Transfer Speculation (1st June onwards)

ScotHammer

Lukerz said:

ESPN report West Ham made an enquiry for Lingard last week & it was turned down by Manchester United.

Either Man Utd want to keep him, or they are playing a game of “chicken” with West Ham over the fee. Alternatively, Lingard could have asked to go, although that may mean the loss of loyalty bonuses, etc. IMO, either way you’ve got a player that doesn’t seem bothered about coming, and West Ham don’t need the potential discontent.

I like Lingard, but we need to move on so that we get someone else who will improve t.he squad

ScotHammer

Lukerz said:

ESPN report West Ham made an enquiry for Lingard last week & it was turned down by Manchester United.

Either Man Utd want to keep him, or they are playing a game of “chicken” with West Ham over the fee. Alternatively, Lingard could have asked to go, although that may mean the loss of loyalty bonuses, etc. IMO, if that request has not gone in or been discussed, we may end with a unhappy player who doesn’t seem bothered about coming, and West Ham don’t need the potential discontent.

We just don’t know!

I like Lingard, but we need to move on so that we get someone else who will improve the squad.

ASLEFshrugged

Bamba is a lot more "singable" than Lingard

OldCastleSwift

Rav's mate Fabrizio has said Kounde has agreed personal terms with Chelsea. This deal is dependent on a) Sevilla accepting Chelsea's bid and b) Chelsea shifting Zouma.

Hopefully plays into our hands.

PrestonHammer

Bamba sings?

Deanscaleshammer

La Bamba

whupathman

ok got the wrong night on sky, when do we play next? we may have signed someone by then

yoyo

Lukaku £97.5m .... a poor man's Antonio

claretandbluesky

Some may say that those opening performances indicate we are not desperate for signings but I think this next week is the most important week we have had for a long while. We have a first eleven that really need be afraid of no one and could take something anywhere at present. However, we absolutely know Antonio is getting a period on the side lines sooner or later and it would be a tragedy if this team and David Moyes found themselves without someone to step, preventing this opportunity to not only consolidate last year but have a proper go in the Europa.

If ever there was a time to have a proper go it's this season.

ScotHammer

Strangely our good form may hamper our transfers, as they will know they won’t walk straight into the team - unless they are happy to sit on the bench and take the money, in which case do we really want them?

Lukerz

Our opening two games are only going to work in our favour for new signings

alderz

I think they will, except for up front. I don’t see anyone looking at our set up and thinking they get a game ahead of Antonio. And I know he’ll have a spell out at some point, but still

Fortuneseeker

The first X1 is very good but when you look at the the bench you go.....We will need some useful additions before the window closes to cater for our European adventure, International call ups for the African Nations Cup, Jamaica World Cup Qualifiers and of course injuries which we will be very lucky to escape.

EXETERHAMMER

alderz said:

I think they will, except for up front. I don’t see anyone looking at our set up and thinking they get a game ahead of Antonio. And I know he’ll have a spell out at some point, but still

I agree that Antonio starts, but we all know there will be plenty of opportunities for another striker when Antonio needs resting, is on International duty or is getting his hamstrings sorted.

claretandbluesky

This Jamaica thing is a problem. I know I may get some abuse but I think he may potentially cost his club for nothing. Were he a staunch Jamaican I could understand but he accepted call ups for England on a couple of occasions I believe and only seems to be wanting represent Jamaica because he felt his chance with England wouldn't come, as otherwise when England came calling he would have said he was Jamaican.

His hamstrings can barely stand the rigours of a Premiership schedule so to add in internationals that you sit on a plane for hours to get to is a potential nightmare. Even at present we could have a guess the game thread in which we guess when he has his first game out due to hamstring trouble, i reckon game six would be popular.

alderz

I think he’s doing it because it’s 18mths til the World Cup. We definitely need reinforcements up front. I’m just not sure we’ll get any. I still think we’ll sign Zouma and Lingard.

OutcastLondoner

CandB - it’s more complex. Wanting to play for England doesn’t mean he doesn’t identify with being Jamaican. He could view them equally and yet prefer England because he wants to play in World Cups and challenge for them.

claretandbluesky

I wouldn't be unhappy with that in the absence of getting a real attacker such as Abraham. Lingard could stand in for Antonio as can finish and he can also play for Bowen, fornells or Benrhama when needed. I have not seen Zouma much but I do feel Dawson is a great back up rather than a first eleven.

WHU_Champo_league_in_7_years

Going to be tricky here

Given how much money we have to spend, you'd say 9 of the first XI (exc. Dawson and Cresswell) are guaranteed to start and will be hard to displace...I mean we'd have to spend £40mil to get a player who's better than Antonio, Rice, Fornals etc.

Therefore anyone that signs in the front 4 / midfield 2 will likely have to accept they just aren't going to start a lot of games unless we pick up injuries

Also, I know our bench is pretty weak but Arreola, Fredericks, Diop, Noble, Lanzini and Yarnolenko (with Masuaku almost ready to return) have plenty of Prem appearances and/or international one's, they aren't 'that' bad (although they are a drop off in quality)

Then we have exciting talents like Johnson, Coventry, Baptitste and Oxo-Flex, Ekwah, Alese, Odubeko not miles away

Give me a starting quality CB and an Attacker and I'd be very happy

Jorderz_Moyes_will_be_Moyes

I wonder if Lingard was watching tonight and wishing he was back already. Or is the occasional five minute sub appearance at Man United better?

claretandbluesky

I reckon he would want in - our players are not only playing well but they really enjoy it at present, as he appeared to also.

Dodger58

He may well want in, but he'll have to wait his turn for us too after the last couple of matches.

MIAHammer

I think Lingard has blown his chance. We are now in the driving seat in any negotiations. And (I hope) he is no longer guaranteed a starting position if he comes.

OldCastleSwift

Lingard or Bamba would be great options. Not that we've needed it, but the bench for the last couple of games just didn't have any game changers on it. Lingard, or by extension Benrahma, Bowen or Fornals on the bench, would give us something to positively impact a game if we're chasing it.

jay_in_cpt

OCS , that’s apart from Lanzini I guess… or do you not consider his goal of season v Spurs a game changer 😉

OldCastleSwift

jay_in_cpt said:

OCS , that’s apart from Lanzini I guess… or do you not consider his goal of season v Spurs a game changer 😉

Lanzini has that in his locker, but I think Moyes sees him more as a CM now.

In terms of attacking 'fizz', I don't think he offers anywhere near as much as Benny, Bowen or Lingard anymore.

Lukerz

I do think our bench is better than people give credit for. Shortly Masuaku will return, we will then have a bench of: Areola, Diop, Fredericks, Masuaku, Johnson, Noble, Coventry, Lanzini, Yarmolenko

Remember the bench looks slightly more stretched because we are allowed 9 on it. If it was the ‘old’ seven subs, we’d lose Johnson & Coventry.

I think if we can get a CB & a forward player who can play across the front four, we will be in decent shape.

Lukerz

I was also thinking I can see why Moyes wants to be extra selective with signings. You can see that our biggest strength is our team spirit. Every signing we make needs to slot into that dressing room as a person, & I can also see why he is reluctant to offer mega money wages when we have players here doing a great job. Last thing they want to see is a newbie come in & earn double their wages.

OldCastleSwift

Yeah, I think I said earlier in the window that ideally we need six or seven players, but that is a risk to the squad harmony. Just one with an ego or bad attitude could affect the team spirit that we've built.

Lingard is a no-brainer in that respect, and Zouma seems to be a popular player at Chelsea and the type of character that could work well at West Ham (although the wage situation could provide a problem).

That's why I like the idea of scouring the lower leagues for players. People like Laborde and Doig, both of whom have been linked, would probably appreciate playing for West Ham, and would bring the right attitude with them.

The likes of Barkley, Ox etc. may have a touch of the Billy Big Things about them. We really don't want ego or entitlement at this club anymore; the more recent signings, notably Soucek, Coufal, Fornals and Bowen all have a humility about them and seem genuinely grateful to play for West Ham, which is wonderful to see.

Yeoldhammer

Lukerz said:

I do think our bench is better than people give credit for. Shortly Masuaku will return, we will then have a bench of: Areola, Diop, Fredericks, Masuaku, Johnson, Noble, Coventry, Lanzini, Yarmolenko

Remember the bench looks slightly more stretched because we are allowed 9 on it. If it was the ‘old’ seven subs, we’d lose Johnson & Coventry.

I think if we can get a CB & a forward player who can play across the front four, we will be in decent shape.

Sorry that is a poor bench, no real quality game changers there. We need at least another CB / Striker / CM / LB / AM. To offer the options we need. Its not going to happen and we are going to be left short through out the season because of it. Not having a back up striker for Antonio is borderline criminal though as a minimum.