Biggest problem last season was our defence. We were one of the top scorers, but were quite open at the back. We seem to have attempted to address this by scrapping the Antonio plan and signing as experienced a RB as you could get to compete with Byram. We've signed a LB who looks capable of playing as a first choice, and we've signed a specialist DM. The only issue is that many would say none of them should start in our first team ahead of other options (Byram, Kouyate/Noble, Cresswell) so, if that is the case, the problem positions from last season are not resolved.
Ayew replaces Valencia, which is 100% an improvement. Zaza replaces Sakho, who unfortunately looks like he'll never play again, and Calleri adds extra competition to the three forwards we had last season. Whether Zaza is good enough to replace Sakho (who got 12 goals in his first season), we don't know. We have replaced our No.1 forward from the past two years with Juventus' fourth choice forward. The fact we tried to sign Vardy, Batshuayi, Bacca and Lacazette ahead of Zaza means I have to rate our business as 6/10. Had we signed who we wanted, it would've been 7-8/10.
Keeping Payet is a great achievement. Am surprised nobody made a concrete, public move for him. Lanzini signing was also important, because we would've lost him had he not. Those two being in the side will mean we always have a chance of winning matches.
Wise words young Luke.....
;ok
I agree with you on the defence piece, it was clear last season that we either got undone by other teams (Spurs, Watford away, Swansea) or we did ourselves no favours (Bournemouth, Norwich, Palace etc) with some comical defending and apart from having to bring in Artur (who is a top player in my book), due to Cresswell's injury, then only time will tell if we've done enough at the back - We may have to score 4 to have a chance of winning ;lol
If we'd got our first/main targets, which I think were Lcazette or Batshuayi then I'm not sure we'd of seen so many others come in? Especially ones that cost us money.
If we had of signed who we wanted, then I'd of have to rate that an 8-9/10, the fact we didn't for whatever reason leaves me somewhere around 7-8/10.
Keeping Payet never crossed my mind..............
Double or quits for January?
;biggrin
I think we've got a great squad now, if we can keep these pesky Injuries and Ref howlers down then we could be in for a right treat.
Carlos Bacca's agent Sergio Barila has given an update on his client’s status at AC Milan after a summer of speculation surrounded the Colombia international.
"Our will is to win with Milan in the coming years so we are open to a renewal, but we will talk about it later,” he told calciomercato.it. “Now our minds and concentration are only to the pitch.”
The agent also spoke about the offers Bacca was the subject of I the summer, adding: “Many requests arrived but Bacca's will has been always clear for me.
“He wanted to stay at Milan. His family is happy in Milan and this is an important thing.
“West Ham? In the last week of the market, many offers arrived, and not only West Ham ones. At the end Milan said no.”
Scouts from 11 English clubs - including Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea and both Manchester clubs - were sent to watch Tuesday’s Champions League clash between Benfica and Besiktas, the Daily Mail report.
Representatives from Crystal Palace, Bournemouth, Southampton, West Ham, West Brom and Aston Villa were also in attendance at the Estadio da Luz, where the two sides played out a 1-1 draw in their Group B opener.
The Mail claim the scouts were there to keep tabs on four Benfica players who are attracting interest - Victor Lindelof, Alex Grimaldo, Eduardo Salvio and Goncalo Guedes
Grey ;ok I saw that, sadly for him tho I Don't believe he will be a 1st 11 regular even when fully fit. Either way if we kept Tomkins I think we all know that would have made it even harder to keep Oxford and Burke as our players, and for that reason IMO it was a good call ;ok
;hmm Boro had a good defensive record in the Champo, so I imagine it would be low priority for them. Hull, similarly, and in view of their dire circs, I'd have thought Defenders are not so important, and even Ginge would be out of their price range.
Burnley, I don't know much about.
And given that Ginge got a contract extension, and he loves West ham, how much wold they have to pay to prise him away. So I'm not sure he'd be vfm for a newly promoted club.
From "Ginge signs contract until 2018" on the official website, Christmas Eve 2015
On a personal level, remaining with West Ham is also hugely important to Collins and his family and friends, with his wife and three young children happily settled in the Essex area.
I suspect it would be a re-run of the Scott Parker situation where Ginge would be unwilling to uproot his family to play outside the M25.
It is unhealthy for a team's fortunes to revolve around one player and that can be disruptive. How good does that make other players feel? No player should be bigger than the team. Payet is good but we need 11 good players. If WHU are still in trouble in January I think he will be gone as there will be no prospect of any European football which he would want. The money raised would enable WHU to buy a class defender and striker, if they can be found.
Comments
;ok
I agree with you on the defence piece, it was clear last season that we either got undone by other teams (Spurs, Watford away, Swansea) or we did ourselves no favours (Bournemouth, Norwich, Palace etc) with some comical defending and apart from having to bring in Artur (who is a top player in my book), due to Cresswell's injury, then only time will tell if we've done enough at the back - We may have to score 4 to have a chance of winning ;lol
If we'd got our first/main targets, which I think were Lcazette or Batshuayi then I'm not sure we'd of seen so many others come in? Especially ones that cost us money.
If we had of signed who we wanted, then I'd of have to rate that an 8-9/10, the fact we didn't for whatever reason leaves me somewhere around 7-8/10.
Keeping Payet never crossed my mind..............
Double or quits for January?
;biggrin
I think we've got a great squad now, if we can keep these pesky Injuries and Ref howlers down then we could be in for a right treat.
coyi
;biggrin
Excellent more to come then!
http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/37312487
Dimi is safe from that, at least. ;wink
BACCA OPEN TO MILAN RENEWAL
Carlos Bacca's agent Sergio Barila has given an update on his client’s status at AC Milan after a summer of speculation surrounded the Colombia international.
"Our will is to win with Milan in the coming years so we are open to a renewal, but we will talk about it later,” he told calciomercato.it. “Now our minds and concentration are only to the pitch.”
The agent also spoke about the offers Bacca was the subject of I the summer, adding: “Many requests arrived but Bacca's will has been always clear for me.
“He wanted to stay at Milan. His family is happy in Milan and this is an important thing.
“West Ham? In the last week of the market, many offers arrived, and not only West Ham ones. At the end Milan said no.”
Scouts from 11 English clubs - including Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea and both Manchester clubs - were sent to watch Tuesday’s Champions League clash between Benfica and Besiktas, the Daily Mail report.
Representatives from Crystal Palace, Bournemouth, Southampton, West Ham, West Brom and Aston Villa were also in attendance at the Estadio da Luz, where the two sides played out a 1-1 draw in their Group B opener.
The Mail claim the scouts were there to keep tabs on four Benfica players who are attracting interest - Victor Lindelof, Alex Grimaldo, Eduardo Salvio and Goncalo Guedes
Think that's 'cos he pranged himself in pre-season.
I saw that, sadly for him tho I
Don't believe he will be a 1st 11 regular even when fully fit.
Either way if we kept Tomkins I think we all know that would have made it even harder to keep Oxford and Burke as our players, and for that reason IMO it was a good call ;ok
Would any PL team?
Hull
Middlesborough
Burnley
;hmm Boro had a good defensive record in the Champo, so I imagine it would be low priority for them. Hull, similarly, and in view of their dire circs, I'd have thought Defenders are not so important, and even Ginge would be out of their price range.
Burnley, I don't know much about.
And given that Ginge got a contract extension, and he loves West ham, how much wold they have to pay to prise him away. So I'm not sure he'd be vfm for a newly promoted club.