Several key players from last season’s failed Premier League side made it clear they couldn’t wait to quit the West Ham squad in the summer. In truth, none have covered themselves in glory since departing east London. Over the coming couple of weeks we’ll catch up with the progress of those who left – some, but not all, considering themselves a bit too posh for the championship and quit West Ham, unlike their skipper who has stayed to put right the relegation disaster that those self-same players created.
Last week we covered the travails of young Freddie Potts who has been criticised after looking too negative at FC Brugge, with a local journalist claiming he needed to be more brave and start playing the ball forwards again. (Potts, it should be made clear, did not expect nor push for an exit and would have been very happy to stay at West Ham).
However defender El Hadji Malick Diouf has fared even worse. The aimiable Senegalse – who declared last season that he’d the desire to play for a “top club”, hardly endearing himself to fans in the process – found himself sold to Brentford at the very tail end of the transfer window.
Diouf had no intention of playing for West Ham this season and left for Brentford before the window closed
Great business for West Ham but for the player himself, the jury is evidently still out.
For as Diouf has found, a starting place is no longer guaranteed and he’s discovered what it means to be stuck on the bench behind Keane Lewis Potter who has dominated the left position normally occupied by Diouf -who has had just 39 minutes on the pitch this season.
Far cry from his 30 games in a claret and blue shirt last season.
At the moment, West Ham look very much the happier of the parties, having banked £35 million for Diouf – virtually doubling their money inside a year.
With Morata in the West Ham squad looking a pretty decent loan signing on deadline day, you’d have to say young Diouf has not been missed one bit. West Ham have looked more solid with the Brazilian than they did with the young Senegalese and his sometimes brilliant crossing and occasionally dodgy defensive positioning.
he was always a bit to hit and miss for me I was surprised that a prem team even wanted him but happy days we came out on top