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West Ham must trust Ryan Fredericks going forward

By Jeremiah Carson

West Ham United's English defender Ryan Fredericks plays the ball during the English Premier League football match between West Ham United and Norwich City at The London Stadium, in east London on August 31, 2019. (Photo by Ben STANSALL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images)
West Ham United's English defender Ryan Fredericks plays the ball during the English Premier League football match between West Ham United and Norwich City at The London Stadium, in east London on August 31, 2019. (Photo by Ben STANSALL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo credit should read BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Just as West Ham seemed secure at the right-back slot, things changed. Going forward, they need to trust Ryan Fredericks and what he can do for the club.

After the news on Friday that West Ham and Jeremy Ngakia couldn’t come to an agreement on a contact, the flood gates opened and the fears returned. Ngakia was supposed to be the future at right-back with Ben Johnson or Ryan Fredericks behind him.

At the beginning of the season, it’s doubtful that anyone knew who Jeremy Ngakia was, let alone placing him ahead of Fredericks. Unfortunately for him, injuries and up and down form has opened the door for others. But really, it all goes back to the time off for him and whether or not he can be trusted taking the lead in that position.

He’s missed 11 matches in total this season due to injuries but he still got action in 20 EPL games. However, the most recent is what’s most remembered, and for the West Ham memory, that’s Ngakia, not Fredericks. This news puts West Ham in a real bind as now both full-back slots need to be worked on this offseason.

Related Story. Jeremy Ngakia Rejects West Ham in Shock Move. light

West Ham must trust Ryan Fredericks going forward

The rumours of Matty Cash coming to help sure up things could still happen, but he can’t play in both slots at the same time. There as whispers of Ben Johnson coming back into the fold as well, but if health is at full peak for both players, Fredericks wins the job week in and week out. It may not be what Hammers fans want, but they are going to need to trust Fredericks going forward.

Trust that with his added time off, he can rehabilitate himself back to top condition and good form. He needs the Hammers just as much as they need him for now and people are easy to forget that he is a top full-back. There are just too many other question marks for the club, so they need to believe in what they have and get behind the pacey right-back moving forward.