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Left Right Back In A Centre Back Conundrum

nevillenixon's picture
Submitted by nevillenixon on Mon, 15/08/2022 - 15:53

When David Moyes returned as West Ham manager for the 2nd time he must have been all too aware of the legendary Hammers new signing injury curse, so as a person known for carrying out his due diligence to 'crime scene investigation' levels it should have come as no surprise when his marquee signing Nayef Aguerd promptly got injured in his first game for the club.

Moyes and head of recruitment Rob Newman were possibly in denial regarding the 'Hammers curse', well they are aware of it now in a big way as their centre back options are disappearing faster than a Millennium Falcon being pursued by a death star!

Fans are angry that Issa Diop effectively 'downed tools' in order to force a move through to Fulham, but it should be remembered that Diop was firmly on the for sale list until Nayef Aguerd's unfortunate injury, furthermore Diop was constantly 'dissed' with regards to being selected for the first team, only being called upon in emergencies. When Diop did actually get to play he performed as admirably AS ANY PLAYER WHO RARELY GETS ANY PLANNED GAME TIME!

So why would Diop want to stay at the club knowing full well that his starting position in the pecking order would drop like a stone once Aguerd, Dawson and Ogbonna return from their respective injuries? Please don't bang the loyalty drum regarding Diop, he could have handled the situation more diplomatically but at the end of the day moving to Fulham was the right move for HIM, loyalty to one club being a trait of a 'Noble' past.

Those who have been bemoaning how the club haven't brought in a new additional centre back are forgetting that who ever signs will be aware of 'Moyes's Boys syndrome' and would probably seek assurances regarding game time ahead of ANY move other than that of a short term loan.

The club are currently linked with a plethora of centre backs, the most intriguing of which is Marseille's Croatian centre back Duje Ćaleta-Car. Ironically had Nikola Vlasic remained at the club it might have aided the recruitment of Ćaleta-Car, it remains to be seen if Vlasic's feed back from his time at the club was positive or negative, however most feel it will be the latter of the two.

Perhaps it is time for David Moyes to do a 'factory reset' regarding new players, after all he IS at a big club now, really! - Ed

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Groundhog day

mcbikeman's picture
Submitted by mcbikeman on Mon, 15/08/2022 - 09:13

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We live it every weekend same lineup same tactics same predictable substitutions lack of effort players look stale and not fit what the hell has happened to get to this?

Moyes says we are not quite fit not ready well Mate thats your job to make sure they are you and your coaches have had the summer yet we look way off the pace why?

Our players look uninspired and dejected and and i think all they see is a long drawn out slog by the same few players again week in week out.

Recruitments a joke.....if i dont think a player will improve the squad then i wont buy....Great thinking Moyes whats the betting in the next week the panic buttons hit and suddenly players you dont reckon or rate start turning up.

No balls no tactical no how to change how we play in game or out of....get a big man get a set piece and fingers crossed we may get a goal...no flair no flowing football the same sideways passing then back to the keeper for the love of God Moyes change something.

I dont really care about Viborg on thursday i really dont...Moyes may be brave against the minnows and say look i can get the team to play expansive football pffff.

Brighton home on sunday our nemesis who here thinks we will attack from the start and put them under pressure? anyone? mmm? HELLO anyone? naaa i thought not we all know Moyes will be cacking his panties and tell the players sit deep and counter SLOWLY because we have no pace....and oh yeah Scamacca and Cornet if not injured will be on the bench because they played in Europe on Thursday.

This post like the heading is groundhog day...i see it you fellow orgers see it why the hell can Moyes not see it.... said it in the summer and nothing will convince me otherwise but we will be bottom half of table all season and that rests on one mans shoulders and you no what he doesn't seem that bothered.

VAR

moore2come's picture
Submitted by moore2come on Mon, 15/08/2022 - 07:47

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So two games into the season and VAR has proven once again it doesn't work. So only 36 games and 9 months of sh1t to go through!!
Putting aside the hair pull at the Bridge when in reality hair like that should be outlawed, and the Chelski planks calling for Anthony Taylor to be shipped off to Russia, Robert Jones proved he's a complete moron. Doesn't give a foul despite having a great view, the VAR at Stockley Park (is this on the moon), suggests he reconsider's. Now I'm all for taking a closer look but how bloody obvious is it that the foul should have been on Antonio for obstruction and not resulted in a goal being ruled out because the defender thought it was WWE and didn't realise that getting mown down by Antonio must be like being shoulder charged by The Rock!! I'm over it already. Wake me up in May so I can enjoy a the summer transfer window again!

Live Notts Forest v West Ham Line Ups

nevillenixon's picture
Submitted by nevillenixon on Sun, 14/08/2022 - 13:02

Forest: Henderson, Worrall, Mangala, Williams, Awoniyi, Lingard, O'Brien, Toffolo, Niakhate, Johnson, McKenna. Subs: Hennessey, Biancone, Cook, Soh, Surridge, Mighten, Cafu, Taylor, Hammond.
West Ham: Fabianski, Johnson, Cresswell, Zouma, Coufal, Rice, Soucek, Fornals, Antonio, Bowen, Benrahma. Subs: Areola, Randolph, Scamacca, Lanzini, Downes, Cornet, Coventry, Ashby.

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Man shity

Burkie1's picture
Submitted by Burkie1 on Sat, 13/08/2022 - 15:42

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Just siting here watching them play Bourmouth bored out of my brain ,i wouldnt mind the fact that they've virtually fucked up the game ,but them commentators would make you sick with their relentless glorification of them ,something has to be done about this " moneys no object " to us philosophy .

Forest score predictions

Submitted by Chippy Dave on Sat, 13/08/2022 - 14:09

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Tough game tomorrow against a newly promoted Forest side, their first game at home too.
What’s your score prediction for the game? I’ve gone for a West Ham 2-1 win on my super 6 this week but wouldn’t be surprised at a reversal of that score, of course you can guarantee that Lingard will score at some point!!
Bowen and Soucek to get the West Ham goals.

An unmitigated disaster

Submitted by Enfieldhammer on Wed, 10/08/2022 - 17:05

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Since January 1st this year it has been absolutely disastrous for West Ham. With a couple of much needed additions we would have won the Europa League and also finished in the top 6. Knowing that we needed 8 players at least with the outgoings. All targets should have been identified and business comencing on the opening day of the window. We wait 2 weeks for our first signing. Too much time was wasted on Lingard. We now find ourselves further weakened with the long term injury to Augerd. Klasic & Diop departing. Why do we drag our heels in completing deals? Why was the Cornet deal sorted before the weekend? I fear we will panic buy and get inadequate players which goes against the Moyes philosophy and have a Vlasic situation again. We have Newman in place for this stuff. I feel we will be short again at Forest and suffer there. We should not be losing players to Everton etc. Clubs at the wrong end. Any appeal we had was lost January 31st.

Vlasic-Truth About Money Paid Or Not!

Submitted by Louis Nixon on Wed, 10/08/2022 - 11:44

Nikola Vlasic looks to be ending his ill fated Premier League return by moving to Serie A and Torino, initially on loan but with a non obligatory option to buy after one season. On the face of it Torino only paying £2.1 Million to cover part of Vlasic’s wages and a full transfer price IF Torino want to make the deal permanent of only £12.6 Million is appalling business by West Ham and David Moyes, how ever this being West Ham things are rarely as straight forward as they seem.

Moyes 'authorised' bringing Vlasic to West Ham for £26.8 Million from CSKA Moscow last year, BEFORE Russia unlawfully invaded the Ukraine, following the invasion FIFA and UEFA sanctioned the Russian Football Federation by effectively cancelling the contracts of players who were signed to Russian clubs allowing them to leave for free to seek 'lawful' employment away from Russia.

Now anyone with the slightest knowledge of how Hammers generally do their transfer business, especially 12 months go, before Rob Newman took over as technical director of player transfers, will know that the club invariably pay over a lengthy period of time for players, as do many other teams.

As far as we know Vlasic's transfer fee was to be paid in instalments over a period of THREE years, Russia invaded the Ukraine on the 24th of February 2022 and various sanctions including UEAFA's were swiftly put in place which meant that West Ham would have been breaking the law if they paid CSK Moscow ANY more money!

Manna from heaven for David Sullivan and perhaps one of the reasons Moyes has appeared very relaxed when discussing the options regarding Vlasic, from what we have been told from a very reliable source is that the Irons have only made ONE payment towards Vlasic's overall fee and that was for €4 Million (just under £3.4 Million).

Furthermore the club hope to have sold Vlasic permanently before there is a resolution to the crisis in Ukraine, therefore the buying club would have to deal with the fall out caused by the conflict and not West Ham! All in all the signing of Vlasic was a strange one and has all the hall marks of a 'jilted John' situation caused by the protracted Jesse Lingard on off 'romance' with the club.

Vlasic failed when he was in the Premier League as a youngster while at Everton, his tenure at West Ham on his return to the Prem has been little short of disastrous so moving to Serie A seems a good choice for a very likeable but ultimately failed footballer, that doesn't mean that he cannot 'rip it up' in Italy and we are sure that most fans wish him well for the future.

Just don't believe the numbers being quoted! - LN

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Behind The Scenes Development For Irons

nevillenixon's picture
Submitted by nevillenixon on Tue, 09/08/2022 - 10:14

Hammers recent transfer activity, or lack of it as some fans perceive, has taken on an entirely new dynamic of late although it may not seem obvious to those not within the club's inner sanctum. New 2nd highest share owner Daniel Kretinsky's arrival was heralded by many as the 'start of something special', unfortunately as with many 'special events' of the past at the club the much heralded fireworks ended up as a damp squib!

Kretinsky didn't amass his wealth by being a nice guy, neither did the two Daves at West Ham or Birmingham, the difference in football club owning finances is that Gold and Sullivan don't have a pot to piss in! Of course they are both extremely wealthy individuals in the real world, but football club ownership, especially in the Premier League, is all about 'massive' wealth.

While Sullivan and Gold both have access to considerable finances, their wealth is tied up in concrete investments that cannot easily be converted to ready cash without fiscal forfeit much the same way as bank customers are penalised for withdrawing their money from deposit accounts outside or the prescribed times. Essentially they 'only' have 'paper money', most fans would love to have a similar problem, but then again most fans don't own football clubs!

The bean counters at West Ham ARE a very efficient and creative collective, but even they cannot confidently submit figures without knowing they are fighting a continuous financial rear guard action, each season is a war of attrition to them which is relentless due to the constant need for contract renewals, player acquisitions and the dreaded player amortisation!

What is unique about this transfer window's activities is that the newest board member, who as we have stated is actually the 2nd highest share owner of the club, has REAL CASH available, but he won't be giving it away! What he can do is loan the club money at base rate or below, which benefits the club and it's player recruitment massively.

Up until a couple of seasons ago the club, just like several other Premier League clubs used to take out a 'payday loan' against TV revenue and season ticket sales, a Premier League governing body ruling changed that financial stream, leaving West Ham among others up the creek without a paddle.

The 'Kretin in the Sky' arrived just in the nick of time, as the club was facing severe fiscal meltdown as a result of the Covid pandemic and the need to pay back some of it's TV revenue, you only have to look across to France to see how all but ONE of their clubs are having to accept deals for their players which are market value minus 50% at least!

Make no mistake, IT IS Kretinsky, or at least it is his money behind the current recruitment, Kretinsky's ability to hit the go button for transactions means the club has been able to compete during this window, albeit at a lower level than some of the club's newly minted or newly demented competitors.

Don't be surprised if a little 'accompanying statement' is subtly added to the minutes of a WH Holdings company accounts meeting lodged at companies house stating that there has been a 'green labeling' of shares which sees the club receive more 'readies' for the purchasing of players under written by one of Daniel Kretinsky's holding companies.

Perhaps when the 'bean counters' get the 'hard copy' of the documents in the post they might pop out and get a decent bottle of champers and a selection of Sansbury's finest sandwiches, after all Kretinsky owns substantial shares in the Royal Mail and Sainsbury s. - Ed

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More departures

mcbikeman's picture
Submitted by mcbikeman on Mon, 08/08/2022 - 13:07

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Diop off to Fulham in £13/15million take your pick deal Vlasic now rumoured to be off to Italy Torino a rumour thats not going away.

So what now? our squad already depleted and the lack of performance yesterday regardless of the opposition has been seen all summer long in preseason.

I do not know what is going on and why we seem slow to react in the transfer market.....65/myself and others had been banging the Cornet drum most of the summer and before yet he finally arrives after Moyes persists in looking at unrealistic players who again said no to us....dragging his feet? board refusing to pay ridiculous transfer fees and wages? who do you believe really does not matter what does matter is the fact our squad is getting thinner and no signs of any urgency to rectify the matter.

Scamacca/Cornet/Downes all well and good but we need at least another four/five players but the speed we go in the market i am not sure we will get two in.

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