Fortunately, Luis Guilherme’s impressive start to life in Portugal has coincided with Crysencio Summerville’s sudden upturn in form at West Ham United.
This is one narrative the Hammers will have been keen to avoid.
At a time when their every mistake is being looked at through the glare of the microscope, Luis Guilherme flying out of the blocks at Sporting Lisbon while Crysencio Summerville continues to go through the motions at West Ham United is something Nuno Espirito Santo could have done without.
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Guilherme bid farewell to the London giants a fortnight ago. Sporting are reported to have paid around £17 million for the Brazil Under-20 international.
At the time of his departure, the aforementioned Summerville was stuck in a barren run dragging all the way back to the Julen Lopetegui era. Considering that West Ham opted to cash in on Guilherme while keeping the faith with the goal-shy Summerville, the cynics and the critics would have been rubbing their hands together, tasting another opportunity to sink their teeth.
The good news then is that, while Guilherme has certainly made a good early impression at Lisbon, his first appearance in Portugal’s top flight was overshadowed by West Ham’s 2-1 win at Tottenham Hotspur.
A day in which Summerville tore Thomas Frank’s Spurs backline to pieces. Thus, ending his 14-month wait for a Premier League goal in the process.
Luis Guilherme left West Ham United after failing to oust Crysencio Summerville or Jarrod Bowen
There was to be no Primeira Liga debut goal for Guilherme as Sporting cruised past Casa Pia 3-0 at the Estadio Jose Alvalade.
A positive performance, certainly. But not one that will have West Ham wishing they had backed him over a resurgent Summerville.
“He had a good, competent game, and he will improve with time,” Sporting coach Rui Borges told reporters. “He’s a young man, he’s 19 years old, he’s very intelligent. He likes to learn and understands quickly, and in the future he will be very important.”
Borges pointed out when completing a deal for the teenager that West Ham utilised Luis Guilherme on the left on the rare occasions when he made a first-team appearance. Back in Brazil with Palmeiras, Guilherme often started on the right.
A position in which he seemed more comfortable. But also one Jarrod Bowen had nailed down in East London.
Interestingly, Guilherme’s Sporting bow saw him start on the left again. Perhaps the ball simply fell on his wrong foot when, to quote Sic Noticias, ‘the Brazilian lacked the composure’ to open his account. A fizzing delivery across the box slipping out of his reach half an hour in on Friday night.
Guilherme might not play in his favoruite position for Sporting Lisbon
If Guilherme never had a realistic chance of ousting Bowen from the right-hand flank at West Ham, meanwhile, he might just have stumbled into a similar situation at Sporting. Geny Catamo scored with two razor-sharp finishes against Casa Pia.
With a brace in each of Catamo’s last two Primeira Liga outings, Guilherme might have to make do with left-wing duties again for the foreseeable future.
“Very happy with the reception and the great night the whole group had in front of our fans,” Guilherme wrote on Instagram at full-time. “Together, Sporting!”
Summerville ends Premier League drought and makes Nuno Espirito Santo point
Back in England, Nuno is demanding ‘much more’ from Summerville despite seeing the £30 million signing from Leeds score in back to back games. After 25 matches without a goal, he now has two in two.
“I expect much more from him,” Nuno told BBC Sport after Summerville cut inside Pedro Porro and fired a deflected shot past Guglielmo Vicario. “I expect much more from [all] our players.
“We are pushing them, they have talent and they have to show it. All of them need improvement, but as long as they believe, we can do it.”
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Hammers News recently rubbished claims suggesting that Nuno had lost the support of the West Ham board, as well as sections of the dressing room. So when Summerville made a beeline for the Hammers boss after putting his side ahead at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, he did so with the desire to keep those rumours at a healthy distance.
Interestingly, it has emerged that West Ham are expected to sign Keiber Lamadrid from Venezuelan outfit Deportivo la Guaira this week. Should the 22-year-old impress during an initial loan spell, he could be tasked with taking Guilherme’s place as Summerville’s understudy long-term.
“’Cry’ and the players really like the manager despite some of what has been written and said about Nuno of late,” a source told Hammers News after that Tottenham triumph.
“Of course, some players won’t be happy. The manager has said that to the press himself, and it is the same at any club.
“But Cry wanted to make a direct point in response to those articles that he and other key players do not dislike the manager. In fact, it is quite the opposite. It spoke volumes he chose to do that in that particular moment.
“Most footballers are very selfish when it comes to a bit of glory, but not Cry. He wanted the world to know Nuno has his – and much of the squad’s – backing.”
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