Most Underrated West Ham United Players This Season

West Ham United aren’t having the best of seasons so far. Currently, David Moyes’ team find themselves in 16th position in the Premier League, just a point outside of the relegation zone.

Despite this, they’ve still had a few standout performers – players such as Danny Ings, Tomas Soucek and former Chelsea academy player Declan Rice all spring to mind.

But, we aren’t looking at those players today. For this list, we’ll be taking a look at four West Ham players who are criminally underappreciated.

Ben Johnson

Ben Johnson looked like a very promising young defender for years – now, aged 23, he’s starting to look like the finished product.

He’s a defensive full-back by trade – he still has work to do in the attacking department, but all the fundamentals are there – attacking prowess will likely come with time.

While he hasn’t scored a goal and has only registered a single assist, Johnson has made 23 appearances for West Ham this season across all competitions.

Angelo Ogbonna

Angelo Ogbonna is West Ham’s ol’ reliable. He’s been at the club since 2015, making 184 appearances and scoring eight goals in that time.

While not the most technically gifted of footballers, his strength, stature and deceptive quickness more than make up for it.

At 34, Ogbonna isn’t getting any younger. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him leave the club soon, especially with his contract being up in the summer – regardless, he will be fondly remembered by West Ham fans for years to come.

Nayef Aguerd

Nayef Aguerd has looked like a great purchase since signing for the club from Rennes. A no-nonsense defender with underrated ability on the ball, the Moroccan has looked great when he’s been available.

He has spent plenty of time out of the squad with an injury that he picked up in the 2022 World Cup. It’s a shame, because the 26-year-old may well be West Ham’s best defender.

While he is prone to the occasional mistake, he never allows his head to drop – Aguerd is a model professional who younger players can look up to.

Manuel Lanzini

Manuel Lanzini seems to have been at West Ham forever – his dribbling wizardry and penchant for scoring wonder goals have been entertaining Hammers fans for years.

The Argentinian joined the club back in 2015, initially on a loan deal, before signings for the Irons on a permanent basis in 2016.

If you could knock Lanzini for one thing, it is his inconsistency – he doesn’t always play to the peak of his abilities. Nevertheless, when he’s on form, he is a very dangerous attacking player indeed.