Tim Steidten

[dealcanvey]

Lots of reports saying it is him that is pushing most for the board to get rid of Lopetegui.

Is he not also to blame for the mess our squad is in?

Some good signings but some questionable ones also. None are unearthed gems that he is supposed to be bringing in. 

He needs to do alot better in the next couple of transfer windows imo.

 

[Russ of the BML]

Problem with Alvarez is simple. He's just an average PL player. He doesn't do anything particularly badly, but he also doesn't do anything particularly well. He doesn't have the pace, power, skill and ability to one of the top DM's in the league. I mean, you can go into it in more detail but end of the day it's just that simple. Good, but not quite good enough. Put him in the Championship and he would stand out a mile as being good. It's just simply about the size of the pond and the size of the fish around you. 

He was brought in to sit in the midfield and break up play, help the defense, recycle posession. At times ive seen him as our furthest attacking player

I get ya. But even when he sits in doing the work of a DM, which he does well, for PL standards, he is just average at doing that. Which for the likes of me and you and is astoundingly good, but for the PL it's average and on some days good. 

[Sir Alf]

On a related but different matter, just listening to the Villa DOF, their equivalent or nearest equivalent to Steidten. Monchi, the Performance or Sporting Director, has worked with Unai Emery for years and said he is totally aligned to what he wants. The type and profile of player, that fits the Emery tactical system and he fully understands it.  The 2 of them control everything within a budget they are allocated.  

The key to success.   Steidten does not have the same role as Monchi and needs to work with a coach hand in hand not one that was chosen by someone else. Steidten may want too much control or is not as football literate as Monchi or whatever but the point is the coach has to be totally aligned with the DOF, Performance Director or whatever they call him and they control the footballing side and both are accountable if and when ( as it eventually usually does ) go a bit pear shaped.

Sullivan is an blind man leading the partially sighted.

[Massive Attack]

I think it's a case Alvarez is still confused with exactly what Lopetegui asks of him and to an extent I have sympathised with Alvarez giving him leeway whilst the season started but we're 15 games in now. 

Now when he was out the side at Newcastle we purred in the middle of the park with Solwr, Paqueta and Soucek. Everything came together and it just looked right and balanced. Bring Alvarez back in and it's not as cohesive. 

It's not that Alvarez is a bad player, it just might be he suits playing for a different style of manager, as he aint yet getting it with Lopetegui. Might be worth selling him if he doesn't get it soon.

[Sir Alf]

Scott_d, yes 2 of the 3 central midfielders probably needs to be more athletic with pace and strength but technically sound of course ( good control and passers of the ball ).

That doesnt mean throwing out all of Soler, Alvarez and Paqueta but certainly one of them as its a squad game.  I look at AWB in all games this season and he is a very good Premiership player. His only issue is technically he is decent but not the greatest passer of the ball but as full back no issue but probably why he never quite shaped up to what the Mancs wanted for a wing back.  But the point here is that watch him, his physique, athleticism and pace sees him win almost all 50:50s, be able to track back when needed ( yes he did not do that when asked to play so advanced in Lops system ) and recover the ball, holds and protects the ball so well and also gets up aerially well.   Best player for us so far this season.  We need someone just like him in terms of physicality in midfield, probably 2 because its a squad game and you get injuries etc.  

Rice leaving was masked in that pre xmas 2024 period as we strung together some impressive wins even if, imho, they were at times extremely fortunate ( Spuds, Arse away come to mind when we were battered but somehow blagged wins).  But from that point on, we have really missed Rice's running and covering and ability to get around the pitch. In truth, Rice is not super quick but he gets up and down a lot better than all our central midfield.   I do wonder if missing out on Onana was another "sliding doors moment"?  

Anyway, as normal with me, I drone on.  Im just convinced that fixing / addressing the lack of athleticism in midfield is one of the 2 missing pieces of the jigsaw that would transform us.  Striker obviously the other.  The summer recruitment did not address these 2 ongoing issues.  

[Leavemyarcelona]

Problem with Alvarez is simple. He's just an average PL player. He doesn't do anything particularly badly, but he also doesn't do anything particularly well. He doesn't have the pace, power, skill and ability to one of the top DM's in the league. I mean, you can go into it in more detail but end of the day it's just that simple. Good, but not quite good enough. Put him in the Championship and he would stand out a mile as being good. It's just simply about the size of the pond and the size of the fish around you. 

He was brought in to sit in the midfield and break up play, help the defense, recycle posession. At times ive seen him as our furthest attacking player

[scott_d]

Alvarez, Paqueta and Soler all would look a lot better if they were not in the 2nd oldest, slowest, pedestrian team in the league.  

 

My only question Alf is that which positions do we fill in order to surround them with quicker younger players?  I think last season we had this slow ageing team but the transfers we've made and players that have left, have somewhat addressed that.

The front 3 yesterday were Bowen, Kudus and Summerville who aren't slow or old.
I don't think I would call our full backs, Emerson and AWB slow or old either - both under 30.
Of course our 3 CB's are not exactly Linford Christie but that's 2 out of the 10 on-field positions and obviously it's a cause for concern for defending but not sure it affects the midfielders abitlity to perform?

Of are you stating that 1 or 2 of those midfielders needs to have more pace?

[Russ of the BML]

Problem with Alvarez is simple. He's just an average PL player. He doesn't do anything particularly badly, but he also doesn't do anything particularly well. He doesn't have the pace, power, skill and ability to one of the top DM's in the league. I mean, you can go into it in more detail but end of the day it's just that simple. Good, but not quite good enough. Put him in the Championship and he would stand out a mile as being good. It's just simply about the size of the pond and the size of the fish around you. 

[Hammer and Pickle]

Not buying the view he has neither the pace nor discipline to cover a position - that basically implies he’s crap when he’s an international regular who did well for us before Moyes started dicking him around as factory seconds has said.

Anyway, it’s all opinions…

[stubbo-admin]

Trouble for me with Alvarez is he has neither pace nor positional discipline. Too slow to play as an 8, too 'headless chicken' to play as a 6.

He's one of the guys who should have no issues with communications with Lopetegui given they can talk in their native language.

[Hammer and Pickle]

Alvarez - to the people who watch every match, is he any good? like really good. Was he worth the money?
All I pick up on when I can stomach watching, is that he can sometimes be a liability (reckless tackles, carded etc). 

I watch most games and Alvarez holds a key role so I watch him more carefully. There are two things I’ve noticed

1. he wants to take responsibility, will never duck out of a tackle and he wears his heart on his sleeve 
2. he seems to lack pace and may be over-compensating for it

So often he tackles late and gets carded. On the other hand, I’ve only ever seen him do anything rash or dangerous once, and that was for his last second yellow sending off.

Sometimes I’ve also been left baffled by the decisions going against him. However, he needs to be instructed to get on with it rather than remonstrate with officials as this only makes him more of a target.

[Come On You Irons]

Alvarez - to the people who watch every match, is he any good? like really good. Was he worth the money?
All I pick up on when I can stomach watching, is that he can sometimes be a liability (reckless tackles, carded etc). 

I really rated Alvarez last season. This season he has been a shadow of his former self. Weird how players fall of a cliff like this from one season to another.

I guess Moyes' rigid system suited Alvarez. But then we conceded shedloads of goals last year too with him in the team, so maybe he's just a bit shit?

when we were doing well at the start of the season, the extremely notable exceptions were when alvarez was missing, so he was obviously doing something right. at the back end of the season moyes tried to replace him with calamity kalvin and then went on to drop him, blaming him for essentially not being declan rice for why the wheels came off.

put most of that down to moyes being something of a rotter.

True, and agreed. He was really good during the first half of last season but was a victim of Moyes' obsession with 'calamity' Kalvin during the second half (when the wheels fell of our season).

I guess his confidence took a knock being messed around by Moyes during the second half of last season.

[factory seconds]

Alvarez - to the people who watch every match, is he any good? like really good. Was he worth the money?
All I pick up on when I can stomach watching, is that he can sometimes be a liability (reckless tackles, carded etc). 

I really rated Alvarez last season. This season he has been a shadow of his former self. Weird how players fall of a cliff like this from one season to another.

I guess Moyes' rigid system suited Alvarez. But then we conceded shedloads of goals last year too with him in the team, so maybe he's just a bit shit?

when we were doing well at the start of the season, the extremely notable exceptions were when alvarez was missing, so he was obviously doing something right. at the back end of the season moyes tried to replace him with calamity kalvin and then went on to drop him, blaming him for essentially not being declan rice for why the wheels came off.

put most of that down to moyes being something of a rotter.

[Sir Alf]

He can be very good in the right set up and teams. He was outstanding in some games last season and especially Europe ( slower game ).  He needs athletes or “legs” in midfield alongside him.  

The root cause of much if our problems is we have continually recruited players all lacking athleticism and pace.  You simply have to have a few of those type of players in your squad and team.  Watched Chelsea yesterday, their success is founded upon an engine room containing Caicedo, Enzo Fernandez and Lavia.  They totally dominated the middle of the park and linked defence to attack. All 3 running and tackling non stop, 1 and 2 touch football and pave and energy to burn.  Caicedo started at the back but was still all over the pitch pressing as part of a team that worked relentlessly. These players aint cheap but teams like Brighton continually find them.

Alvarez, Paqueta and Soler all would look a lot better if they were not in the 2nd oldest, slowest, pedestrian team in the league.  

No quick fix. Got to get recruitment right but back to the same problem….. Sullivan

[Come On You Irons]

Alvarez - to the people who watch every match, is he any good? like really good. Was he worth the money?
All I pick up on when I can stomach watching, is that he can sometimes be a liability (reckless tackles, carded etc). 

I really rated Alvarez last season. This season he has been a shadow of his former self. Weird how players fall of a cliff like this from one season to another.

I guess Moyes' rigid system suited Alvarez. But then we conceded shedloads of goals last year too with him in the team, so maybe he's just a bit shit?

[greenie1]

Alvarez - to the people who watch every match, is he any good? like really good. Was he worth the money?
All I pick up on when I can stomach watching, is that he can sometimes be a liability (reckless tackles, carded etc). 

[Hammer and Pickle]

The fact is very little emerges in terms of clear information on what is really going on. We don't even know whether there is a conflict at board level let alone on what side of the divide people like Steidten stand. If he had reservations about Moyes, we don't know exactly how he voiced them, and we don't know if he is siding with players in their resistance to Lotepegui (if indeed there is any). We just don't know and using the social media feeds to form judgement can't be sensible.

[goose]

We must be the only club in the PL who has the constant argument over who signed which player.
It's a sad reflection of badly the club is run at the moment.

[onsideman]

For me Alvarez has been proven to be a liability, lacking either the pace or the discipline to be consistently good in the Premier League, so whoever was responsible for 'scouting' the long standing International who had played in the Champions League, I wouldn't be rushing to congratulate them 

[Massive Attack]

Kudus and Alvarez...both scouted and identified by Noble as it goes. Yes, Steidten got the deal done, but he didn't identify them.




 

Steidten or Noble confirm this?

And even if true, to get both the deals done anyway was still fantastic work I doubt anyone else at the Club could have achieved, be it Noble or Sullivan. Stediten still gets great credit however it's looked at.

[Texas Iron]

Never trust a Scarfer…

[stubbo-admin]

Kudus and Alvarez...both scouted and identified by Noble as it goes. Yes, Steidten got the deal done, but he didn't identify them.

Summerville...made happen by Sullivan by all accounts.

Leaves the singings at his door a bit less impressive it has to be said.

But I think the bigger concern is he's fallen out and actively briefed against both the sitting managers in place whilst he's been with us. At the first sign of trouble or difficulty, instead of being Team West Ham United, he's very clearly all about Team Steidten.

Then you've got the 'leaks' about Liverpool interest, Arsenal interest...more than likely these are coming from an agent on his behalf.

Then you've got the talking about the manager and his disdain for them whilst the manager is in situ with players behind the manager's back.

Basically he comes across as a narcissistic self-promoting unprofessional prick. I am totally behind the need for this model at the club, but this guy is coming across as more than a bit of a cսnt (and the source for much internal infighting and unrest).

If we binned him and got in a proven professional performer like Ashworth, there'd be no tears about it from me.

[Sir Alf]

I was under the impression Summerville was a Sullivan pick because he came via Salthouse or Silkman's agencies?  Although again we dont know 100%.  Maybe it was for once a player that was identified by Steidten and the team of analysts and one in the list for wide left that we could get because of the Sullivan relationship to Salthouse?  That may be wishful thinking I will admit.

Overall, I'd agree Kudus, Alvarez and Todibo are decent recruitment although like the team as a whole are struggling just now.  Fullkrug might be decent but poor value for money and a short term addition at best. Lets see if he can get and keep fit and he might at least provide some benefit.

Guilerme was one for the future although how far in the future is now the question as early reports say he is a way off being ready?  The rumour is that 25million is only paid if he becomes a first team regular and hits certain milestones or levels of performance.  A bit like Savio who cost nothing like reported in the end.  So jury out on that last one.

The real problem is that Steidten and team or someone who is a DOF should be overseeing all recruitment of players, the coach and advising on all football matters.  The choices of Lopetegui should not have been supported ( Rodruiguez, Soler and Kilman ) if these were players not identified by Steidten and team and Sullivan being involved should always be a non-starter.   So we can look at specific players and judge Steidten sure but its secondary to the real problem of roles, responsibilities and operational processes relating to recruitment and player development which are the single most important factor behind the success of professional sports teams and especially ones who do are not at the very top of the wealth list.   

All our problems stem from Sullivan and his ownership.

[Massive Attack]

Kudus - Outstanding 
Alvarez - Decent when he's not suspended
Summerville - ? If he was to do with him, I like what I see of him

I'm more than happy with them.

Jury still out on:

Todibo - Was really happy with him until his recent meltdown
Fullkrug - Let's see what he's like once he plays a few games regularly 
Guilherme - Understandable due to age and settling in 


I want to see what he does in the next 2 transfer windows before deciding to launch him out the Club just over a year in the job. Was never going to be sorted in 1 year. And not a fan of keep chopping and changing, especially off the back of a poor patch of form. 

Like everything, it needs a fair amount of time to see if it's the right thing or not for us. Rather him in charge of most signings than all in Sullivans power.

[stubbo-admin]

Tempting. I'm not so sure though. I've liked what Steidten brings to the table, done great work for Leverkusen and brought decent player's to us (and some not so much). I'd rather let it continue to play out for another season or 2 before deciding if this is the direction we want to take. 

There's a reason why he's been coveted by the likes of Liverpool. 

Stick (for now)

Alternatively he's presided over the signing of a series of players who either don't improve the first XI, or are unsuitable without addressing the actual issues in the squad.

And 'coveted by Liverpool'...calling BS on that. If Liverpool wanted him think we could do anything to stop it?  Simon Rolfe was the brains at Leverkusen too (his boss).

[Massive Attack]

Tempting. I'm not so sure though. I've liked what Steidten brings to the table, done great work for Leverkusen and brought decent player's to us (and some not so much). I'd rather let it continue to play out for another season or 2 before deciding if this is the direction we want to take. 

There's a reason why he's been coveted by the likes of Liverpool. 

Stick (for now)