The January Transfer Window

Lukerz

Looks like Hwang Hee-Chan could be our man, from
RB Leipzig. He is nicknamed ‘the bull’ due to his aggressive playing style. Rumours he is set to join us on loan shortly.

Cuz1

Not much of a goal scorer if his stats are to go by 5 games no goals for Leipzig and not much better at other clubs but guess it’s a bum on the bench or should I say a body

alderz

Wouldn’t be the most exciting signing in the world, but if he doesn’t disrupt the way we play, and brings others into the game to get the goals, then great

OutcastLondoner

I think there’s a strong chance whoever we get might not be very exciting at first glance. Antonio wasn’t a consistently effective striker before. Arnautovic was frustrating. They learned to chase, to stretch play and to be in position for cutbacks and tap-ins. Moyes spoke about the Red Bull model, so that will involve making more of players than others see.

alderz

From his Wikipedia page about the 2019/20 season with Salzburg:

Wiki said:

Hwang's playing style has been described as energetic with accurate passing and an eye for dribbling.[18] In all competitions, Hwang had a remarkable season scoring 16 goals and providing 22 assists in 40 appearances.[19]

Obviously Austrian Bundesliga is no Premier League, but he seems to be a willing runner who maybe creates more than he scores (though 2019/20 was the year Haaland went nuts so that probably helped with his assist tally)

OutcastLondoner

alderz said:

From his Wikipedia page about the 2019/20 season with Salzburg:

Wiki said:

Hwang's playing style has been described as energetic with accurate passing and an eye for dribbling.[18] In all competitions, Hwang had a remarkable season scoring 16 goals and providing 22 assists in 40 appearances.[19]

Obviously Austrian Bundesliga is no Premier League, but he seems to be a willing runner who maybe creates more than he scores (though 2019/20 was the year Haaland went nuts so that probably helped with his assist tally)

Or maybe he’s the secret behind Haaland.

claretandbluesky

Looks mobile and composed, may lack a bit of the strength and there is the big point already made that the Austrian league does not resemble the Premiership.

I was hoping for a loan signing from one of the big three Barcelona, Real Madrid or Slavia prague - Like John Lewis, at least you know what you get when you shop there.

alderz

I won't post a link because it's the Mail, but I read an article that included this:

Mail said:

Despite being renowned for his high energy performances, Hwang has struggled to find his form after contracting coronavirus in December.

Leipzig boss Julian Nagelsmann explained his star 'felt dead' for the first week of his recovery after suffering from 'very strong symptoms'.

Yeoldhammer

When does the transfer window shut ?

IronHerb

1st Feb at 11pm

Lukerz

Being reported by the Telegraph that we are likely to sign Jesse Lingard.

Fortuneseeker

Do we really want or need Lingard?

OutcastLondoner

What position does he even play? I’d say he was closest to Fornals but then...we have Fornals.

alderz

OutcastLondoner said:

What position does he even play? I’d say he was closest to Fornals but then...we have Fornals.

Arguably he plays on the wing or attacking midfield. Which we don't need, unless we're planning on repurposing a winger as a striker...

According to Transfermarkt, he has made 50 league appearances as a right winger, 38 as a central attacking midfielder, 14 as a left winger, 11 as a 'second striker' (which, tbh, I see as largely the same as attacking midfield). 47 appearances have been from the bench so they don't get a position attached.

This would, IMO, be a really disappointing signing. I think there are two criteria we should be signing people by:

1. Do we have a lack of depth in that position? No.
2. Would the player be better than our current options? No.

Yeoldhammer

After 49 strikers do you think we have just given up on signing a striker and just aiming to sign midfielders and hope the manager can convert them into a striker.

Ravel49

Get Rav back as the false 9

alderz

Diamantis_Are_Forever said:

Get Rav back as the false 9

I endorse this message.

Lukerz

I think one worry is we are short in those attacking areas.

For example, playing Bowen - Benrahma - Fornals leaves only Lanzini on the bench. Yarmolenko would be too, but he is now being used as forward cover. Lanzini basically covers two position (CAM/LM). Yarmo also covers two (RW/ST). How long has Lanzini been out of form for? 2 years? Yarmo also is massively inconsistent.

It's not an overly exciting signing, but given our lack of numbers in the squad, a Lingard with a point to prove for the next six months, covering an area we are short in, is not a bad shout.

It's about matching puzzle pieces. It allows us to alternate options in midfield, which may get us by given we are not going to sign 5 players in the next week. This signing would allow the following midfield options:

Rice - Soucek
Bowen - Benrahma - Fornals

Or

Noble - Fornals
Yarmolenko - Lingard - Lanzini

yoyo

Lingard needs to re-vamp his career. We maybe just the outlet he needs Not my first choice but I wouldn't be overly disappointed if he came here. He has a point to prove

OutcastLondoner

Bring back Anderson, put him in the gym and make him a striker.

Lukerz,that’s true. Though I’d rather see a loan to cover the striker position rather than to cover Yarmo who is covering the vacant striker position.

alderz

Y'know what? Fair point, Luke.

If we assume our preferred tactic is 4-2-3-1 again, then we do have quite a few spaces that lack depth (I've not included youth team prospects unless they have been used a few times (i.e. unless they are Johnson)

GK: Fabianski / Randolph / Martin
DR: Coufal / Frederics / Johnson
DC: Dawson / Balbuena / Alves
DC: Ogbonna / Diop / Reid
DL: Cresswell / Masuaku / Johnson
MC: Soucek / Noble
MC: Rice
RW: Bowen / Yarmolenko
AM: Benrahma / Lanzini
LW: Fornals
ST: Antonio

Lukerz

alderz - I think Fornals could definitely do a job as a CM. He has all the attributes that could be required. That leaves him & Nobes as potential cover for SouDec.

But that then leaves us thin in the areas behind Antonio. Let's say Soucek is unavailable for a couple of games, you could drop Fornals next to Rice, then you have to pick Lanzini on the left. That then leaves Noble & Yarmo on the bench as the only alternatives to come on & impact that front five area. Yarmo would be as much a cover for Antonio as he would for Bowen. It's way too thin.

Lukerz

West Ham are close to signing RB Leipzig English left-back, Matthew Bondswell. The 18 year old is due in London today for talks and a medical. West Ham appear to have beaten Chelsea and Leeds to his signature - Pete O'Rourke.

baracks_a_hammer

Yes to any player coming to West Ham with bonds somewhere in their name.

Hamstew

Cuz1 said:

Not much of a goal scorer if his stats are to go by 5 games no goals for Leipzig and not much better at other clubs but guess it’s a bum on the bench or should I say a body

That's NumberHwang

Brother_Sledge

Hwang Hee-Chan
Wasn't his dad Charl Hee-Chan
We could have a guess the shirt competition and call it number Hwang

Pearces_Left_Foot

We are going to sign another youngster a LB called Blondswell from RP Leipzig England Under 18 player

Pengeman

Frank Lampard is sacked by Chelsea https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55794158 . He spent £200m on seven major signings last summer and they are below WHU in the EPL table.

Managers know that when they get a lot of money, they have to deliver. To be fair, WHU board gave lot of money (£170m?) to Pellegrini and his his recruitment wasn't always high quality (Haller, Ajeti, Wilshere, Anderson, Perez, Sanchez, Fredericks, Diop ). Some were very poor and some only one season wonders and he delivered results much worse than Lampard and left WHU is dire trouble. I can't help wondering what Moyes could have done with £170m and where we would be in EPL.

alderz

Just looked up Matthew Bondswell. Been at Leipzig since 2018 after leaving Nottingham Forest, hasn’t played in the Bundesliga at all, and is currently on loan at FC Dordrecht, who are in the Dutch second division. Which suggests it’s a PL2 squad signing, and that he won’t be troubling the first team any time soon.

Fortuneseeker

alderz, who is the LB cover if he is going into PL2? Why sign him if it is only a loan deal?