Summerville Signing Sorts Irons Problem Position

Crystal Palace v West Ham

I am acutely aware that we are unlikely to see summer signing Crysencio Summerville start for West Ham against Crystal Palace today. Yet, for some reason, he is the summer transfer I am most excited about watching.

Granted, last season’s awful defence was in far greater need of reinforcements, and I’m delighted with the acquisitions of Max Kilman, Jean-Clair Todibo, and Aaron Wan-Bissaka. However, there’s something about a fast and tricky winger that appeals to me, and Summerville is precisely that.

Perhaps my excitement stems from the fact that the left wing has been something of a graveyard shift at West Ham in recent years. Under David Moyes, there were times when Pablo Fornals was used as a defensive wide-man, or a ‘holding winger,’ as I liked to describe the tactic.

The position was more about closing down, working hard, and helping out the left-back than any real swashbuckling wing wizardry. The Hammers’ attacking tended to be focused on the right-hand side of the pitch, and perhaps this is why Said Benrahma struggled so much.

Problem position now full of promise

I have been desperate for an attacking left winger to be given the license to terrorise and am hopeful that we may see just that under Julen Lopetegui. I am aware that Mohammed Kudus appears to have started life under the Spaniard in that position, but I doubt he’ll remain on the left.

Kudus is a superstar who provides a massive goal threat, but that is somewhat blunted when he is deployed off the left-hand side of the pitch. The Ghanaian has an absolute howitzer of a shot, and I’m quite sure Loppy will not be able to resist the temptation to unleash him for long.

Summerville will have to start life at West Ham as an impact substitute, but I suspect he won’t remain so for long. He was by far the brightest of the five substitutes introduced in the second half against Aston Villa, and I expect more of the same today.

So when I see the fourth official hold the substitutes’ board aloft at Selhurst Park today, I’ll be gearing up for a bit of Summerville left-wing trickery.

COYI