After another injury lay-off, Nuno Espirito Santo will be hoping that George Earthy’s impressive West Ham United comeback in the 3-2 EFL Trophy victory over Swindon Town is not another false dawn.
On the back of a fine loan spell in the Championship – Earthy was Bristol City’s Young Player of the Year while helping them reach the play-off semi-finals – the 2025/26 campaign was supposed to be his breakout in a West Ham United jersey.
Since then, however, it has been setback after setback.
Graham Potter planned to take a closer look at Earthy in pre-season. Plans that were scotched thanks to an ankle ligament injury which ruled him out of the Hammers’ tour of the USA. Nuno then confirmed that the England Under-21 international had suffered a hamstring issue almost as soon as he returned to the pitch in September.
It remains to be seen, then, if the silky schemer’s latest comeback sees him put those fitness problems in the rearview mirror for good.
George Earthy delighted to be back for West Ham United
In the words of Greg Lincoln, West Ham’s interim Under-21 coach, George Earthy was ‘outstanding’ against Swindon at the County Ground. He set up Josh Ajala’s opener before scoring the second himself, thanks in part to a fine through ball from Josh Landers.
Having been restricted to only 158 minutes of reserve team football this season before Tuesday night, Earthy is understandably delighted to be back where he belongs.
“The recovery’s been good,” a relieved Earthy tells the club’s official website. “This game was about getting back to match fitness.
“It was frustrating. I’d just come back from one injury and felt like I was getting somewhere, then the hamstring went. But to be back as quickly as I am, I’m really pleased.”
A goal and an assist in just one half of football is just what the metaphorical doctor ordered. The very real doctors working behind the scenes at West Ham, though, are clearly looking to manage Earthy’s latest comeback as carefully as possible.
He was replaced at the break by Gabriel Caliste. The six-time Mauritius international entered the fray just days after Caliste scored his first West Ham goal at U21 level in a 1-0 victory over Aston Villa.
“I was always only going to play 45 minutes, just to get minutes in my legs,” adds Earthy. “Obviously, I wanted to play the second half, but you can’t overdo it in your first game back!”
Earthy hails Hammers’ Scottish starlet Josh Landers
Earthy’s first goal of the season came via a clever run and a neat finish, but also some excellent work from a man used to taking chances rather than creating them. Josh Landers has scored 15 West Ham goals in just 20 reserve-team matches since joining from Hibernian in January. This was a first assist, though.
“We’d just won the ball back [through good pressing from captain Airidas Golambeckis], and Landers did really well, dribbled forward and released it at the right time,” Earthy adds. “I went near post, just trying to hit the target.”
Among the other players to feature in an eventual 3-2 win over Swindon – Landers predictably got on the scoresheet either side of two Paul Glatzel efforts for the Robins – were Daniel Cummings, Emeka Adiele and Mohamadou Kante.
Ex-Celtic starlet Cummings is back in action after a five-month injury absence. Adiele is racking up the assists from the left flank this season, while Kante signed a new West Ham contract on Monday.
“It says a lot about the Academy,” Earthy says, West Ham’s Under-21s beating both MK Dons and Swindon in the EFL Trophy while scoring eight times in the process.
“These games against men are different. You really notice the physical side. Being able to cope with it and still win is what matters most.
“A lot of teams can play nice football, but the reality is about results. Getting through the group is never easy, especially when clubs start fielding stronger sides later on. We’ve set a good standard by getting this far, and now the boys will want to push on.”
