the Premier League with his array of attributes.

A former Chelsea academy graduate, Rice has become one of the greatest holding players in the world during his time at West Ham. With zen-like composure on the ball, brilliant defensive instincts and the ability to carry the ball up the pitch on instinctive runs giving his team mates time to regroup, he is West Ham’s star player for a reason.

He’s been great for England, too, like several West Ham alumni before him. So far, he’s picked up 39 caps and has scored two goals for the Three Lions.