Crysencio Summerville’s West Ham form is no coincidence after Lucas Paqueta development
Lucas who? Crysencio Summerville is West Ham’s new talisman in attack.
In the space of a couple of weeks, Summerville has completely turned around his reputation and role as a West Ham player.
Only at the turn of the year was Summerville being blasted for his West Ham performances, as the £25million signing from Leeds in the summer of 2024 had endured a slow start to his Hammers career.
Come the halfway point in the recent winter transfer window, it was reported that Galatasaray were keen on signing Summerville, offering him an escape route out of the London Stadium.
Both he, and West Ham, will be very grateful that interest didn’t amount to anything, and that he’s still turning out in claret and blue.
Crysencio Summerville has more than picked up Lucas Paqueta slack
When Lucas Paqueta made it clear he wanted to leave West Ham to return to his homeland of Brazil, many Hammers supporters were understandably worried about whether anyone in the team would step up.
Indeed, even Nuno Espirito Santo confessed that Paqueta couldn’t be replaced, as the 28-year-old eventually sealed a move to Flamengo in the final week of the window.
At the time when Paqueta‘s wanting to return to Brazil saga began this winter, West Ham were right in the middle of a terrible run of form, and many Hammers supporters had already given up on any hope of Premier League survival.
However, since Paqueta’s last game for West Ham against Nottingham Forest on 6 January, Nuno’s side have won three of their last four in all competitions, and are now six points adrift of safety.
And, in that same time period, Summerville has scored four goals and provided one assist, having previously scored zero Premier League goals before then this season.
This isn’t a coincidence, rather, Summerville has seen Paqueta’s exit as a prime opportunity for him to step into the West Ham spotlight and become their new talisman, and he’s grabbed it with both hands.
Summerville can save West Ham if he keeps handling the pressure
The difference in Summerville’s performances since Paqueta’s last West Ham appearance has been like night and day, as he looks a freer and more confident player.
However, with great performances comes great expectations, and the flying Dutchman has now set a very high standard for himself, but one that can keep West Ham in the Premier League if he maintains it.
Summerville was signed to be that dynamic, match-winning player that he’s now become over the last few weeks, and Nuno is going to need him more than ever over the coming weeks and months.