Kieran Trippier didn’t even flinch.
“He has all the qualities to be one of the best left-backs in the world,” the Newcastle United defender said of team-mate Lewis Hall.
“I think he is [one of the best] Now. “
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This was highly rated ahead of Newcastle United’s Champions League last-16 second leg tie with Barcelona.
But the outspoken Trippier doesn’t like hyperbole.
Instead, the former England international has watched Hall progress from a raw player who couldn’t even break into Newcastle’s starting XI to a player who withstood the rigors of trying to keep Barcelona star Ramin Yamar quiet last week.
All this happened in just three years.
Manager Eddie Howe naturally shied away from such a statement and wanted to protect a left-back who is only 21 years old.
But the Newcastle boss will not hesitate to throw Hall into the Camp Nou for Wednesday night’s return game.
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“I’m very reluctant to develop any player after any game because you know you have to keep proving and giving answers, especially if you’re a defender,” Howe said.
“This challenge will be a big one for him. It will be a good test of Lewis’ defensive skills, his experience and his improvement over the last few years.
“I’m sure he’s looking forward to it.”
Hall hopes to silence Lamine Yamar again
There is no doubt about it.
Hall even laughed when asked about the prospect of facing Lamine Yamar for the first time on the eve of last week’s 1-1 draw.
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Hall wants to compete against the best and back himself up to the occasion.
It turns out.
Lamine Yamal may have equalized from the penalty spot in the 96th minute, but that doesn’t tell the whole story.
The talented Barcelona striker couldn’t even dribble past Hall and ended up shooting from a tight angle in space.
The Spaniard was so frustrated at one point that he cynically knocked Hall over.
No wonder Barcelona newspaper Mundo Deportivo labeled Hall the “anti-Lamine”.
Yet Hall is much more than just a blocker.
The former midfielder also possesses the drive and technical ability to hurt his team in other ways, with no other player on the pitch that night creating more chances (5) or hitting more passes that broke the defense (3).
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It was a performance that left centrists in stitches, but one that wouldn’t necessarily surprise Trippier.
“Lewis was a shy guy at first but his performance spoke for itself,” he said.
“His performance was unbelievable. I thought he handled the one-on-one situations very well, especially in the first leg.
“He can go as far as he wants. He’s special. A really good player and hopefully he can make the same transition and I have every confidence he can.”
“He has more to do”
The stars of club and country appear to be getting their act together.
The World Cup is a “motivating factor” for Hall and questions remain over who will take his place in the England squad this summer.
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Hall has two caps for his country but has yet to earn a call-up under Thomas Tuchel after a spell of injury early in his career.
But that will surely change when the England boss announces his squad for the friendlies against Uruguay and Japan on Thursday.
Tuchel certainly knows him well.
The England boss gave Hall his Chelsea debut as a 17-year-old in 2022 and watched the left-back play against his former club and Manchester City this month.
Hall was a highly rated talent at Chelsea but has come a long way since Tuchel first deployed him in a back three against Chesterfield.
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Tuchel’s long-time assistant at Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain, Arnold Michels, knows this better than most.
“Lewis’ progress is incredible and he’s still only 21,” he said.
But Hall won’t get carried away.
Hall is essentially a level-headed guy who doesn’t focus on the next game and has a tight-knit family to keep him grounded.
He never lost touch with his roots.
The defender still has a small group of close friends and has returned each of the past three summers to Binfield, where it all started, to present trophies and medals at the annual youth football tournament he once attended.
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Hall is even set to return in 2024 for a local cricket club.
The left-back has also not forgotten those who have helped him along the way, such as his former Chelsea Under-23s boss Mark Robinson.
Hall even jumped into the stands to chase Robinson after Newcastle United beat Stamford Bridge 1-0 at the weekend.
“There’s more to do because Lewis is a very humble lad,” Robinson said.
“I don’t see that changing. You have to keep learning and keep improving and he will do that.”
