One West Ham star produced a standout performance in a secret second friendly against Lille – and in doing so, may have just proved Tim Steidten wrong.
West Ham put in a mixed performance as they drew 1-1 with Lille at the London Stadium on Saturday.
But the Hammers have also played another match against the French side behind-closed-doors on Sunday.
The game, which has not been publicised or reported on by the club, gave Graham Potter the chance to get minutes into the legs of a host of players ahead of the big Premier League kick-off.
Especially as the Hammers boss only made three substitutes in the London Stadium match, which saw West Ham win on penalties.
There were positives and negatives from the first match against Lille for the Irons.
The game showed there are still plenty of issues for the head coach to address.
Hammers play secret second friendly against Lille
Especially if West Ham want to do anything of note besides simply surviving this season.
One thing the team really missed was pace and directness.
That’s to be expected when you have a 32-year-old old fashioned target man up front and play with wingbacks.
Crysencio Summerville is sorely missed and will be an exciting player to welcome back into the team next month.
It is too early to say whether the Hammers are missing Mohammed Kudus following his controversial move to Spurs.
Speed is the number one commodity in the modern game, especially in the Premier League.
So there was disappointment when one player who has it in abundance was completely overlooked in the first game with Lille.
Brazilian teen Luis Guilherme has endured a tough first year at West Ham.
But the West Ham star shone in the secret second Lille clash to prove Tim Steidten wrong.
It is fair to say former Hammers technical director Steidten failed to get things right in his first and window in full control of the club’s recruitment last summer.
Over £155m was committed to signing nine players.
But it is Steidten’s maiden signing upon taking full charge of West Ham’s transfers that still raises questions and eyebrows one year on.
Excitement was palpable, alongside a fair share of scepticism, when Steidten spent £20m to bring Guilherme to east London from Palmeiras.
West Ham star Guilherme shines in secret second Lille clash
Steidten’s thinking behind the move was that Guilherme, a raw teenage talent who had only made 19 appearances in Brazilian football – mostly as a sub – would have a season to bed in before eventually succeeding Kudus.
The Ghanaian has now gone but the jury remains very much out on whether Guilherme will get the chance to prove he is up to that particular task.
There have been claims West Ham are open to offers to ‘cut their losses’ on Guilherme since Steidten’s sacking.
When he was dismissed ahead of the January window, it was reported that the Guilherme deal was a big factor in David Sullivan deciding to sack Steidten as he had voiced concerns about the fee for an unproven talent.
Many supporters have been encouraged by some of Guilherme’s cameos since Potter has taken the West Ham reins, though.
The current Hammers boss seems to rate the pacy star, certainly more so than his predecessor Julen Lopetegui.
That has not stopped speculation West Ham could sell Guilherme just one year after signing him.
It looked like the final nail in the coffin for Guilherme’s Hammers career when Steidten essentially admitted signing Guilherme was a mistake.
Steidten said Guilherme has talent but that it was clear from his first training session he needed a long time before having a chance of being anywhere near Premier League standard.
The ex technical director also conceded that time may never come, saying every transfer involving a young player is a gamble and going on to say it is then about making a quick decision when to cut losses on a signing.
When speculation emerged of a move back to Brazil last month, it was reported Guilherme would turn it down as he is determined to prove himself at West Ham and in the Premier League.
Now he has done his chances under Potter this season no harm at all with his display in the secret friendly with Lille.
According to ExWHUemployee, Guilherme started the game alongside Wes Foderingham, Kyle Walker-Peters, Konstantinos Mavropanos, Edson Alvarez, Ollie Scarles, Emeka Adiele, Lewis Orford, Guido Rodriquez, Tomas Soucek and Andy Irving.
The Hammers insider has revealed Guilherme scored in the game and hit the bar as he stole the show.
Guilherme proves Steidten wrong about West Ham ‘mistake’
Guilherme’s pace reportedly caused Lille’s side plenty of problems as he made a series of exciting runs.
Another highly promising Hammers youngster, Josh Ajala, came on for Guilherme later on as the Hammers ran out 2-1 losers.
You can read the full report on ExWHUemployee’s Patreon.
Guilherme’s display, alongside his impressive cameos at the back end of last season and previously in pre-season, proves Steidten is wrong that Guilherme is a mistake.
Yes there is no doubting £20m was a lot of money for a club like West Ham to pay for an untested teenager. Especially when many felt the funds should have been put towards a striker.
But those – like Steidten – who have been doubting Guilherme should look at the 19-year-old from a different perspective.
Forget the price tag and the fact he has come over from Brazil.
Because if Guilherme was putting in some of these cameos as a Hammers Academy graduate, the whole Premier League would be raving about him, let alone West Ham fans.
As the Brazil Under 20 international grows in confidence, he really could turn out to be a worthwhile gamble after all.
And who knows, £20m may seem like a snip come the end of his second season in east London.
