Are West Ham’s defensive worries solved?

Article by e-West Ham's Brandon Freeman

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West Ham’s third summer signing arrived last week in the shape of highly-rated 24 year-old Aaron Cresswell from Ipswich Town on a five-year deal, which see’s Big Sam ease his defensive concerns and fill the void left by the departure of 33 year-old George McCartney who was released after an injury hit season in which he made 26 appearances.

So, the signing of Cresswell surely puts our minds at ease knowing we have a young left-back who can make that position his own for years to come, and has the potential to become a world-class player. However, the more cynical fans will surely come to question if Cresswell is ready for regular first-team action in the Premier League, or whether he should be bedded into Premier League football this season, and act as a cover for a more experienced player. Personally, I think Cresswell will benefit from regular football and definitely has the talent to make an impact in the Premier League and be a hit with hammers fans. Cresswell certainly made an impression upon Ipswich Town fans, winning Supporters Player Of The Year in 2012, along with the interest of a host of top-flight clubs all vying for his signature. Perhaps more importantly, Cresswell has missed just 4 games for Ipswich in the last two seasons and played every minute of every game in 2012-13 season, which will be a welcome relief from defender George McCartney and Joey O’Brien who both spent time on the treatment table last season. Further good news for hammers fans is that Cresswell perfectly fits the new ethos at West Ham this season, being a very talented young player with bags of potential, not dissimilar from Cheikhou Kouyate and Diego Poyet.

However, whether Cresswell is in the first-team of not, the issue still remains that the current squad seriously lacks depth in this position, with Joey O’Brien, traditionally a right-back, and 20 year-old Dan Potts the only alternatives should the inevitable occur. Furthermore, doubts still exist about the future of Ivory Coast right-back Guy Demel who has been linked with a move back to Hamburg so clearly another full-back must be added to the squad if we are to avoid the make shift back four West Ham fans witnessed for much of last season. The arrival of Cresswell may also mean the end of West Ham’s pursuit of highly-rated Nice defender Timothee Kolodziejczak and reports have also circulated claiming that the rejected bid from West Ham for Norwich defender Martin Olsson means that deal is also dead. Nevertheless, the signing of Aaron Cresswell should really be considered a coup for West Ham given the number of top clubs Cresswell has been linked with in the past two seasons and a sure sign that the Academy Of Football is beginning to prepare what may well be another batch of world-class talent to grace the international stage for years to come.

What do you make of West Ham’s latest capture and is he ready for Premier League action? Leave your comments bellow and follow our twitter page @e_westham for the latest news and views, all things West Ham.

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