Vinnie Jones has suggested that Mark Noble is the one West Ham player he would ‘rattle’ ‘early doors’ to disrupt the flow of the Premier League side.
The Hammers crashed out of the FA Cup to Jones’ former side Wimbledon in a shock 4-2 defeat on Saturday night, Noble playing the full 90 minutes.
Speaking as a pundit for BT Sport during that match, the notorious midfielder said: “Noble’s a good lad in midfield. If I was going to rattle anybody early, I think it would be him.
“He makes West Ham tick. I think one of the boys would want to get about him early doors to show the others: ‘your main man’s took on here today, you’re next on the list’.”
OPINION
This is about as high a compliment you can be paid by Vinnie Jones. For the former Crazy Gang member to claim that he would take Noble out first is real testament to how influential the West Ham captain is on his side. The veteran Hammer is the living embodiment of the club, and is so vital to motivating and lifting his side that it makes sense for him to be the one man you would want to stop if you were trying to disrupt them . He may not be as eye-catching as some of his colleagues, and he may not possess the natural athleticism of a lot of midfield generals, but Noble is the heartbeat of the Irons team and so much of what they do stems from his organisation and presence in the engine room. It wasn’t enough for West Ham on the night, but when the time does come for Noble to hang up his boots, there will be a big hole to fill in the centre of the park.