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Adama Traore believes he is approaching full fitness for West Ham United after making his first start for the club in Saturday’s FA Cup win over Burton.
Traore joined West Ham United from Fulham during the January transfer window but had been limited to cameo appearances prior to the win over the League One outfit.
Nuno Espirito Santo handed the Spaniard a first start as West Ham United beat Burton in the FA Cup thanks to a goal from Crysencio Summerville in extra-time.
Harsh but true?
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Traore lasted 82 minutes on his first start for the club before he was replaced by fellow January signing Taty Castellanos.
Speaking to West Ham’s official YouTube channel after the game, the former Barcelona youngster talked of how important getting minutes in the tank will be for him.
“So happy to have more minutes in the clock,” he said.
“I think it was nice to start the game and help the team.”
Later in the interview, he added: “I’m happy to have the clock in my chest, my fitness. I’m happy to feel the pitch for a long time again.”
Adama Traore’s statistics for West Ham against Burton
It’s important to stress that not very many of Nuno’s players covered themselves in glory on the day.
Indeed, it certainly wasn’t a vintage display from anyone clad in claret and blue.
However, Traore did struggle for West Ham against Burton. He only produced a single accurate cross.
On the more positive side of the equation, he created two chances, and won 6/10 of his duels.
More will be expected from him going forward, there’s little doubt about it.
Let’s hear it then – what have you made of Adama Traore so far? 🤔
Not much game time but have you seen anything that’s impressed you?
Credit: Getty Images/Rob Newell – CameraSport Adama Traore unlikely to start again for West Ham soon
Jarrod Bowen was rested for West Ham’s game against Burton, so it seems almost impossible to imagine Traore starting again in the imminent future.
Traore has not yet impressed West Ham fans, though with the obvious caveat that he’d hardly been given many minutes prior to Saturday’s game.
Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
Still, little about his performance put any kind of pressure on Bowen, who almost certainly will play off the right in the Premier League against Bournemouth next weekend.
In truth, not many of West Ham’s supporting cast pressed their case to start matches regularly.
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