The Transfer Window

OldCastleSwift

There seems to be a new ITK on the KUMB forum, who has got a number of things spot on recently, way before the more reputed ITKs have.

He's saying Cornet will be the first of 3/4 new signings, and that we had agreed personal terms with Broja before Chelsea turned the deal off, so we may go back at the end of the window for a loan with an option offer.

If we're holding on for that, it may explain why we've not been linked with too many RWs. If we can get Broja, it means Antonio can be considered a RW option alongside Bowen.

Lukerz

Antonio needs to stay as a striker, whether that’s in a two or a one. There is the option to sling him to the wing in a game if we are chasing it & need more attacking intent, but I don’t like the idea of considering him a permanent wide option. This is why Cornet is an important signing. He can play on the right (cutting in) or left, but can also offer a more central position due to his clinical finishing, plus provides emergency LB/LWB cover (albeit last resort).

OldCastleSwift

I don't think Cornet has ever played on the right. Not saying he can't, just that he hasn't.

ASLEFshrugged

It wouldn't be a Moyes transfer window without signing at least one player on loan

Its traditional, like rain during Wimbledon fortnight

Yeoldhammer

We need a left back starter thats where a chunk of money needs to go. Cornet and Dennis would cover us for that front 3 positions and provide competition and both can be Auxilary strikers if need be.

Loaning a CM or make a call on Coventry to say this is your spot otherwise he needs to leave for the best of his career.

alderz

OldCastleSwift said:

I don't think Cornet has ever played on the right. Not saying he can't, just that he hasn't.

According to Transfermarkt:

Left Winger: 61 games, 22 goals, 9 assists.
Right Winger: 54 games, 19 goals, 10 assists.
Left Back: 34 games, 2 goals, 4 assists.
Centre Forward: 33 games, 8 goals, 3 assists.
Left Midfield: 24 games, 3 goals, 3 assists.
Right Midfield: 16 games, 4 assists, 2 goals.
Second Striker: 1 game, 1 goal.

Just to note, Left/Right Midfield on Transfermarkt usually includes wingback in back 3/5 system, and wide midfield in a 4 man midfield.

He's not consistently played on the right since 2018/19 (15 games).

In 2020/21 he played 24 times as a left back for Lyon, and it seems that they most commonly played a 4-3-3 system, they finished 4th, losing 6 games, conceding 43 goals, and - according to WhoScored - it's Cornet's second best league season (ave 6.86 / 10 in the league).

The guy's basically the Ivorian Antonio.

Pengeman

"West Ham dealt major Amadou Onana transfer blow as Maxwel Cornet talks continue" https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/west-ham-transfer-latest-amadou-onana-maxwel-cornet-b1016571.html

This transfer looks unlikely and there is no point in chasing players who don't want to come. Maybe better to aim for players with some EPL experience.

alderz

Pengeman said:

This transfer looks unlikely and there is no point in chasing players who don't want to come.

I've been thinking a lot about this point recently, and I think I've decided that there is point in chasing players that don't want to come (sort of). I think there are three types of situation:

Player A wants to come to us, they're desperate to join. Presumably we represent a step up to them. This raises the question of whether they are good enough to improve the side, but each will be a different situation I'm sure.

Player B doesn't want to come to us. They see their career going a different way, we aren't for them. There's no point us trying to sign Neymar, because obviously he wouldn't join us. Ignore these.

But then there is Player C. Player C is not sure. He's open to joining us, but he has reservations. Maybe there are 'better' sides interested and they want to wait and see what comes of it. Maybe they think they could earn money elsewhere. Maybe they see us as a current step down, and need to be sold on the 'project'. For me, these are absolutely the deals we should be pursuing. Some of them will come off (Scammacca, Zouma), and some won't (Lingard, Nunez). I'm prepared for that, as these players will help us push to the next level. If we don't get Kostic and Onana, then fine, but I'm happy we're chasing those kinds of players.

Lukerz

Ex reporting release clause has been agreed for Maxwell Cornet.

buffybegood

ASLEFshrugged said:

I'm not bothered if we sign him or not, we've got Downes and possibly Coventry as back up for Soucek and Rice

Whilst I agree that it's not the end of the world if we don't get Onana (although it would be extremely frustrating to have again spent so much time and energy for it to come to nothing), I think it's vital that we get someone of quality in. As you say, we have Downes as back-up, but not rotation; Downes only comes in if there is no alternative at all, otherwise Rice and Soucek get flogged to death again as they were last season.

If Onana, as seems likely, isn't coming, then another player who fits the mould of a physical DM is Sangare who has an acceptable release clause as well I believe; if not, as I mentioned a while back (and has cropped up on KUMB a bit this morning), I can see us trying to get RLC on loan.

OldCastleSwift

alderz said:

OldCastleSwift said:

I don't think Cornet has ever played on the right. Not saying he can't, just that he hasn't.

According to Transfermarkt:

Left Winger: 61 games, 22 goals, 9 assists.
Right Winger: 54 games, 19 goals, 10 assists.
Left Back: 34 games, 2 goals, 4 assists.
Centre Forward: 33 games, 8 goals, 3 assists.
Left Midfield: 24 games, 3 goals, 3 assists.
Right Midfield: 16 games, 4 assists, 2 goals.
Second Striker: 1 game, 1 goal.

Just to note, Left/Right Midfield on Transfermarkt usually includes wingback in back 3/5 system, and wide midfield in a 4 man midfield.

He's not consistently played on the right since 2018/19 (15 games).

In 2020/21 he played 24 times as a left back for Lyon, and it seems that they most commonly played a 4-3-3 system, they finished 4th, losing 6 games, conceding 43 goals, and - according to WhoScored - it's Cornet's second best league season (ave 6.86 / 10 in the league).

The guy's basically the Ivorian Antonio.

I did have a quick look at Transfermarkt when we were first linked with Cornet, but I'll be honest, I don't remember seeing his RW history.

But if those stats are correct, 60 goal contributions on 115 games on either wing is seriously impressive.

IronHerb

Questioning alderz stats? 😱

alderz

IronHerb said:

Questioning alderz stats? 😱

Tbf, I don’t collect the stats so if they’re wrong we can blame other people

Slacker

Just for the ill informed, who’s RLC ?

Pearces_Left_Foot

alderz said:

IronHerb said:

Questioning alderz stats? 😱

Tbf, I don’t collect the stats so if they’re wrong we can blame other people

And i thought you were an omnipresence stats god who could appear at multiple games at the same time with a pad and pen collecting stats. Another illusion shattered :-)

OldCastleSwift

Pearces_Left_Foot said:

alderz said:

IronHerb said:

Questioning alderz stats? 😱

Tbf, I don’t collect the stats so if they’re wrong we can blame other people

And i thought you were an omnipresence stats god who could appear at multiple games at the same time with a pad and pen collecting stats. Another illusion shattered :-)

< whispers > Santa's not real either

Pearces_Left_Foot

Next you will be telling me the easter bunny isn't real aswell

Pearces_Left_Foot

https://www.westhamzone.com/transfers/exwhuemployee-west-ham-united-could-line-up-move-to-sign-juventus-midfielder-arthur-melo/

A new name for the rumour mill

Hamstew

Slacker said:

Just for the ill informed, who’s RLC ?

Not sure who's comment it was but could be Loftus-cheek. Although hasn't he joined Palace?

OldCastleSwift

Yeah, it's Loftus-Cheek. Still on Chelsea's books, but linked with another loan move to Palace or as a makeweight in the Fofana deal with Leicester.

Great player, but has had some injury problems in his career.

IronHerb

Going to need a lot of big makeweights in the Fofana deal. £80m?

Kuchinghammer

I think we should grab Kouyate. He can fill in at DM and CB, knows the club, is a good influence, rarely injured. And he's tall. And free. The perfect 5th substitute.

Bazshuayi

He'll be a 4.5M Fofanatasy football tempter in Chelseas back line (I decided, after consideration, not to make any apology for that comment)

Fortuneseeker

I would like to see us put a deal together for a LB to be able to play for several years in that position. Cornet as a utility signing, the type DM likes. Maybe a CDM from 🇫🇷 or 🇳🇱 plus a loan deal or two?

ASLEFshrugged

I will admit I was surprised we let Arthur go on loan before we'd signed another LB. I can only assume Moyes has "a cunning plan" that will become clear later

Either that or he thinks Johnson is enough to cover both Coufal and Cresswell although I'd have misgivings if that was the case

OldCastleSwift

ASLEFshrugged said:

I will admit I was surprised we let Arthur go on loan before we'd signed another LB. I can only assume Moyes has "a cunning plan" that will become clear later

Either that or he thinks Johnson is enough to cover both Coufal and Cresswell although I'd have misgivings if that was the case

I've said it before and I'll say it again; Seb Haller. I think we all expected a replacement to be lined up when we sold him, but there wasn't one. I've no doubt Moyes is looking for a left back, but I'm less confident that we'll actually bring one in.

I agree on Johnson; we all know he can play there, but is very limited. Even more so if he's expected to play LWB should Cresswell be deployed as a LCB.

IronHerb

Depends what you want of your full backs. Personally I want them to defend first then be expansive. Johnson fits that bill better than Cresswell. A new LB would be ideal but I have no issues with Johnson playing there.

OldCastleSwift

If we aspire to be a top six team, we need modern fullbacks, IMO. I agree that Johnson is a better defender than Cresswell, but he offers little in the final third. He'd have been a brilliant fullback in the early 90s, but the game's moved on a lot since then.

Cresswell is useful in the final third, but has, (again, IMO) become a liability at the back. Johnson the opposite. Coufal is decent at both aspects, without being great. Ashby seems to have excelled in the U23s (plenty of assists last season), but the step up to the PL in huge.

I think fullbacks are so important in the modern game (look at how much of an impact Robertson and TAA have on Liverpool), so I believe we need an improvement on both sides (over the next few windows).

OutcastLondoner

I still have hope Johnson can improve his attacking game. I think it's partly confidence because you very occasionally see flashes of him looking quite threatening when he lets himself.

While I agree attacking is important for a full-back, I'd rather have him than one who can attack well but not defend - very few of them are actually consistent at it and those who are play for the best teams.

Johnson's still young and has been moved about so much, so I hope that as he secures his place in the team he'll build the confidence to attack more.

OldCastleSwift

OutcastLondoner said:

Johnson's still young and has been moved about so much, so I hope that as he secures his place in the team he'll build the confidence to attack more.

Yeah, this hasn't helped. In pre-season alone he played RB, RWB, RCB and LCB. His versatility has stunted his development in some ways, IMO.