Former West Ham defender El Hadji Malick Diouf has come under heavy criticism from Brentford supporters following Wednesday night’s 3-2 Carabao Cup defeat at Sunderland.
The Senegal international struggled defensively as Brentford conceded three first-half goals in 13 minutes. Diouf lost possession in the build-up to Sunderland’s opener before Jocelin Ta Bi beat him far too easily to create their second.
One Brentford supporter described Diouf’s performance as “dire” during the post-match Beesotted podcast, while a subsequent player-ratings article awarded him 4/10. Inevitably, the reported £40million transfer fee was mentioned as frustrated Bees supporters assessed the defeat.
Why West Ham Sold Diouf
Let’s get one thing absolutely straight: West Ham did not sell Diouf because Nuno Espírito Santo did not rate him.
Claret & Hugh were informed by multiple sources that the former Slavia Prague defender was very much part of Nuno’s plans for this season. However, the combination of a ridiculously high offer and the player asking to leave meant the transfer had to happen.
Brentford officially described the fee as undisclosed, but the BBC reported that West Ham received £35million initially, with another £5million potentially payable in add-ons. Considering the Hammers had paid approximately £19million for him only a year earlier, it represented an enormous profit.
Espirito Santo rated Diouf highly
Diouf’s Defending Remains The Concern
I was consistently critical of Diouf’s defending at Premier League level. I actually thought he needed a season in the Championship to improve certain parts of his game, particularly his one-on-one defending.
Those weaknesses were exposed again at the Stadium of Light. Sunderland repeatedly attacked his side, while Ta Bi caused him serious problems throughout the evening. A Sunderland ratings piece went as far as saying the winger had run the £40million defender ragged.
There does need to be some balance. Diouf remains an extremely talented attacking player and produced several dangerous deliveries against Sunderland. Igor Thiago should arguably have converted one of his early crosses, while Callum Wilson was denied after Diouf headed another opportunity into his path.
That has always been the dilemma with the 21-year-old. His power and attacking output can be outstanding, particularly when used as a wing-back, but his defensive positioning and ability in isolated situations remain questionable.
West Ham Ahead On The Deal — For Now
Although Wednesday’s game was in the Carabao Cup, Diouf was still playing against Premier League opposition. Time will tell whether Brentford have overpaid, although they do not make too many mistakes in the transfer market.
If Brentford can unlock his considerable attacking potential while improving him defensively, I am sure he will become a good acquisition. He is still young enough to develop and one poor performance should not define his career at the club.
For the moment, however, it certainly looks as though West Ham got the better end of the deal.