West Ham United’s treatment of loanees hasn’t always been well received by their parent clubs. It’d be doubtful that Brighton would ever want to entertain sending another prospect out on loan to West Ham, after the experiences endured by Igor Julio and Evan Ferguson whose careers nosedived after they’d donned the claret and blue shirt for their photo shoots: Neither were seen again for the season.
However. this time around Manchester City must be delighted that the Irons are getting excellent value for money out of loanee Divine Mukasa, even if they weren’t utilising him to his best in Nuno’s favoured, deeper midfield role.
Manchester City fan site esteemedkompany.com, even from afar, identified that the midfielder’s deployment by Nuno as a deep lying defensive option was not playing to his strengths:
“There is an argument to be made that Nuno Espirito Santo played Mukasa out of position….
“Parker utilized Mukasa as an attacking midfielder in the match…
Mukasa scored West Ham’s first goal in a remarkable comeback
Mukasa then produced a sublime chip to beat Cardiff City keeper Yousef Salech, setting the stage for West Ham’s comeback. That goal illustrated what Mukasa can do playing in arguably his best position.….
Scott Parker may decide to unleash Mukasa as an attacking midfielder”
You’d hope that is one of the easier decisions for Scott Parker and his team to take: Mukasa already has more goals than our so-called strikers Taty and Pablo – combined. Which doesn’t say much about the other two, but surely means the young loanee’s best deployment is exactly as he finished the game against Cardiff City.
Parker has plenty of options as deeper-lying midfielders just sitting ignored by Nuno for months – blow away the cobwebs on Alvarez, Magassa (who did look rusty) or Orford and any one of the three can, with a little bit of integration, do that job and allow the hugely talented Manchester City loanee to do more of just what he’s here for.
The Mancunians didn’t watch much of the game did they? If they did they’d know who plays in goal for Cardiff…. 🧐
Good article – shame the Citeh site didn’t give our old boy Nathan Trott the credit:)
Why would they?
Totally agree but he really needs to prioritise getting Magassa or Alvarez up to the level if it’s possible. Is Orford really a defensive midfielder? Kante is being suggested but surely he’s too good going forward.