Transfer rumours and speculation to take us through to summer.

baracks_a_hammer

I think there ought to be happy medium between a Pulis/BFS approach and one where our defenders appear to have just met each other for the first time in the tunnel just before kick off (which seemed to be the case in many games last season). I don’t think this is too much to ask personally

jay_in_cpt

Luke ,Just as Baracks says, I think the term happy medium comes to mind.....We dont need to go all Pulis Or Big Sam imo, just a decent DM to do exactly that....

yoyo

I think there'll be one more signing, maybe two. I don't think they'll be high-ish profile , unless on loan. Pelle must be aware we look suspect through the middle and we need cover at the back

Pearces_Left_Foot

jay_in_cpt said:

IMO we have needed a dceent DM for a few seasons now, but Pelle and crew seem oblivious to that, unless they consider that Sanchez fits that bill, if so.. its a big :doh: from me to Pelle and his team.

Rice fits that bill but we do need better cover than Sanchez . I think it’s a case of our budget only covering two three signings and Pelle is pritorising up front and goal scoring. We had a lot of new players last year and i think this year we were always going to have less money to spend .

grey_til_I_dye

I don't know if it is just a confusion of terms, but I keep seeing the suggestion that we need a new CDM/DM.

Is it the idea, for those who say this, that we will play with two CD/DMs - the new one and Rice?

If so, I have to say that seems unconventional.

baracks_a_hammer

There’s an argument to say we should be lining up with two defensively minded CM when playing the top sides rather than going all out v the likes of Man City and end up conceding 4/5

jay_in_cpt

Grey perhaps someone like Noble, able to do the defensive work, but also able to find a pass.....Just a bit more mobile than what we have, aka slow coaches!

grey_til_I_dye

As others have said previously, I think it is more a need to be a better defensive unit front to back, than needing a different player.

We showed last year that we could be organised and defend as a unit against different teams, we were just inconsistent with it (where 'inconsistent' means 'really rubbish at times'...)

Hamstew

:wahoo: 49 new comments
...... Oh :yercoat:

OutcastLondoner

grey_til_I_dye said:

I don't know if it is just a confusion of terms, but I keep seeing the suggestion that we need a new CDM/DM.

Is it the idea, for those who say this, that we will play with two CD/DMs - the new one and Rice?

If so, I have to say that seems unconventional.

I think we need cover in the central area, with a player who can do defensive work. I think Obiang was that cover and now he needs to be replaced. We don't necessarily need someone to play alongside Rice. Over a couple of seasons we've lost both Obiang and Kouyate, who did a job for us. I don't think Fernandes ever really counted.

Noble will probably do that job but we need others.
Sanchez is probably not good enough.
It's a risk relying on Wilshere to stay fit.
Fornals doesn't seem a defensive player.

If things were going better with Oxford, then maybe he'd be that player. But it doesn't seem like it's going that way. I don't think Cullens is good enough.

WHU_Champo_league_in_7_years

If Rice gets crooked we are in huge trouble as no one in the squad can do his role

It doesn't have to be like for like, as I said previously I would like a guy who is a bit more athletic so we have something a bit different to be used alongside Rice if need be. But I dont want Noble or Sanchez as our primary holding midfielder

If we sell Obiang (£8m), Oxford (£3m) and Hugill (£3m) I'd be disappointed if those funds weren't used for this position

grey_til_I_dye

Outcast

I don't disagree we need cover, and especially if Obiang goes, but the posts I'm referring to seem to suggest that we need a top quality CDM as a starter, hence my question.

McHammer

Obiang 7.4 million done deal according to ex
Hugill still to go
Diangana loan
Little Pea poss to go

ianbishoplegend

I like having a small squad. It is tough to watch the likes of Perez and Hernandez sulking around the place. Would rather have smaller, and more motivated squad.

ianbishoplegend

Who wants to come to West Ham as understudy to Rice and competition to Sanchez for DM position? Obiang wasn't up for it anymore, Fernandez wasn't good enough. Cant see who would we really get. I am happy with Sanchez and Zaba as cover, they are good solid squad members.

grey_til_I_dye

Zab for sure, Sanchez, not at all, from what I've seen of him.

McHammer

Strong Gary Medal rumours abound

baracks_a_hammer

McHammer said:

Strong Gary Medal rumours abound

I take it all back - Carlos Sanchez is a wonderful player. We don’t need any more CM

Lukerz

We don't need a specialist DM necessarily. That's what Rice is.

We need a rounded CM who will take over from Noble over the next year or two. We had Kouyate who promised being that sort of player, but never fulfilled it. Obiang never showed his potential either.

So one that can keep possession & move forward, but also tackle, be strong on & off the ball & have a decent defensive understanding. Just an all-round CM. Not necessarily a specialist in any particular area. I think he mainly needs to be dynamic, so can get up & down the pitch.

PrestonHammer

Sounds like Roy Keane.

Lukerz

I think IF you could rely on his fitness, Jack Wilshere could be that player. He drives with the ball, retains it, can keep it with his eyes shut, can get the odd goal & picks up his fair share of assists. He isn't the best tackler, but doesn't shirk the physical side of the game either. He is relatively quick, too. Whether he has the defensive understanding I don't know, but he had a period playing at the bottom of a diamond for England.

Fabianski
Fredericks - Balbuena - Diop - Masuaku
Rice - Wilshere
Yarmolenko - Fornals - Anderson
Haller

EXETERHAMMER

We missed out with Delf going to Everton. A snip at 10 million and exactly the player we needed IMO

Lukerz

I do also think we have to see what sort of players Haller & Fornals are because, whilst we may feel we are short in the squad, if they are of a certain quality that improves our 11 to a level like seen when we had Payet, it gives the opportunity for all the current players to get better.

Have always said quality over 'getting bodies in' is the only way clubs like us progress.

baracks_a_hammer

Luke

You say we don’t need a specialist DM but what happens if Rice is for some reason not available. At least a little further forward Noble and Wilshere could potentially interchange.

If Rice is out, then in comes...... I can’t even bring myself to type it

ianbishoplegend

Mooy would replace Noble and then some

Lukerz

baracks_a_hammer said:

Luke

You say we don’t need a specialist DM but what happens if Rice is for some reason not available. At least a little further forward Noble and Wilshere could potentially interchange.

If Rice is out, then in comes...... I can’t even bring myself to type it

Snodgrass?

baracks_a_hammer

Too much of a square peg in a round hole.

And neither would I want Zab there either TBH

OldCastleSwift

For me, you need a shadow eleven. Like-for-like players that can replace someone without the formation or tactics being compromised. If Rice is a specialist defensive midfielder, we need another defensive midfielder in the squad to cover him.

I would rather not have to rely on Snodgrass or Noble being able to do a job there; I'd prefer someone who knows the position and would offer genuine competition.

ianbishoplegend

I refuse to jump on the Sanchez bandwagon - until I see him have 3 bad games in a row this season

Hamstew

ianbishoplegend said:

I refuse to jump on the Sanchez bandwagon - until I see him have 3 bad games in a row this season

Oh you'll see more than 3