Transfer Window: The Final Two Weeks

Ravel49

If funds are tight and a left back is prioritised as the next signing. Then I wouldn’t be adverse to signing Willian. He’s available on a free, knows the league and is already settled in London. Good cover on the right side and adds some experience. Could be good for the European campaign too.

OldCastleSwift

MrsGrey said:

OldCastleSwift said:

If that's a longer term option, that I think we need to look at an upgrade on Johnson/Coufal next summer; both are decent defensively, but are too lacking in their final third output to be effective wingbacks, IMO.

Maybe another year's development will improve Johnson...

It might do, but he needs a run in one position. We're assuming he's our long-term option at RB/RWB, but he's been shunted to LB to cover Cresswell for periods and is now covering our CB crisis. If he can improve his forward play he could be a very good option now and in the future, but he just hasn't been allowed a good run of games in the one position to build his confidence.

buffybegood

Lukerz said:

Fabianski
Kehrer - Zouma - Aguerd - Cresswell
Rice - Vanaken
Bowen - Fornals - Benrahma
Antonio

Isn't Vanaken more of an AM? So more likely to be Soucek alongside Rice with Vanaken replacing Fornals in your formation, certainly against stronger sides.

buffybegood

OldCastleSwift said:

It might do, but he needs a run in one position. We're assuming he's our long-term option at RB/RWB, but he's been shunted to LB to cover Cresswell for periods and is now covering our CB crisis. If he can improve his forward play he could be a very good option now and in the future, but he just hasn't been allowed a good run of games in the one position to build his confidence.

This is key for me, he doesn't seem to offer much going forward, which is so important for modern FBs. Obviously I've no idea of what sort of training our players do, but you can't help feeling that his crossing would improve if he spent an extra 30 mins or an hour a day practicing it after group training.

IronHerb

buffybegood said:

This is key for me, he doesn't seem to offer much going forward, which is so important for modern FBs. Obviously I've no idea of what sort of training our players do, but you can't help feeling that his crossing would improve if he spent an extra 30 mins or an hour a day practicing it after group training.

Rice could keep him company while practising his penalties.

alderz

I'd never heard of Vanaken until a week or so ago, so I can't say that I'd put him ahead of Soucek in the side.

WHU_Champo_league_in_7_years

alderz said:

I'd never heard of Vanaken until a week or so ago, so I can't say that I'd put him ahead of Soucek in the side.

But then again, had we not heard of Soucek before we bought him and he went straight in

Now I don't know who this guy is, and I doubt he does come in ahead of Soucek....but then again, all I do know is for the last 12 months Soucek form has, imo, been very very poor and he hasn’t offered enough....so wouldn't shock me if Vanaken is brought in as a starter

alderz

WHU_Champo_league_in_7_years said:

alderz said:

I'd never heard of Vanaken until a week or so ago, so I can't say that I'd put him ahead of Soucek in the side.

But then again, had we not heard of Soucek before we bought him and he went straight in

Now I don't know who this guy is, and I doubt he does come in ahead of Soucek....but then again, all I do know is for the last 12 months Soucek form has, imo, been very very poor and he hasn’t offered enough....so wouldn't shock me if Vanaken is brought in as a starter

It wouldn't shock me either, but what I'm saying is that I couldn't personally say that he should be starting ahead of Soucek, because I've not seen him play. I have seen some XIs on here and elsewhere with Vanaken in and Soucek out, but I'm curious as to how often people have seen him play.

Lukerz

I have done a bit of research into Vanaken. He was primarily an attacking goal-scoring midfielder, but has been adapted to play a deeper role since 2020. His pitch zones show he tends to cover the left hand side of the centre midfield area. Has been watched long term by Borussia Dortmund scouts & was expected to move on from Brugge when he was 26/27 but remained loyal to them. Their entire side is built around him. He’s been their stand in captain & his recent record for Belgium includes 3 goals & 5 assists in his last 5 games.

alderz

I have discovered that on FBRef they have a "similar players to...", based on players with a similar statistical profile. According to that, Vanaken is similar to both Fornals and Bowen, so he definitely doesn't feel like a Soucek replacement.

OldCastleSwift

Tall though, innit

alderz

OldCastleSwift said:

Tall though, innit

Who do we reckon our tallest player is, and are they taller than Vanaken?

alderz

alderz said:

OldCastleSwift said:

Tall though, innit

Who do we reckon our tallest player is, and are they taller than Vanaken?

I've already looked it up. There are two players that are 1cm taller than him.

OutcastLondoner

alderz said:

I have discovered that on FBRef they have a "similar players to...", based on players with a similar statistical profile. According to that, Vanaken is similar to both Fornals and Bowen, so he definitely doesn't feel like a Soucek replacement.

Wouldn't really say Bowen or Fornals are very similar though, so it is shared characteristics with either of them?

alderz

OutcastLondoner said:

alderz said:

I have discovered that on FBRef they have a "similar players to...", based on players with a similar statistical profile. According to that, Vanaken is similar to both Fornals and Bowen, so he definitely doesn't feel like a Soucek replacement.

Wouldn't really say Bowen or Fornals are very similar though, so it is shared characteristics with either of them?

I think it's done by looking at statistical performances, and saying which 10 players the most similar statistical profile. So, for example, Bowen and Fornals are both listed as statistically similar to Vanaken, but Vanaken is not on Bowen or Fornals lists of most similar.

PrestonHammer

He likes running into potato fields and when he grows a moustache, it looks like Fornals hahaha

alderz

Forest are signing Morgan Gibbs-White for £45m. That’s insane.

OldCastleSwift

alderz said:

Forest are signing Morgan Gibbs-White for £45m. That’s insane.

That's effectively Nunes and £7m for Gibbs-White.

What a great bit of business by Wolves 😄

IronHerb

So Wolves get Nunes and £7m for Gibbs-White. Good business.

Ravel49

Raheem Sterling went for £47.5m
That MGW deal is crazy 🤯

OutcastLondoner

I've really liked Gibbs-White when I've seen him but that's crazy business.

alderz

I've had a gap of 7 years and 7 months since my last blog post, but I decided to write a West Ham Stats blog today. I'm half considering picking this back up regularly, so I'd be interested in thoughts from you guys, and some ideas on the types of things that might be interesting or useful to write about in future.

http://westhamunitedstats.blogspot.com/2022/08/we-need-left-back-but-do-we-need-left.html

Pretty funny that the last blog post I wrote before today was a report on our new signing Doneil Henry.

Lukerz

Gibbs-White is £25m up front, with £10m in achievable add-ons & another load of add-ons that are less achievable.

Ravel49

Some probably survival based
Which they won’t
🌳 🪓

Deanscaleshammer

alderz said:

I've had a gap of 7 years and 7 months since my last blog post, but I decided to write a West Ham Stats blog today. I'm half considering picking this back up regularly, so I'd be interested in thoughts from you guys, and some ideas on the types of things that might be interesting or useful to write about in future.

http://westhamunitedstats.blogspot.com/2022/08/we-need-left-back-but-do-we-need-left.html

Pretty funny that the last blog post I wrote before today was a report on our new signing Doneil Henry.

Love the Cresswell assessment, Alderz. Really useful to test perceptions against a statistical version of reality and the writing style is really readable and engaging.

alderz

Thank you!

buffybegood

Good article alderz, although it would be useful to know if the stats (apart from the heat maps) are from last season or his career with us.

alderz

buffybegood said:

Good article alderz, although it would be useful to know if the stats (apart from the heat maps) are from last season or his career with us.

Most stats were from the last year (FBRef looks at the last 365 days)

OutcastLondoner

That banner was a blast from the past!

Good post. Not too long, very clear. Brought up stats I was surprised by - both on the good and the bad side.

Ravel49

Just saw these which made me chuckle..