OPINION
There’s no doubt that West Ham United star Ryan Fredericks has all the ingredients needed to be a successful Premier League right back.
However, after another lacklustre performance in Saturday’s 2-0 victory over Norwich City, you’d have to say that the former Fulham man simply isn’t making the most of his physical gifts.
The one thing that stands out when watching the 26-year-old is his speed. He is absolutely rapid. Fredericks is more than a match for even the quickest wingers, meaning that he shouldn’t get beaten anywhere near as often as he does.
It was a similar story against the Canaries, though, where he was given a bit of a run around by Norwich starlet Todd Cantwell during the first half. Going forward, as well, he was timid, seemingly unsure how best to utilise his startling pace.
Looking at the statistics from Saturday’s game, it’s clear that there is mental block in place for the full back at the moment. As per WhoScored.com, he didn’t produce one successful dribble at the London Stadium.
He also failed to register a single shot, let alone one on target. Furthermore, he made two unsuccessful touches, while his pass success rate of 71.8% was the second lowest on the team.
This is a man who has all the attributes to go far, even all the way to England contention if he can put it all together. But his continued failure to make the most of his natural ability is why some are still calling for the inclusion of a past his best 34-year-old in Pablo Zabaleta over him at right back.
