Opinion: Underperforming West Ham star could be the ideal solution for Julen Lopetegui
Julen Lopetegui must rely on Crysencio Summerville to turn around West Ham United's disappointing start to the season.
West Ham has won only once in the Premier League under their new boss, and pressure is mounting after just six matches.
Since his summer move from Leeds United, Crysensio Summerville has been sparingly used by the Hammers.
However, with Mohammed Kudus and Lucas Paquetá yet to make a strong impact, it may be time for Lopetegui to unleash his Dutch forward in the Premier League.
Summerville, who was named Championship Player of the Year for Leeds last season, has yet to show why West Ham invested heavily in him.
His impressive 20 goals and nine assists in 46 league games in the Championship demonstrated his talent, but making the leap to the top flight is challenging.
Nonetheless, a consistent run of games could help him find his form in the Premier League.
Even if Summerville contributes just half of what he did last season, he would still be West Ham’s second-highest scorer behind Jarrod Bowen.
Although the 22-year-old struggled during the 5-1 Carabao Cup defeat to Liverpool, one poor game against one of England’s top sides isn’t a fair measure of his potential impact for the Hammers this season.
Lopetegui’s strategy at West Ham is clearly not yielding results, as the team’s performances have been underwhelming.
With his attacking options failing to deliver, persisting with the same lineup would be illogical. Change is necessary, and Summerville could provide that spark.
Summerville was brought in to challenge West Ham’s established forwards, but if he can’t get game time when they’re underperforming, it raises questions about the club’s decision to spend over £25 million on him.
If left on the bench, his talents—and West Ham’s investment—may be wasted.
