West Ham United have struggled to live up to the immense standards set by David Moyes this season, as it seems like they are finally feeling the effects of performing above their station for so long.

Few could have expected them to uphold the phenomenal standards that saw them earn sixth and seventh-placed finishes in consecutive seasons, not to mention their mesmeric run to the Europa League semi-finals, but eventually, these things must come to an end.

That's not to suggest the Scotsman did not try and keep the good times rolling, outlined in their heavy expenditure over the summer in which eight new faces were welcomed to the London Stadium.

They may well turn it around, but for now, they find themselves truly immersed in a relegation battle for this year.

There have been plenty of poor performers throughout an ageing squad, in which many of the experienced heads have started to creep past their sell-by date.

One such example is Aaron Cresswell, who has been at the club for nearly nine years now.

The 33-year-old had established himself as one of the Premier League's most consistent full-backs, boasting defensive tenacity paired with a cutting edge going forward. Whilst the former remains, in recent seasons he has seen the latter's return diminish.

In this campaign, he is yet to record a goal or an assist in domestic competition. He also earned particular scorn last season for his two red cards during that infamous European run, as he was lambasted for letting his team down.

Few will likely have forgotten what could have been such a costly couple of mistakes, and as such could call for the youth to now be employed.

They will surely want to see an increased emphasis on academy production and a first-team pathway paved, after seeing Newcastle United snatch one of their brightest talents last month in Harrison Ashby.

Oliver Scarles would be the natural replacement for Cresswell, and the 17-year-old has already begun staking his claim following his first senior appearance late in 2022.

With seven goal contributions in just ten games for the U18s, the teenage sensation is proving himself far too technically proficient for youth football. He even translated that into the U23s, where he has notched his first goal too.

It has been a whirlwind season for the youngster, who is lauded as one of the shining lights expected to soon break into the first team.

Moyes has been particularly vocal in his praise for Scarles, as he offered this verdict after he had shone during his debut:

"We think he’s stylish on the ball, he’s composed but he’s got a lot of growing to do and he has a 16-year-old body at the moment.”

It is clear that, should he put the work in, he could soon be ready for some regular senior football. It all relies on him preparing his body for that challenge, as his quality on the ball already puts him at the necessary level.