No sooner are West Ham fans feeling relieved that, unlike his predecessor, Nuno Espírito Santo has given youngsters Freddie Potts and Callum Marshall some much deserved time against Arsenal, than another report comes along to dampen the Irons’ fans new found optimism.
In the last day or so, a couple of reports have cropped up suggesting young defender Ollie Scarles might need to leave the club in January owning to lack of game time thanks to El Hadji-Malick Diouf’s storming form. Scarles was handed his Hammers Premier League debut by Potter in January last year, to instant plaudits from fans and observers.
Sadly the youngster didn’t really cement a place in Potter’s wingback system and has been short on match time since Malick Diouf’s arrival in the summer. But reports such as the article in todays’ caughtoffside.com make one very big omission:
“Nuno Espírito Santo tells West Ham defender he can leave”..
Runs their headline, suggesting “Nuno Espírito Santo is prepared to sanction Scarles’ exit since the manager has preferred using El Hadji Malick Diouf in the left-back position. Scarles is restricted mainly to reserve and cup minutes.”
I’d just suggest that all is not quite so clear cut. West Ham will lose Malick Diouf and right back Aaron Wan-Bissaka for the AFCON tournament which runs right through the festive period and well into the January transfer window.
In fact, no less than six Premier League games and an FA cup third round tie will be played during the time that West Ham’s first choice left and right backs are absent. Those important games include PL fixtures against Man City, Fulham, Brighton, Wolves, Nottingham Forest and Spurs, for which Scares and Kyle Walker-Peters will be the only specialist left and right-backs available.
So the club will already be down to the bare bones for their full backs, before the window opens. It’ll be a brave manager that sanctions an exit with no cover at full back: Should either Malick Diouf or Wan-Bissaka pick up a knock during the Africa tournament, the cupboard will be bare.
So Scarles should get his chance to impress Nuno with a run of performances when Diouf is away.
I suspect contrary to the report, Espírito Santo has taken no decisions on any January departures, just two weeks into the job. Several may be earmarked, but certainly nothing yet set in stone.
Igor can play left back as can KWP, Todibo can also play right back, Summerville played excellently at right back under Potter.
I like Scarles a lot, he is an excellent defender though being brutally honest, he offers next to nothing going forward and would benefit from a loan.
IF Oliver Scarles is the type of player that cannot rise to the challenge presented by another 20 year old and fight for his place, then perhaps he does not, after all, meet the clubs needs for future players. Clubs like Arsenal and maybe Chelsea, seem able to keep 2 first teams happy because the offer a chance of success at the top level, so if West Ham do not see themselves as being able to reach that level, then again, maybe Scarles should go elsewhere. I would hope that he will do what is best for himself and be happy with that.
I think Oliver Scarles could be tried as a central defender. I think he’d do well, but I’m not a fan of Esperito Santo. I think he’ll sell Scarles before we kick him out of West Ham. We’ll soon see that Espírito Santo isn’t the man West Ham needs. The question is how much more trouble he can cause before he leaves us. I still believe that everything that’s happening to Wolverhampton and Nottingham Forest is his doing. It will be very difficult for us to rebuild the club because he will completely destroy it. That’s my opinion.
He has actually said all have a chance to train and play their way back into the team, including Ward Prowse! A sensible comment at last !
Need to keep hold of scarles for the above reasons. He was great last season either the exception of the Liverpool game.
Diouf has been great one of our best attackers but as a defender he is pretty poor and really needs some serious coaching on how to defend.
Agreed AFCON was my first thought when I read that story and also loss of form or injury of Diouf
Scales needs to be playing regularly to continue his development, so a loan with recall option might be useful if Nuno has contingency in mind for the AFCON.
We’ve also loaned the chap from Brighton who can play LB.