The West Ham United midfielder impressed for the Hammers against Southampton.
West Ham United midfielder Mark Noble has an interesting relationship with the club’s fans, with some hailing him as a captain fantastic and others feeling he is simply not good enough for Slaven Bilic’s starting line-up.
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The critics have been increasing in number for a while now, with some citing Noble’s immobility in the centre of the park and others feeling his place is underserved after a string of below-par showings.
But on Saturday, Noble turned back the clock with an impressive individual performance in West Ham’s 3-1 victory against Southampton.
The 29-year-old scored the Hammers’ third goal with a free kick and his overall performance in the centre of the park had his admirers buzzing and a few of his doubters accepting he had – for once – proved them wrong.
Will it be enough to convince the haters to back off? Probably not. But the West Ham skipper appears to be following his teammates’ lead since Dimitri Payet left the club, with everyone playing their part rather than relying on one superstar to carry the weight of expectation at the London Stadium.
See also: West Ham’s teenage sensation and 21-year-old could swap places next season
Now it is up to Noble to play consistently well for the next few months; maybe then he will win over all but his toughest critics.
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