In West Ham’s disappointing defeat to Chelsea on Monday night, there were still plenty of positives to take and one was the performance of Andy Irving.
Following an injury to Edson Alvarez, Graham Potter opted to go with the 24-year-old to partner Tomas Soucek in midfield.
Speaking to West Ham TV post-match, Potter highlighted the effort Irving put in training in the lead-up to the game which ultimately earned the midfielder his first Premier League start.
From the first minute, West Ham fans were chanting Irving’s name which no doubt will have given the midfielder a spring in his step.
Facing a team possessing the quality of Cole Palmer, Irving had to immediately get up to the speed of the Premier League, and he most certainly did that.
According to SofaScore, Irving was West Ham’s second-best performer in the match with a 7.0 match rating, putting him just behind goal scorer Jarrod Bowen.
The former Hearts player looked very comfortable on the ball and was particularly impressive in keeping the ball moving for the Hammers in the middle of the park.
Irving completed 19 of his 24 passes in the game, and wasn’t dribbled past once during the 77 minutes he was on the pitch.
Irving created what could be argued as one of West Ham’s best chances of the game in the second half with an exquisite first-time cross into the box to Mohammed Kudus, who rattled the post with his diving header. Thankfully, West Ham fans won’t be too disheartened by how close they came, with the linesman flagging Kudus offside soon after.
Could Irving become a regular?
The nature of Irving’s integration into the squad is what makes him feel like a hidden gem.
Not many West Ham fans knew who the player was when he started featuring in the 2024/25 pre-season despite being signed by the club a year before. Irving was signed from Austria Klagenfurton in 2023 in a deal not announced by West Ham, before immediately being loaned back to the Austrian club.
But now, in a team that’s struggled for a consistent midfielder this season who can keep the ball moving, Irving most certainly should be a contender to start games.
His confidence on the ball wasn’t the only part of his performance against Chelsea that was pleasing. His hunger and fight was admirable, with the 24-year-old not shying away from tackles, which most definitely would have been a factor in him being Alvarez’s replacement for the game.
The fact Potter highlighted Irving’s efforts behind the scenes despite having very little game time this season shows a positive attitude in the player, and this could certainly put the midfielder in contention to feature far more in upcoming games.
Andy Irving has a record of providing plenty of assists in his previous teams, which is not an obvious ability to have, even as a midfielder. As we all know it means he makes space for himself, can spot a run, good pass, etc. – it is a real talent to have to pull it off regularly. I agree with all your comments (think the same) and if he matures with the team and starts making assists, having a shot at goal I hope he manages to get plenty of time on the pitch and improve, just as this team will under Potter.
Definitely. As you said, he’s got a track record for goal contributions so if he was getting regular game time for West Ham, I feel like it wouldn’t take long for him to start doing the same.