Page 5 of 24
Re: Graham Potter
Posted: 16 Feb 2025, 10:28
by southbankbornnbred
southbankbornnbred wrote: ↑16 Feb 2025, 10:14
Sir Alf" wrote: ↑16 Feb 2025, 09:44
Good summary Nutsin. Potter reverted to a back 4 and got central midfield wrong relying on the slowest double pivot central midfield in the Premiership. A back 3 seems a better fit but also when Paqueta dropped deeper we had 3 in the central mid and stopped Brentford having so much space to run into when they countered. As u say, Paqueta has to play deeper with the game ahead of him.
Not writing Potter off yet but he has to learn we cannot play a 2 person central midfield of Alvarez and Soucek and that Mavro in a 4 man back 4 us going to be risky. Hopefully wont see either mistakes repeated? Main other thing we need is Ferguson and Todibo to get and stay fit
Yeah, interesting summaries, Alf and Nutsin.
I also think it’s far too early to judge Potter. These are not his players and there’s just no way he’d have signed most of them. I’m not saying he’ll rip it up at West Ham (who knows), but his teams don’t generally look like us right now.
This old, slow and tired squad has a LOT of problems. But by far the biggest problem I can see is in central defence.
Nutsin summed it up nicely: “Mavrapanos still getting in the side as a starter makes you wonder just how good he must show at practice all week because on match day he is always one of the worse players on the field.”
Its not that Mavrapanos is any good - he’s fucking terrible. A mistake waiting to happen. It’s just that we don’t have any depth, and the other centre halves are also woeful - or injury prone.
We’ve spent (or agreed to spend) a small fortune on some absolute dross. Kilman is the worst £40m footballer I’ve ever seen. He has the turning circle of an oil tanker and regularly gets destroyed for pace over ten yards - let alone 20+. It means we can’t really play, or get, high up the pitch quickly enough. So he forces us to play a way that Potter probably doesn’t want. Absolute waste of that huge outlay. Slow, off the pace mentally, and too easily exposed because of it. His saving grace is that he doesn’t really make “mistakes” like Mavrapanos - and he is a battler. It’s just that his physical attributes are poor for the modern Premier League, where opponents are often athletes more than footballers.
Mavrapanos was in excess of £20m. We've agreed to spend £34m on Todibo, who is a good player but injury prone - and clearly nursing his way through the season. And we spent £30m on Aguerd who started well, deteriorated under Moyes and then got loaned out by a hopeless manager who had no idea what he was doing.
Thats £125m worth of “talent” and we’re catastrophically poor at the back.
Fixing that will take some doing. Who, for example, will want to sign Kilman at his fee/wages - unless it’s a move like a return to Wolves for half the money?
Moyes and Lopetegui royally lumped us in it.
I also have to say that Sullivan - and the departed (and largely over-rated) Steidten should hang his head in shame over the Kilman deal. How a chairman and technical director could let a new manager sign somebody so obviously limited for £40m and then put him on astronomical wages and a seven-year contract, is beyond me.
Club chairman rightly and wrongly get blamed for a lot of things - some within their control, some not. But that Kilman deal was akin to falling asleep at the wheel.
Re: Squad Building for 25/26
Posted: 21 May 2025, 11:43
by El Scorchio
You've got to stop banging the Alvarez drum. He does not want to play for West Ham. He will be moved on. Even if he was amenable to staying we'd be looking to sell as he's one of the few that has a market value.
I don't even know what magic you see in him anyway. He's been absolutely bang average if not downright shit like all the rest of them all season this season as well. He's not going to somehow come alive wearing next season's shirt.
Re: Squad Building for 25/26
Posted: 21 May 2025, 08:57
by Rossal
Keep
Alvarez, Potts, Orford. I would potentially look at Irving aswell, played well at Chelsea and not seen since but everytime he has played he hasn't looked terrible. Got a cracking left foot and can bet your life would give it absolutely everything to remain in the prem.
Sell the rest, I would cash in on Paqueta. No assists this season is it? 2 open play goals? flatters to deceive most weeks. If we are going to play a 5-3-2 or a 3-4-3 sort of shape I don't think that suits him.
Like Soucek, if anyone wants to offer good money for him take it and run. Someone else can watch him dive constantly and clip shit dinks forward to their GK or CB every week.
Lets also stop mentioning Kante, he won't be anywhere near it next season unless we have somehow earthed the next errrrrrr Kante!
Re: Squad Building for 25/26
Posted: 21 May 2025, 08:45
by stubbo-admin
It's a decent point about needing to sell midfielders:
Alvarez
Soucek
JWP
Paqueta
Irving
Rodriguez
Potts
Earthy
Orford
Soler
Kante
If we carried them all into next season, it's 11 players fighting out for at most 5 match day positions (2-3 on the pitch and 1-2 on the bench).
Plus barely a specimen athlete amongst them.
Obviously Soler will leave. Alvarez looks very saleable. Assume Irving will go (at 24 he'd have been in match day squads since Chelsea if he had a meaningful future). We'll I'd expect court suitors for Rodriguez despite late season inclusion, and if he gets off the betting charges guessing Lucas will too (the fact he's the one that commands the highest value explains exactly why we should be looking to keep him not selling him, since he's the only progressive passer from midfield we have).
Can't see a role (yet) for Kante....assume they look to get him a Championship or Div 1 loan, and guessing with Potts coming back they'll do the same with Orford.
So starter going into the window looks like:
Soucek
JWP
Potts
Earthy
That's a relegation level start point if ever I saw one!
Re: Squad Building for 25/26
Posted: 21 May 2025, 01:48
by nychammer
(Sorry if its already been posted)
Pep Guardiola has said he will quit as manager of Manchester City if he is given a big squad to select from after the summer transfer market.
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/arti ... ykk83y74no
We should get him in, he'll have no such worries here
Re: Squad Building for 25/26
Posted: 20 May 2025, 23:57
by Massive Attack
I hear ya. I just don't consider Kante being anywhere near ready for the Premier League step-up for a place in our Squad. He's done bugger all this season and if anything looks like he'll need another loan somewhere to prove himself.
Re: Squad Building for 25/26
Posted: 20 May 2025, 23:45
by Gank
Massive Attack" wrote: ↑20 May 2025, 23:35
Gank wrote: ↑20 May 2025, 23:17
Massive Attack" wrote: ↑20 May 2025, 15:24
Who can forget him, well other than Paris FC. To be fair he's just come off the back of a stunning season making 6 appearances that totalled less than an hour of Football in the French 2nd division.
I don't know why you're saying that. I'm not claiming that he is going to sort everything out in midfield, I'm saying that as an over 18 player for Ivory Coast, he's got to be registered in the squad so that's a midfield place filled.
I think it's a worry to be expecting anything of note from Kante in the Premier League considering he barely played for Paris FC, struggling to get in a French Division 2 side.
The likes of Potts and Earthy are different as they respectively enjoyed decent seasons that also involved gaining a lot of vital experience and playing time. Kante at a similar age only managed to get 59 minutes in a piss poor League.
I think we've misunderstood each other. My point was that this desperate need to sell midfielders and buy midfielders has to consider that we already have one. Your point about Potts and Earthy is especially valid as Potts is 8 days and Earthy 4 days too young to be mandatory inclusions in the squad so they can be used as much (or little) as we like in the first team without any impact on reserve appearances. But if we go down that road, we can't loan them.
That's different for Guilherme and Kanté as they are non EU and O18 players, so whilst being younger than Potts and Earthy, they need to be registered or they can't play whilst the English lads don't need to be registered but can still play.
Re: Squad Building for 25/26
Posted: 20 May 2025, 23:35
by Massive Attack
Gank wrote: ↑20 May 2025, 23:17
Massive Attack" wrote: ↑20 May 2025, 15:24
Gank wrote: ↑20 May 2025, 15:14
Don't forget that Mo Kanté arrives soon.
Who can forget him, well other than Paris FC. To be fair he's just come off the back of a stunning season making 6 appearances that totalled less than an hour of Football in the French 2nd division.
I don't know why you're saying that. I'm not claiming that he is going to sort everything out in midfield, I'm saying that as an over 18 player for Ivory Coast, he's got to be registered in the squad so that's a midfield place filled.
I think it's a worry to be expecting anything of note from Kante in the Premier League considering he barely played for Paris FC, struggling to get in a French Division 2 side.
The likes of Potts and Earthy are different as they respectively enjoyed decent seasons that also involved gaining a lot of vital experience and playing time. Kante at a similar age only managed to get 59 minutes in a piss poor League.
Re: Squad Building for 25/26
Posted: 20 May 2025, 23:17
by Gank
Massive Attack" wrote: ↑20 May 2025, 15:24
Gank wrote: ↑20 May 2025, 15:14
Don't forget that Mo Kanté arrives soon.
Who can forget him, well other than Paris FC. To be fair he's just come off the back of a stunning season making 6 appearances that totalled less than an hour of Football in the French 2nd division.
I don't know why you're saying that. I'm not claiming that he is going to sort everything out in midfield, I'm saying that as an over 18 player for Ivory Coast, he's got to be registered in the squad so that's a midfield place filled.
Re: Squad Building for 25/26
Posted: 20 May 2025, 19:26
by Eerie Decent
Rossal said he's the best defensive midfielder we have. He's spot on, but that's not over rating him, the rest are just fucking pony.
Re: Squad Building for 25/26
Posted: 20 May 2025, 19:01
by Mad Ferret
Re: Squad Building for 25/26
Posted: 20 May 2025, 18:48
by Eerie Decent
Who's overrating him?
He's our best option for DM, but that's not a glowing reference.
People going on about his goal and assist stats, what are JWP's stats since he came back, the fella that takes our set pieces? That's not what Alvarez should be in the team for.
I don't rate him very highly, and would be happy to see us get a decent fee for him. But he should be starting as our DM.
Re: Squad Building for 25/26
Posted: 20 May 2025, 18:31
by twoleftfeet
I hate to say I agree with the Spurs fan but I do on this one.
Alvarez is massively overrated, he has had a couple of good games since he came but he has been very underwhelming. I'd rather have started Orford or Potts than the Mexican clown.
Re: Squad Building for 25/26
Posted: 20 May 2025, 18:29
by Keep dreaming
Massive Attack" wrote: ↑20 May 2025, 16:35
Don't expect anything less from the yes man gimp.
It's hard to disagree. The west ham way it seems
Re: Squad Building for 25/26
Posted: 20 May 2025, 16:46
by Mad Ferret
Alvarez is probably the most limited midfielder we have.
He gets a nosebleed every time we receives the ball in the opposition’s half.
Useless cսnt.
Re: Squad Building for 25/26
Posted: 20 May 2025, 16:35
by Massive Attack
Don't expect anything less from the yes man gimp.
Re: Squad Building for 25/26
Posted: 20 May 2025, 16:02
by Keep dreaming
Minor tweaks...
Ambitious stuff
Re: Squad Building for 25/26
Posted: 20 May 2025, 15:49
by El Scorchio
Rossal wrote: ↑20 May 2025, 14:46
He is the best defensive midfielder we have
Sell Soucek, sell JWP, use the soler & Rodrigez wages and get someone mustard alongside him
I'd rather sell Paqueta
Alvarez doesn't want to play for us.
And to add, he's no difference maker at all. He'd hardly be that difficult to replace.
Re: Squad Building for 25/26
Posted: 20 May 2025, 15:24
by Massive Attack
Gank wrote: ↑20 May 2025, 15:14
Don't forget that Mo Kanté arrives soon.
Who can forget him, well other than Paris FC. To be fair he's just come off the back of a stunning season making 6 appearances that totalled less than an hour of Football in the French 2nd division.
Re: Squad Building for 25/26
Posted: 20 May 2025, 15:14
by Gank
Don't forget that Mo Kanté arrives soon.
Re: Squad Building for 25/26
Posted: 20 May 2025, 14:46
by Rossal
He is the best defensive midfielder we have
Sell Soucek, sell JWP, use the soler & Rodrigez wages and get someone mustard alongside him
I'd rather sell Paqueta
Re: Squad Building for 25/26
Posted: 20 May 2025, 14:36
by El Scorchio
He doesn't even want to be here. It's imperative we sell him.
Re: Squad Building for 25/26
Posted: 20 May 2025, 14:29
by Massive Attack
Alvarez is one I'd cash in on as he'd fetch a significant fee and he really hasn't impressed me over the 2 seasons he's been here with only 2 goals and 3 assists to his name. He's more of a liability with his regular rash challenges and ill discipline that has led to a number of suspensions. A booking waiting to happen.
Re: Squad Building for 25/26
Posted: 20 May 2025, 14:19
by El Scorchio
Well he can't exactly say 'they are almost all shit and they are all for sale, and we need about nine new players all over the pitch to replace the players I want to ditch' can he? We'd be absolutely fleeced by other clubs both with players leaving and players arriving so any sane person would play it down as much as possible.
Say what you like about the job he's done thus far but he's not an idiot. Cards get kept as close as possible to chests. That's partly why his press conferences are so dull. It's just stock answers so as not to give anything away. All the managers do the same, aside from the raving egotists or the ones who have nothing to lose.
I am sure behind the bland soundbytes he knows full well like us that massive change is needed in the playing staff. You just have to try and pretend as much as you can that you're not desperate to sell and desperate to buy.
Re: Squad Building for 25/26
Posted: 20 May 2025, 14:16
by Rossal
Massive Attack" wrote: ↑20 May 2025, 13:48
So as it stands if all these leave..
Fabianski
Coufal
Cresswell
Zouma
Soler
Ferguson
Ings
Aguerd - £25M
Rodriguez - Pack of out of date rich tea biscuits
Cornet - £5M
Alvarez - £20M
Soucek - £20M
Around £70M to go towards replacing 12 Squad players with quality replacements for next season. Good luck with that mammoth Summer Window mission.
That's before chucking in Antonio who's more of a token Squad member now who effectively needs replacing as well. And serious doubts surrounding the future of Paqueta, Emerson and Kudus. Bowen could also be an outside doubt to leave if a significant offer came in for him.
Could the last one to leave please switch out the light...
If KWP comes in on a free and another free like Brownhill or Egan-Riley come in would leave £70m on a
Striker
CB
Centre Mid x 2
Striker
plus the returns of Summerville, Earthy and Potts
I don't think Soucek will leave, think he will cash in on JWP more. I am hoping Alvarez stays. If we can get most our money back on the big german would move him on also.
There will be more outgoings than incomings. Centre mid is the area we may need most change.
Re: Squad Building for 25/26
Posted: 20 May 2025, 14:10
by Lee Trundle
scott_d wrote: ↑20 May 2025, 07:52
I heard Potter said it's not a rebuild required, it's just a few tweaks here and there.
I'd be STAGGERED if he's here at Christmas if he really thinks that.
