Former West Ham Forward Craig Bellamy Criticises Current Hammers Midfielder Following Weekend Win

Craig Bellamy has criticised West Ham captain Mark Noble following the side's last match, claiming the veteran isn't mobile enough for the Premier League.

The Hammers won their first game of the season, as well as their first competitive fixture under new boss Manuel Pellegrini, this past Sunday, having travelled to Goodison Park to face a depleted Everton side. They returned home 3-1 winners, courtesy of a brace from Andriy Yarmolenko and a Marko Arnautovic strike.

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Noble assisted one of Yarmolenko's goals, yet that did not leave him exempt from his ex-teammate's criticism. Bellamy - who spent two years playing at the club - suggested that West Ham do not have enough players who can cope with the intensity of Premier League football.

“This team and a lot of the players struggle with intensity and in this league you have to have it," the Welshman said on Sky Sports' Super Sunday. "I played with Noble, terrific player, but he can’t get close. He can’t get close to people. They have too many players like that.”

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Pellegrini's side have moved to 16th on the league table in the wake of their very first win of the campaign and they will be hoping to remain on the positive side of upcoming results. 

However, they'll be heading into what could be a very turbulent period, with Chelsea, Manchester United, Brighton, Tottenham and Leicester City all up next.

Noble, though, has revealed that the squad held a very honest meeting after their loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

“The table looks a lot better after that one result, one three points. It looks a lot better than it did before,” the captain said after Sunday's win.

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“We spoke openly after the Wolves game with each other, we said some home truths. Me and Marko [Arnautovic] were in the thick of that in the changing room and sometimes that’s what you need."