One by one potential 'emergency' strikers are disappearing from the short list compiled by West Ham, the latest to become unavailable is ex-Chelsea striker Diego Costa who is in negotiations over a two year deal to sign for Brazilian team Palmeiras.
Costa obviously has a few quid in the bank, and commendably has chosen to play for the club he supported as a boy by returning to his hometown of Sao Paulo after 15 years in Europe. The 32-year old left Atletico Madrid in January after having had his contract canceled by mutual consent.
Costa's 'generosity' is not quite as altruistic as it sounds though, because Palmeiras have had to offer him a two year deal worth around £2.6Million per year netto, or tax paid at source, for us mere mortals! Perhaps Costa had no intention of coming to the London Stadium, although his representatives WERE contacted by West Ham with regards to a short term loan until the end of the season. There were rumours that he was seeking an astonishing £300,000 per week to play in the Barclays Premier League once more, but those figures are surel well wide of the mark.
Palmeiras are paying Costa close on to £100,000 per week, big money for the South American leagues, so obviously they rate him highly, but surely Hammers could have made a short term loan appealing to a player who knows London well due to the time he spent here playing for Chelsea.
As things stand, Hammers go in to Monday evening's game against relegation battler's Sheffield United with only a 'fatigued' Michail Antonio, if he is available, as a striker. Irrespective of who is to blame, it seems inconceivable that David Moyes doesn't have some kind of 'cunning' plan hatched to overcome what is an enormous issue.
What will become known as the "Pellegrini Profligacy Period", or PPP, is going to hurt the club for some considerable time. Having lost around £20 Million by selling Sebastien Haller to Ajax on the cheap, the Irons are now actively trying to offload ex-golden boy Felipe Anderson for an equally catastrophic £20 Million loss.
Somewhere, lurking in the background, there are a lot of "told you so" conversations going on, it is extremely unlikely that the 'fiscal boat' will ever get pushed as far out ever again, at least until the owners sell up, or bring in huge additional investment by share issues to hedge fund operatives.
No strikers generally results in no goals, even 'miracle man' Moyes is going to be hard pressed to get out of this one, unfortunately the club's opportunity for it's best finish in years, possibly it's best finish ever, is slipping away, or fading away, to be more apt. - Ed
Comments
Fatigued???
OK. Now I genuinely need someone to explain this to an old school fan who grew up on players from top teams playing something in the region of 60 games a season, a fag and a cuppa at half time during a game and generally a jog around the pitch for training before getting on with some 5 a side games. This after a few beers down the pub the night before and a good old english fry up for brekkie on the way to the ground. Now Antonio has only played 14 games this season and you're telling me he is fatigued, another word for knackered. Really?? And this from a guy who f*$%s up his hamstring doing a warm up jog in the pre match "kickabout". And yet Declan Rice has played non stop for some 60 games without a break and thats not including Internationals. I'd have some sympathy if Antonio were a Sunday League park player playing on a mudbath of a pitch with cold showers in the changing rooms after unless you managed to get sent off early to catch the hot water. But he isn't is he? So how can he be fatigued? Come and do MY job, I'll show him fatigue!! And As for Moyes having a "cunning plan". Give over. He ain't even got a plan B
I do understand what you are
I do understand what you are saying, for example a few years ago I worked 40 hours per week in a 'contained' school unit working with 'delinquents' who spent a lot of their time thinking of ingenious ways to hurt you with knives, chairs or whatever was to hand! The financial reward? £600 per week!
Do not expect anyone through the door
Paying way to much for players and then paying ridiculous wages because thats the only way you get them has come back to bite the club hard and it should teach the board a lesson or 10! leave the football stuff to those who know it and stick to a self imposed salary cap...of course exceptional talent deserves reward but that all should be factored into an incentive loaded contract that way you do not get players sitting on there Laurels earning stupid money for nothing where as the other way around they have to keep performing to get the rewards and that in itself will lead to more riches and maybe bigger clubs....we have to be West Ham not Liverpool/Man Utd/Citeh/Chelski.......
Agree Mac
Who in their right mind would pay wheelchair 5 mill a year for 3 years doing nothing or le sulk a lot more for standing around like a tailors dummy..terrible some of the financial decisions theyve made
We
might end up with Sturridge
thats true
we could end up with sturridge be ok for 3 games till he gets injured !!!!!!!!
A
west Ham typical buy then
Better off without Costa
Better off without Costa fortune,said it loads of times ,the top teams don't play with a STRIKER or " target man "anymore ,so old fashioned ,play with 3 forwards even the scum play with 2
Agree Burkie
Benny, bowen & lingard/lanzini
Bang on 65
Bang on 65
Yeah
Really prolific goalscoring machines aren't they
If we gave it a go then we
If we gave it a go then we would see,i personally think they would be a handful,if tactically used in a striking area.
What is your suggestion then Deluded?
Re-Sign Haller!
Not unless Sam comes with him
Not unless Sam comes with him .
Difficult to come up with a
Difficult to come up with a suggestion bearing in mind I wouldn't have put the club in this situation in the first place. Looking forward to seeing Moyes master plan against Sheffield United tonight. He's had long enough to think of one.
I do wonder if people
I do wonder if people actually support West Ham sometimes with the negativity on here lol ... maybe they are spurs fans in disguise. I reckon the fatigue is coming from the sports scientist who are measuring reactions, blood sugar and whatever other shit in an effort to keep Antonio on the park without ripping another Hamstring. We have Lingard, Souchef, Bowen etc all capable of scoring ... it’s not all doom and gloom. We have more of a problem at Centre back reAlly .. Oggy out, Balbuena seems to have an injury, Diop concussion that might keep him out ... rice might have to go back there ... but agree we are in for a tricky period that’s going to test Moyes.
Report on Diop was that he
Report on Diop was that he was fine the day after the concussion so should be back in the team for Monday. Also in an emergency we could always out Coufal at CB and have Frederick's on the wing
Agree
Brooking we have a good team now ,injuries ok happens every year,so what we are 1 point nearer to safety from relegation early ,so sit back and chill.Haaaaa
I agree I think a few people
I agree I think a few people get their personal opinion confused with a personal crusade. Nail your colours to Allardyce’s mast and you have to find fault in everything else. We’re 6th could go higher tomorrow. West Ham way or not it’s nice just to bask in a bit of sun now and again. These personal crusades get so confusing that I think some on here would rather West Ham fail if it proves them right. I suppose that’s the power of the internet. Personal glory is higher these days
Agree mate
Dont like to bring politics into the thread but its a bit like brexit, the remain mob would rather Britain collapse so they can say "I told you so"
Well said mate,very true
Well said mate,very true words.