The Summer Rebuild

Lukerz

Ok, what do we know about the squad ahead of the summer rebuild…

Gone/going:
Fabiański - released
Zouma - released
Coufal - released
Cresswell - released
Soler - back to PSG
Antonio - uncertain
Ferguson - back to Brighton
Ings - released

Doubts (linked away/been left out 11 in last few games):
Aguerd
Emerson
Rodríguez
Paquetá
Cornet
Kudus

Most likely to stay:
Areola
Kilman
Mavropanos
Todibo
Wan-Bissaka
Scarles
Souček
Álvarez
Ward-Prowse
Guilherme
Summerville
Bowen (c)
Füllkrug

Possible youngsters:
Potts
Earthy

Players not really involved:
Foderingham
Irving

Who would you keep?
Kilman, Wan-Bissaka, Souček, Summerville, Bowen.

Who would you sell to raise funds?
Aguerd, Paquetá & Kudus seem the most valuable assets (outside Bowen who we can’t sell). Souček possibly (I’d keep him, though).

What does Potter need to prioritise?
Keeper, striker, a new midfield, depth in full-back positions & another CB. Average age of squad needs to come down.

Note - this is separate from the transfer window threads.

OutcastLondoner

I think last summer shows how damaging trying to bring in so many players is. Obviously those released need to be replaced and we clearly need a striker but I think we need to be really careful.

I’d like to see Aguerd brought back in under a new manager instead of a new signing and otherwise think some really careful signings in a few positions could make a much bigger difference than the overhaul of last summer.

I’d rather not lose both Paqueta and Kudus, though both were bad this season. If Paqueta is gone then I think we definitely need a midfielder who can actually move the ball forward.

Not sure Potter ever did big rebuilds at Brighton. They were pretty good at signing fairly unknown players who made a big difference. So this summer is a big test of what Potter’s impact will be. Hope he can bring in the young players too.

buffybegood

Lukerz said:

Note - this is separate from the transfer window threads.

Why?

Lukerz

Because this is a West Ham focused thread on what we need to do specifically, whereas the transfer threads become more general and include lots of teams & lots of rumours.

buffybegood

Still seems like a duplicate thread.

Lukerz

It’s not 👍 this should be a discussion ahead of the summer about what we are doing. To bridge the gap/silence between now & the window properly kicking off. It can easily be closed once the window is open or clubs return from pre-season. Nothing really happens before July. 👍

MrsGrey

Also, the transfer threads seem to focus on individual named players,whereas this can be more 'theoretical' or about strategy..

Having said that, by the 2nd of June I expect we'll have several threads and people posting the same thing in each one.

(I hate this time of year!)

buffybegood

MrsGrey said:

Also, the transfer threads seem to focus on individual named players,whereas this can be more 'theoretical' or about strategy..

Lukerz has listed every player in the squad, not sure how this isn't about individual named players 😂🤣😂. Anyways, whatever 🤷‍♂️.

ASLEFshrugged

Lukerz said:

Average age of squad needs to come down

West Ham oldest EPL team this season, average age 28, Chelsea youngest 23.5

Our team will automatically get younger at the end of next month

With Fabianski, Coufal, Ings and Cresswell we've trimmed 139 years off the total

Antonio would be another 35 years on top of that

Lukerz

I suppose a question is whether Potter wants to stick to the back 3 or is more flexible. If he is set in the back 3/5 he’ll buy players to fit that system.

Areola
Todibo - Mavropanos - Kilman
Wan-Bissaka - Souček - Álvarez - Scarles
Bowen - Summerville
Füllkrug

Or

Areola
Wan-Bissaka - Todibo - Kilman - Scarles
Souček - Álvarez
Bowen - Guilherme - Summerville
Füllkrug

I am assuming Kudus & Paquetá have played their last games for the club.

Lukerz

Outcast - I agree with your thoughts about an overhaul but given we are losing a guarantee minimum of 8 players, I think it is inevitable that we will have a summer of turbulence. We may as well go all in & embrace it in the hope that next summer it’s not needed.

OutcastLondoner

I know what you mean but I think when you look at the players leaving, many didn’t feature that much. Ings and Ferguson barely played, Zouma wasn’t even here, Cresswell only occasionally filled in as a third CB and his real value as a senior player can’t be bought. So I think it’s only Coufal, Soler and Fabianski who leave significant gaps in the actual squad that played and have to be filled.
With the rest, I think that’s where you have to trust the youth to be emergency backup.

Obviously it gets more complicated if there are other outgoings like Alvarez and Paqueta. I don’t think Guido would be missed that much but generally we might need to patch up our midfield.

I genuinely think it might be better to push through with a few good signings and patching over the rest than loads of players in and out.

I think we need a striker, a midfielder or two, a goalkeeper and a back up right back. The right quality in those positions could uplift the whole team. I think many of our players could be doing better with just a few tweaks.

claretandbluesky

I would say a centre back, a centre forward and an attacking centre mid regarding first team quality and the rest just filling gaps. My thinking is Tobido may be less than reliable even if making the grade as he spent a lot of time off the pitch in the first half of the season and I don't like depending on Mavro. The same goes for Fulfrug, whilst I am hopeful he will come good he had such a spell with injury that to rely on him alone as our attacking option would be careless. The midfielder I feel will be necessary as Paquetta could be found guilty but even if not I don't think he is the driving forward with the ball player we need to be more threatening. He is a sublime ball player but not a carrier to the degree needed. I would keep Kudus as although underwhelming this season he has undeniable quality and threat about him.

EXETERHAMMER

We need another CB Aguerd would fill this providing he wants to stay.
I would like x2 midfield players, with drive and pace to replace Guido and Soler.
A striker is definitely needed.


There are so many gaps though if we lose 13 or 14 players which is likely.

Guillherme could be excellent, and possibly be the replacement for Kudus when he goes.

We should get good money for Kudus, and based on those leaving our wage bill should reduce significantly.

I hope we don't chuck huge wages to get in players at the end of their careers as we have done before.... Ings, Guido for example.

It's gonna be one hell of a job for Potter to get this right.

alderz

I feel like Potter has proven in his career that he can integrate young players and work with them. If we go out and sign a bunch of high profile expensive players the pressure will be very high. If we decide to bring in a handful and integrate some academy players I think the expectation will be lower and he’ll have more leeway from the fans (certainly from me).

Whitehorsehammer

I know Kudas had a poor season but he is a quality player and I would be very disappointed to loose him.

alderz

I feel the same about Paqueta. I’m assuming at least one of them won’t be here, and if I had to choose one to go, unfortunately Kudus would be the one for me. With Bowen being the main guy, Kudus will never be played in his proper position, and we lost some of his best qualities when he’s on the left.

OutcastLondoner

If Paqueta is the one to go, then I’d like to see a more dynamic, physical midfielder take his place and Kudus moved to the CAM role he was tried out in a few times. I think that allows him and Bowen to interchange a little. I think this whole thing of playing him on the left contributed to him losing confidence and falling off. I wouldn’t be surprised if he leaves and based on the past season, his contribution wouldn’t be massively missed. But if he can get his head up again then that’s such dangerous player to have and hard to find elsewhere.

Lukerz

The issue is that Kudus is only effective in his natural RW role, but Bowen is better at that than him. Bowen is also partially effective in other positions (like as a striker or second striker), whereas Kudus becomes anonymous. It makes complete sense to move him on, try & get some good money for him & he can join a better side that will play him as a RW option. I’m sure he’d be great at Man City. Playing for a club of our level & not playing in his natural role is not going to do him any favours.

Paquetá I just think needs a break from the mental stress he’s been going through. He needs to get out the Premier League, regardless of the outcome of his case.

ASLEFshrugged

The Athletic correspondent Roshane Thomas says we will not be taking up the option to extend Zoums’s contract and he will be staying in Saudi

buffybegood

ASLEFshrugged said:

The Athletic correspondent Roshane Thomas says we will not be taking up the option to extend Zoums’s contract and he will be staying in Saudi

Lol, really, what a surprise, it was about as likely that we'd exercise that option as it would be to offer a new deal to Ings on the same terms 😱😱😱 😂🤣😂.

Lukerz

Let’s be honest, a one legged Zouma turned in better & more consistent performances than a lot of what Mavro & Todibo have this year.

Lukerz

Paquetá - 36 games (all comps). 0 assist, 5 goals.
Kudus - 35 games (all comps). 4 assists, 5 goals.

These players are our most valuable outside of Bowen. Those stats are awful given their perceived ability. This is where our summer business hinges & selling both will make us a more balanced & a better side.

Whitehorsehammer

It is unlikely Paqueta will be here next season for one reason or another, Kudus IMO we should try hard to keep, he had a poor season along with many others but will probably play a blinder next, especially if not with us.

EXETERHAMMER

I just don't believe Kudus will want to stay.

Lukerz

He won’t

£60m seems fair

BerlinHammer

I would rather keep paqueta than kudus. You could tell from day one, that we would just be a stepping stone for him. Which is fine, as we will make a profit on him. But he he's never looked happy playing for us.
I think an athletic midfielder (maybe 2) is what we need desperately. Maybe that would help out our defence a bit more.
We're never going to get all the players we need in the summer.

Lukerz

Mail report that, despite signing him shortly for around £36m due to his obligation, Todibo will be made available for sale.

buffybegood

I think the real problem is that we spent/committed to nearly £80m on 2 CBs last summer who can't play as a 2, and neither of whom can organise a defence or is particularly strong in the air. Add to that we have Aguerd who also isn't good in the air, and Mavropanos who just isn't very good as he's too error prone.

Personally I think Todibo is a better long term bet, but we massively overpaid for Kilman and will face a big loss if we try and offload him. Todibo, on the other hand, we may be able to flip without losing money or for a small profit.

So there could well be some merit to flipping Todibo and getting a CB who can play alongside Kilman in a back 4 and with him and another in a back 3. The problem though is that Aguerd wants away, which would mean we need 2 CBs this summer, and that's without even replacing Mavropanos who I'm sure most of us would like to see upgraded especially if a back 3 is going to be a regular feature of our formations next season.

OutcastLondoner

Thought Todibo was starting to look really good towards the end of the season.

Whitehorsehammer

OutcastLondoner said:

Thought Todibo was starting to look really good towards the end of the season.

Apart from the Ipswich goal I agree.