West Ham Online

I don't often take notice of the windows, mainly because most of the players linked are paper-talk, ITK nonsense or fan speculation, however, there's lots of talk about unsettled players in the side, so we could see several players move on. 

Soler, Fullkrug and Rodriques apparently haven't settled in London so I would imagine they'd be looking to move on. It's more difficult in Fullkrug's case as his injury doesn't seem to have a return date, which is a very typical thing to happen. 

Apparently the player signing reigns will be taken out of the hands of Steitden, as the power hungry midget blames him for our failed season so far, not himself for employing someone completely until to manage in the PL, and the focus could be on Championship players. To be a little balanced, we have signed some very good players from the second division and it is a gold mine if you know what you're looking for. 

Then there's Paqueta. He's having a stinker of a season and he should be moved on if we can, but I doubt there will be any takers until his case is resolved. Is there a confirmed date for his hearing? 

More importantly, what do we need? A striker should be a top priority, even if it's a loan with an option to buy. The Big German might not be back again and Antonio is less a cart-horse and more a Jackass and reliably unreliable. Some pace in midfield to support Alvarez or Soucek and a new goalie. Fabianski as good as he is too old to start and Alfie Tits is shit, in my opinion. 

I don't watch a great deal of neutral football anymore, so I'm not offering names, but for the TV scouts, bartsoolers and Football Manager aficionados, who's worth the club pursuing?
 

Id say we still need in January:

LB, CM and a ST.

Not that I see us being able to sign the calibre or right kind of player we need.

Also could do with a few players heading out. Ings and Rodriguez most notably. 

Agreed. Got to be able to cope mentally with all it entails. Look at Ravel Morrison for a prime example of that. All the natural undoubted talent in the world but took time to finally break through in the League and then couldn't sustain it once he did.

What I'd also say is there are a long list of young players who shine bright and then fade quickly. Heaps of young players who people think are amazing based on a couple of appearances or even a couple of good seasons who go off the boil and disappear. Some due to attitude, some due to injury and some due to mental health. 
Very difficult to know who will have longevity and be reliable. I do like the passion and desire of having young players around the first team and them given chances when it makes sense. I think our academy produces good League One / Championship quality players which is still an incredibly high standard of football but Premier League needs that bit more in a player. 

Lewis Skelly was smashed all over the place when we beat them with the youths 5-1? None of that team have come through for us whilst he is playing champions league. Well good at promoting our successful youths.

Alfs wrote: ↑13 Dec 2024, 20:44 "It's known within youth football that development doesn't really happen in the modern era until they hit the 20+ mark before managers tend to turn to them to play."

That's not true, MA.  Look at Arsenal.  Saka was 17 when he made his debut.  Myles Lewis Skelly is 18, Ethan Nwaneri 17.  Harvey Elliot at Liverpool was 15.  That's off the top of my head.  I'm sure there's many more.

"It's known within youth football that development doesn't really happen in the modern era until they hit the 20+ mark before managers tend to turn to them to play."

That's not true, MA.  Look at Arsenal.  Saka was 17 when he made his debut.  Myles Lewis Skelly is 18, Ethan Nwaneri 17.  Harvey Elliot at Liverpool was 15.  That's off the top of my head.  I'm sure there's many more.

Texas Iron" wrote: ↑13 Dec 2024, 11:25 The Academy of Football…Fails yet again…

There's a really interesting article on Brentford in the Telegraph today.
In essence the owner is a professional gambler
He wants the team to always attack and therefore to be staffed to achieve this.
He lets the staff get on with it
He uses the fact that attacking players get a better price than defensive ones.
Professional risk taker taking risks
 

southbankbornnbred wrote: ↑13 Dec 2024, 12:37

Massive Attack" wrote: ↑13 Dec 2024, 12:11 Lopetegui apparently has zero interest in turning to inexperienced youth players and doesn't know their name whilst managing in the Premier League and yet in his very 1st game in charge Everton v Wolves where they won 1-2, he started Joe Hodge in Centre Midfield and Hugo Bueno at Left Back with Lembikisa on the bench.

And you reckon that's because he was all over Wolves' youth team?!

MA, you do know a lot about this sport - but that's a stretch believe me. Bueno was already in the first-team squad when Lopetegui started at Wolves. He'd made his debut earlier that season. Joe Hodge was a youth team player at Man City, and was already 20 when Lopetegui picked him - he was also in the first team squad when Lopetegui arrived and had made his Wolves debut two months beforehand.

So, he picked two players both of whom were already in the first team before he arrived. That's not developing youth team players by any stretch of the imagination.

 

What Massive Attack seems keen to stress is that Lopetegui was great at all these things when he wasn't managing us.

Massive Attack" wrote: ↑13 Dec 2024, 12:11 Lopetegui apparently has zero interest in turning to inexperienced youth players and doesn't know their name whilst managing in the Premier League and yet in his very 1st game in charge Everton v Wolves where they won 1-2, he started Joe Hodge in Centre Midfield and Hugo Bueno at Left Back with Lembikisa on the bench.

Lopetegui apparently has zero interest in turning to inexperienced youth players and doesn't know their name whilst managing in the Premier League and yet in his very 1st game in charge Everton v Wolves where they won 1-2, he started Joe Hodge in Centre Midfield and Hugo Bueno at Left Back with Lembikisa on the bench.

Lee Trundle" wrote: ↑13 Dec 2024, 11:26

Texas Iron" wrote: ↑13 Dec 2024, 11:25 The Academy of Football…Fails yet again…

Difficult to know that when the manager give ZERO minutes of playing time to them.

Texas Iron" wrote: ↑13 Dec 2024, 11:25 The Academy of Football…Fails yet again…

The Academy of Football…Fails yet again…

I wouldn't be fussed if we sold Alvarez for around the money we paid for him if there was a buyer in Jan. Happy to keep him too but if it meant getting in a top quality Striker or Keeper, tata Amigo..

John Coffey" wrote: ↑13 Dec 2024, 10:45

stubbo-admin wrote: ↑13 Dec 2024, 10:24

John Coffey" wrote: ↑13 Dec 2024, 10:22 I’m not sure we’ll be spending at all in January. So it could be that we’re purely looking at loans.
That rules out the likes of Nunez, Watkins, Ndidi, the left back from Luton etc. 
Going over old ground but it’s unbelievable how we’ve failed in the striker department again. 



 

Think it depends if we sell anyone. Alvarez as a sale is absolutely possible. Same with Aguerd. If money comes in we could potentially buy or agree loans with an obligation to buy end of season.

You seriously see us wanting Alvarez gone? For me, that weakens us further. I do think Luiz on loan is a good shout, not that I know if there’s any chance of it happening or even if we’re actually interested. 
A striker is an absolute must, whether loan or purchase. 

Well if the rumours are true that if Lopetegui stays then the following want out in January:

Luizão
Todibo
Kudus
Fullkrug
Alvarez
Rodriguez

I mean they won’t all leave but it is worrying and let’s be honest, it’s very possible we could have a new manager next week.


 

stubbo-admin wrote: ↑13 Dec 2024, 10:24

John Coffey" wrote: ↑13 Dec 2024, 10:22 I’m not sure we’ll be spending at all in January. So it could be that we’re purely looking at loans.
That rules out the likes of Nunez, Watkins, Ndidi, the left back from Luton etc. 
Going over old ground but it’s unbelievable how we’ve failed in the striker department again. 


 

Think it depends if we sell anyone. Alvarez as a sale is absolutely possible. Same with Aguerd. If money comes in we could potentially buy or agree loans with an obligation to buy end of season.

John Coffey" wrote: ↑13 Dec 2024, 10:22 I’m not sure we’ll be spending at all in January. So it could be that we’re purely looking at loans.
That rules out the likes of Nunez, Watkins, Ndidi, the left back from Luton etc. 
Going over old ground but it’s unbelievable how we’ve failed in the striker department again. 

 

Far Cough UKunt" wrote: ↑13 Dec 2024, 10:16 Hope you're not comparing Lomu and Antonio in terms of taking the sport by storm?

I mean Antonio was great at the beginning but Lomu had everyone sit up and take notice, including people from other sports, NFL for instance.

 

I’m not sure we’ll be spending at all in January. So it could be that we’re purely looking at loans.
That rules out the likes of Nunez, Watkins, Ndidi, the left back from Luton etc. 
Going over old ground but it’s unbelievable how we’ve failed in the striker department again. 
 

Hope you're not comparing Lomu and Antonio in terms of taking the sport by storm?

I mean Antonio was great at the beginning but Lomu had everyone sit up and take notice, including people from other sports, NFL for instance.

I'm not sold on Chilwell, yes a decent player but been injured a lot, is he much better than Emerson, would he be motivated etc? Tired of these type of signings. Who was the young LB that B'mouth signed in the summer, they are the ones we should be after.

Trouble with the striker is I feel at times we have got it right. Think Scammacca would have worked out but Moyes jettisoned him (and in fairness he didn't fit the way Moyes played, but if we'd made that change post Conf League suspect he's still be here as our number nine).

Prior to that Haller showed he was more than capable, but again he didn't fit the Moyes profile of a player that can run the channels in behind, feeding on scraps.

Antonio has been a pretty unique striker over time...a player who is Uber strong, can run the channels, rag doll defenders, pacey, and a workhorse.  He's been a bit like when Lomu broke through in the Rugby world...if you look at the entire league, there are pretty much no other strikers that play or can do the things he did in his prime.  Maybe Darwin Nunez to some extent. But they're a rare breed.

Even Duran...great striker, massive fuck up by Steidten and Sullivan, but he doesn't have the strength of Antonio, or the work ethic (but is obviously better in the goalscoring department).

So somehow we needed up with two players like Antonio in quick succession (Arnautovic, then Antonio). Powerful wide players that got moved central....the reason so many wanted us to get Adama Traore...terrible end product, couldn't hit a cows ass with a banjo, but had that strength and ability to run the channels. 

Anyway all by the by now, and we do have a decent centre forward in Füllkrug, but in a totally different mould. He's probably at a very similar level to Haller and Scammacca, and a similar type of player.

It blows mind that we didn't get the Moroccan En Nesyri in. Still a good age, worked successfully under Lopetegui before, and was available for not huge money.  Not having a great time in Turkey by all accounts so maybe worth pursuing again on loan.

To play the 'January business' game:

LB in - Cornet (I'd bring him back and stick him at wing back/LB where he played earlier in his career. We'll get no money and as an attacking force he's poor now, but could do a job down the flank and seems a relatively intelligent and comitted footballer when on the pitch). Only way to get any value out of this guy. Plus he's still only 28!
LB - Alfie Doughty....great for Luton last year. Good modern fullback and young. 

CM in - if Luiz could be got on loan is a total no brainer. Not convinced it's doable though.
CM in - Orford....needs to be forced into the squad and to learn on the job. Should be insisted he's given minutes.
CM in - Ndidi...still only 27, been solid for years, and in a team who are going to get relegated. Getting him out of Leicester would be smart business and a solid squad improvement on Alvarez.

CM out - Rodriguez...totally unsuited.
CM out - Alvarez...not playing we, too slow on recovery. I like his attitude but he's not what we need right now and the income would help.
CM out - Irving. We're stacked centrally with mediocre talent, and this guy is blocking younger players like Orford and Potts from.coming through. Nice guy, good squad man, but he's not making the grade. Get him a move.
​​​​​
ST in - En Nesyri (Loan)...gives us a runner who's good in the air and a reasonable finisher. Would be my primary target if Lopetegui still here.
ST in - Darwin Nunez...I'd go all out for Nunez. He's not at Liverpool's level, but would be a great addition for us. Suspect they'd be happy to let him go, and he's a great age. 
St in alternative....Jonathan David...if we can't get Nunez, then Jonathan David is out of contract end of season....tying him down on a pre-contract would be a smart bit of business.