Hammers Blogs

Opinion: EFL opener proved West Ham shouldn’t have been so quick to sell star

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Football is back, and it was back with a bang. On Friday night, the EFL curtain-raiser happened to take place at Kenilworth Road as newly-promoted Luton Town played out a thrilling 3-3 draw with Middlesbrough, and former Hammer Marcus Browne was sublime.

The youngster only recently signed for Jonathan Woodgate’s Boro on July 26th (BBC), but he made his competitive debut against the Hatters and looked class throughout in his side’s midfield after being brought into the action with 20 minutes to play, at a time where it was all to play for.

There was one particular moment, attacking down the right flank, when the youngster pulled off an audacious piece of skill to flick the ball through his opposing full-back, Dan Potts’, legs before wriggling past him and winning a free-kick for his side.

It was a bright and impressive cameo display from the Championship new boy and having made the drop down from the Premier League he certainly shouldn’t struggle for minutes. It will be up to Browne to secure himself a starting spot, but you wouldn’t bet against him after Friday night.

The next opportunity that Browne has to show what he can do, and for West Ham fans to realise how big of a mistake their club might have made, is next Saturday where the midfield man is poised to make his home debut against Brentford.

Hammers fans will be hoping the midfielder can star in the second-tier of English football, but if they have a repeat of last season’s injury crisis, selling Browne may come to be looked at as a huge mistake, as the 21-year-old has obvious talent and could have put it to use in the Premier League.

What’s done is done, though, and now Manuel Pellegrini’s West Ham will have to get by knowing that Browne could have done a job for them, although the Irons will likely be keeping close tabs on their former player as the Championship season draws on.

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