Still top of the league for the weekend after favourable results went West Ham’s way, supporters are enjoying that very rare feeling of loving their football again. Having no VAR has been re-invogorating for a fan base weary after a relegation battle which felt at times that it was in part orchestrated by the faceless officials in Stockley Park doing their bit to condemn the Irons to the second tier.
And from the smiles around the pitch and the training ground, the release of pressure and the enjoyment of playing football in front of an enthusiastic fan base appears to be coursing through the team.
However from last night’s evidence, the immediate future does look a little more bleak for young Ollie Scarles, who might have a mountain to climb get significant game time.
Ready to make the left back slot his own: Morato
The young left back didn’t make the starting eleven, giving away his place to Nottingham Forest loanee Morato who surprised everyone by putting in a solid defensive performance at left back, and of course grabbed an assist for his overlapping run and centre for West Ham’s first goal.
For Scarles, a 67th minute substitute, the defining moment came when late-on his headstrong, reckless challenge on Wrexham’s Issa Kaboré cost him a yellow card and on anther night could have easily cost his side a penalty had the player been a couple of feet to the left…
It was a bad misjudgement, and not Scarles’ first: Another yellow card early doors last time out against Bolton forced him to walk a tightrope for most of the game, and of course the same player’s rash challenge against Burnley cost West Ham a penalty and two points.
The rash, poorly judged challenges are starting to rack up and with a ready-made replacement already on hand who has now earned his spurs, likely young Ollie will get a prolonged spell on the sidelines to reflect on those rash challenges in crucial moments.
Morato is more of a centre back than a left back and it would have been difficult to look bad in that game. Unfortunately Scarles did, but being in the camp that thinks he will struggle to excel at league One or Two it didn’t surprise me. He is just a poor player.
Whether Morato will retain the left back probably depends on how good Boiro is, but if Nuno sees him as number three left back behind Scarles as well he must be really poor which begs the question why we signed him. West Ham are starting to get a reputation for loaning players they don’t play which will surely work against us in the future.(before anyone starts yes I know Morato is a loan)
I’ve no idea what anyone sees in Scarles. He’s pony. End of discussion.
I’m sure he’s a lovely bloke and all the rest of it, but he’s an atrocious left-back and always will be.
I expect him to full down the leagues to his true level in the coming years.
Again, I’d love to be proved wrong, but he won’t as there’s absolutely no standout quality in any attribute of his game. Zilch. He’s just not up to it. Sorry.
I think after making that statement public, you should be sorry!
46 matches says he will play plenty
He’s young and will make mistakes, my worry for him is his positioning when the ball changes over to the opposition, it looks like thinking wise he switches off sometimes. It’s something he needs to sort out. For me it’s why he is getting the bookings etc. A few words with a bit of insight into what he should be doing and when from an experienced defender would probably do it.
Until Morato has a bad game and then you will write a negative article about him.
I’ve been saying for a long time that Scarles has an error in him and that he never has that bit extra. Morato was far better and must retain the spot on that performance.