Summer 2017 Transfer Speculation

Yeoldhammer

but surely you don't get a player commenting on transfer policy and things that directly affect his own team mates !

alderz

59 is too many conceded, but I don't think the issue is the midfield joining the attack, tbh. For me, the issue is that we have consistently made stupid mistakes. 18 mistakes directly leading to the opposition having an attempt on goal (2nd highest in the league) and 12 of those leading directly to a goal conceded (league high).

If we want to improve our defensive record we need to cut out the sloppy mistakes, IMO.

http://www.squawka.com/football-team-rankings#defensive-errors#team-stats#english-premier-league|season-2016/2017#0#90#any#any#season#1#all-matches#lead#desc#total

Vorselaarhammer

I think there are Four reliable strikers in the whole of the PL...

I think the 59 is where we need to be focuing on.

Vorselaarhammer

Yeold the problem is there is a culture of talking at the club...

OutcastLondoner

I don't think we should focus on how many goals a striker gets but what their play does for the team. Sakho at his best harasses and stretches defences, creating space for the midfielders and occasionally forces his own chances. I think we saw a bit of that in the last 30 mins of the Everton game. Valencia and Sakho as a pairing was one of the most exciting periods for me. We probably can't really rely on him (though maybe surgery changes that...) so we need to find an alternative, even if they're not going to get loads of goals (though a goalscorer would be ideal).

As long as we don't have dynamism up front, we end up with the ball getting bogged down in midfield and constantly coming at our defence, which I think increases the chances of mistake.s

Very few strikers score really regularly in the PL. Look at the top 10 - only two players have 20+. Only two (King and Benteke) aren't from the top 7. Sanchez, Hazard, Alli and King aren't even strikers – though some have been converted.

Yeoldhammer

But we need a top quality striker....if we want to advance to the next level we need a striker in or around that bracket. My preference is to have a striker who is a runner, Suarez was the perfect striker in my books (personality aside) the guy did all the running for Liverpool, it gave their midfield time and space and always made the correct runs and had that touch of skill.

Carroll isn't that he is and should be the Plan B option, the player you bring on for the last 20 - 30 minutes to chase a game or hold onto a game.

grey_til_I_dye

Yeold

The same conversation is had on here every year.

Every team needs a top-quality striker. Those who have one need two, etc.

Assuming that 'top-quality' is a guaranteed 15-20 goal a season, then this:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_top_Premier_League_goal_scorers_by_season#2016.E2.80.9317

suggests they are damned hard to find, and practically impossible for a team like us to either get or keep hold of.

ASLEFshrugged

He did say in the interview we could do with another CB and a RB to cover Byram.

Lukerz

And when one is linked, often it's 'really, him? We can do better than that' on here ;wink

chicagohammer

I read that there are teams being associated with Giroud, I would not mind us being one of them if indeed he may be available.

He is 30 so I would have thought he has a couple of seasons in him and he certainly knows where the onion bag is.

With him and AC up front, they would pose a handful for any defense.

Just my tuppence worth

Lukerz

Giroud would be a quality signing.

I think it's a certainty we'll pick up Defoe on a free come June. Valencia will return, leaving us with Carroll, Defoe, Sakho, Valencia and Ayew.

Giroud as a slightly more reliable version of Carroll would be a great signing.

alderz

I was just looking up Josh King on wikipedia (I'm not sure why, really) and noticed a mention that he played in Norway's U21s with Nordtveit. I don't know why, but I had Nordtveit much older than he is in my head.

IronHerb

No way Giroud will come to West Ham.

grey_til_I_dye

Giroud would be a quality signing but

a) Arsenal aren't that keen to let him go

b) under what possible circumstances would he come to us?

That's part of the problem, it seems to me; we look at good, proven strikers and say they are who we would like/ should be going for, but the chances of getting them are slim to none.

We made a firm offer for Bacca, which was accepted by his club, and he wouldn't come to us and that was when we had scraped into Europe.

A season among the PL bottom feeders is hardly likely to have increased our pulling power.

We need to temper our hopes with a dash of realism.

Lukerz

Grey - agree, but if we (we as in the owners, Slav, the club etc) can't attract these players, what was the point in moving to the OS?

Vorselaarhammer

I think Giroud is not total fantasy, he doesn't get regular 90mins and is not good enough for Spurs or Chelsea.

If he is settled in London and liked the idea of being a big fish in a smaller pond then it could happen.

But I would rather we go for more mobility up front, a fit Sakho type with the 3 quality AM's behind is pretty good.

alderz

Luke

The point of moving stadium was the allow the club to grow. That doesn't happen instantly.

grey_til_I_dye

Moving to the new stadium was never going to be a magic bullet; it is part of a process.

There is no guarantee of year on year progress for any team in the PL.

Man U spent around £160m this year, and may not make the top 4.

We need to temper our hopes with realistic short-term ambitions.

I'd be happy if we spent 2 of the next 3 seasons nestling around 12th-8th.

OutcastLondoner

Yeoldhammer said:

But we need a top quality striker....if we want to advance to the next level we need a striker in or around that bracket. My preference is to have a striker who is a runner, Suarez was the perfect striker in my books (personality aside) the guy did all the running for Liverpool, it gave their midfield time and space and always made the correct runs and had that touch of skill.

Carroll isn't that he is and should be the Plan B option, the player you bring on for the last 20 - 30 minutes to chase a game or hold onto a game.

That's what I mean. I think a good runner is the closest we can get to top quality. We probably can't get a 20+ goal striker because they're rare and only Everton and Tottenham have one atm this season. I think quality is going to have to be measured in things other than goals because the whole package is beyond our means of finance and attraction.

I agree about Carroll. I think he's devastating when he comes on as a sub but has an inconsistent impact on games when starting. Frankly, I find it frustrating to watch most matches he starts because instead of having a striker harassing the defenders, we have half our attacks ending in free-kicks given against him.

alderz

grey ;ok

Big name players don't want to join us because we are a risky proposition at the moment, IMO. It's not like we are top 10 every year.

Look how long it took Everton to find a top class striker

Vorselaarhammer

I hope the Sturridge rumours turn out to be false.

He is quality but a MAJOR sicknote.

grey_til_I_dye

alderz ;ok

And there is a strong chance he might leave this summer. If he does, I'm not sure Everton will have much more luck replacing him than we have had, even with 60 - 100m burning a hole on their pockets.

Bazshuayi

I think we should try and get Batshuayi from Chelsea. Whether Costa stays or goes I think Conte will buy someone he trusts from Italy or Spain. A run of games for us (it'd be nice if we could get a loan to buy option)as main striker I reckon would see him settle. In the scheme of things, something like that would be our best chance of getting a certain level of quality upfront unless we lucked out buying someone from lower leagues or abroad (like Sakho for example)

alderz

I genuinely believe that Javier Hernandez would be a viable option from Bayer Leverkusen, if we want to take a punt on someone 'top class'

Yeoldhammer

Hernandez would be a great option.

Having Hernandez with Antonio, Lanzini and Ayew could work really well in a front 4. Not much height but would have pace and technical ability to work chances. But could bring on Carroll to mix it up for some height or a formation change to 4-4-2.

I like the look of Andre Gray from Burnley too and would also keep some tabs on Danny Ings from Liverpool thought he was quality for Burnley to before he moved and got the injury.

Also like Troy Deeney for an all rounder.

ASLEFshrugged

The Daily Mirror has linked us and Palace with Lamine Kone (who Sam signed for Sunderland)

The Daily Mail says we're after Fleetwood Town's 24yo keeper Alex Cairns who has kept 15 clean sheets in 29 games although he has just signed a new four year deal. He came up through the Leeds youth system with Sam Byram

WHU_Champo_league_in_7_years

Kone is a odd one, probably one we could do without

When it's going well he's super talented and a great defender.....but he goes through staged where he just doesn't care....don't think we can afford having a player like that unless sits for a cut price deal

Lots of links to Mandzukic who looks 100% set to leave Juventus, would give and arm and leg for him
Yes he's 30 and probably isn't going to get 15/20 goals but his overall game is fantastic, so much work rate and intelligent movement he would be a great addition......if we are actually into him

baracks_a_hammer

The more I think about it the more I am convinced AC will be offloaded onto the toon in the summer whilst he still has a transfer value. Wouldn't surprise me if he is to be used very sparingly from here onwards so he doesn't pick up a major injury to scupper this prospect.

Hammerex

More likely to go to Holby city. ;biggrin

ASLEFshrugged

Why on earth would Benitez want AC at Newcastle and why on earth would Billi Mucklow swap TOWIE for Geordie Shore? About as likely as him going to China...