Guardian journalist drools over West Ham United sensation Lewis Orford
Guardian journalist John Brewin has been full of praise for young West Ham talent Lewis Orford who is making incredible progress.
In their article on the best Premier League talent on every club, Orford has been mentioned by Brewin.
Brewin notes that the young midfielder reminds him of Declan Rice and Michael Carrick, and has the ability to arrive late on the scene for scoring opportunities like Frank Lampard.
“West Ham continues to be production line for midfielders and Orford, a lifelong fan, might be the latest to follow Declan Rice, Mark Noble, Frank Lampard, Joe Cole and Michael Carrick,” wrote Brewin.
“His height reminds of Rice and Carrick though he exhibits a greater turn of pace than either, with a range of passing beyond his years that has made him the Hammers’ Under-18 playmaker.
“There is something, too, of Lampard in his ability to arrive late on the scene for scoring opportunities. He played at Under-18 level when still qualified for Under-16 and Under-15 level and has dedicated himself to improving his set-piece delivery. The 2022-23 season has already seen him score direct from a corner.”
Bright future
The Hammers have got a great tradition of producing quality players from their academy, and Orford could be the next in line.
It seems the youngster has got great attributes and his passing ability has impressed the Guardian journalist.
The central midfielder is only 16 years of age, and David Moyes is in no hurry to pick him for the senior side right now. Rather, he would want him to keep working hard and improve other areas of the game.
Having said that, he looks like a cracking talent, and the club must provide him with the right platform to develop.
Rice is the current captain of the West Ham side, and Mark Noble will return to the club next year as a sporting director.
David Moyes has also given opportunities to several young players at the club, and he will definitely look to gradually integrate the youngster into the senior side.
At the moment, he needs to keep his head down and follow the instructions of the coaches. He will get his chance for the senior side, if he keeps on developing.