Claude Puel raves about West Ham ace Said Benrahma
Saint-Etienne manager Claude Puel has tipped West Ham United attacker Said Benrahma to have an incredible campaign in 2021-22.
The 25-year-old Algerian joined the Hammers from Brentford in October 2020 initially on loan before moving permanently in January 2021, ending the season with a goal and six assists in 30 Premier League games.
Benrahma has been in fine form during pre-season, and his former manager at OGC Nice expects him to finally start producing the goods.
“What a talent and I honestly believe West Ham fans haven’t seen the best of Said Benrahma,” Puel told The Athletic.
“This season will be his best. He’s matured so much and will be keen to add more goals and assists to his game. When I was his manager he had to improve his finishing. There was a game we played where he missed a good chance and I kept telling him he needed to score.
“He had to learn the art of movement and being in the right place to provide assists. He had the ability to make a difference. At Nice, we didn’t have money to buy players so we tried to develop players like Benrahma. Now he’s close to being a complete player.”
Huge claim
The attacker bagged a worldie against Brentford at the weekend as West Ham ran out 1-0 winners in a pre-season friendly, and while much is now expected of him in his second season in the English top-flight, not many will predict him to outdo his previous campaigns.
Benrahma bagged 27 goals and delivered 23 assists in two seasons for the Bees in the Championship, and reproducing such numbers in the Hammers shirt would be huge.
We know he has the talent and potential, but that is not enough.
Puel has seen him grow over the years and surely knows what he is capable of to have made such a prediction.
Nevertheless, it is a very bold claim, and the attacking midfielder has to be on his best form every game to deliver consistently.
West Ham manager David Moyes wants his players to get the job done all the time, and doing so is the only chance Benrahma has to force his way into the team’s starting XI and remain in it.
We need him to be in his best element in the domestic and European games, and having a regular impact in the final third would definitely help make up for the potential unavailability of Jesse Lingard.
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