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Not Quite An RB Signing But Close

nevillenixon's picture
Submitted by nevillenixon on Thu, 28/07/2022 - 18:18

Much attention has been given to David Moyes' Red Bull blue print for taking West Ham forward as a club that can genuinely look to upset the established order by challenging for a top six spot on a regular basis and be there ready to pounce should another 'elite' club slip up!

Buying young keen players who will have a proper sell on value is part of the Red Bull template, so David Moyes most recent target doesn't make sense on paper at least, that is because Filip Kostic is 29 years old and turns 30 in November so he is definitely no spring chicken. The marauding Eintrecht Frankfurt left wing back is however coveted by Moyes AND Rob Newman which is why the club has pursued his signature, the fact that he shares the same agent as Gianluca Scamacca is obviously a potential deal clincher.

Aaron Cresswell, the player Kostic would replace is only three years older, but needs must and despite being a loyal servant Cresswell doesn't have the legs to keep up with the total madness of a Premier league season anymore, that is not to say his services aren't required and bearing in mind how many extra games the club is likely to play it will be a case of all hands to the pumps as the team plays Sundays and Thursdays!

A Club insider has hinted that a Friday meeting for West Ham to sign assist king Kostic from Frankfurt has been scheduled with his agent, but any moves for Piotr Zielinski have been dismissed as pure 'agent specualation'.

That is despite reports in Italy from Corriere dello Sport and Football Italia yesterday that claimed West Ham have made two bids for Zielinski and offered up to €36 Million (£30Million) for the Poland midfield ace, which is really close to Napoli’s valuation. It is almost double the original reported offer and suggests the Irons were serious about getting their hands on the 72-capped star, but it appears things have changed.

Kostic is definitely an upgrade compared with Cresswell, although only a few years younger he would make an excellent stop gap until a long term successor can be found and at the price he is available for is surely worth acquiring despite the fact that he would have little or no sell on value. Needs must and must needs, it may not be a perfect solution but it IS a workable one and another important box that can be ticked ahead of the season's opening. - Ed

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Be Careful What You Wish For-You Might Just Get It!

Submitted by Louis Nixon on Thu, 28/07/2022 - 13:20

"You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometime, you'll find you get what you need!" so sang Mick Jagger and recently Hammers fans have been waking up to the dawn of a new West Ham transfer reality, with the club actually achieving what they set out to do! The injury to Nayef Aguerd was a big set back. but the 'flow' of players coming in has become something of a torrent since the initial 'tepid' toe dipping when the transfer window opened.

There was a wish list common to management, owners AND fans that HAD to be fulfilled if there was to be any chance of the team carrying on the momentum achieved in the last couple of seasons, surprisingly the list IS being filled! With the 2nd oldest squad in the Premier league something had to be done and quickly, player retirements and contracts ending left the club with a bit of a mountain to climb JUST to tread water, but it seems as if the mountain has come to the Moyesiah in the form of Gianluca Scamacca.

The 'inked one' has something a bit special about him, in music circles he would be described as someone with the 'shine', because that is what he has. News emerging of PSG's late hijack attempt being rebuffed despite a salary gazump must surely be refreshing to Hammers fans who for too long had to put up with a fair few mercenaries rocking up at the club. 'Scammer' stuck to his word and signed on the dotted line, it is obvious he intends to use the club as a springboard, but so what? He can help the club, the club can help him, simples, at just 23 years of age he has the world at his feet and is young enough to develop with the club and hopefully be there for the journey.

A new left back, a back up central defender, a couple of midfielders and ANOTHER striker would see David Moyes with a formidable team at his disposal, one fully capable of competing for a top six spot and maybe even better! Given the chance David Moyes CAN build a top top team, he might even break through the glass ceiling of really winning something. Perhaps the words Jagger sang might be listened to by fans yearning for a bit of success who might need just a little more patience, "You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometime, you'll find you get what you need!" - LN

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Hammers 49'Errs Link

nevillenixon's picture
Submitted by nevillenixon on Wed, 27/07/2022 - 20:54

The list reads like a footballing recruitment crime sheet of an offender who will never mend their ways despite all their "I promise I will Guvnor" protestations. Perennial offenders David Sullivan and David "I was born in Green Street" Gold, aided and abetted by the patroness of the dark arts herself Lady Brady, preceded over a litany of failures which veered between the ludicrous and the unlucky, the one thing all the signings had in common was a lack of due diligence in exchange for a bargain 'once in lifetime opportunity financed on the never' mentality.

We have left the list until the end of the article in case you are viewing on your phone and don't want to risk running your battery too low! But it is frightening.. So when it came to striker number FIFTY during the board's tenure there was a distinct feeling that the RIGHT player had to be signed, although early green shoots had been poking through the manure that progress was being made with the knowledgeable and approved signing of players like Jarrod Bowen, made by the manager FOR the TEAM, not for the board, nor for the fans, but for the good of the team, again NOT to appease disenfranchised fans!

Hammers HAVE had a slight advantage over some clubs during this transfer window due to the ability to pay for deals up front or at least on terms that are ACCEPTABLE to the selling teams, this makes a massive difference in many ways. The main thrust being David Moyes ability to switch transfer targets should the selling club or player begin to have cold feet or get greedy, such has been the case with the club's acquisition of Gianluca Scamacca instead of long sought after target Armano Broja from Chelsea who were insisting on a loan or buy back deal.

We are NOT saying that Broja won't turn up at Hammers 'goose green' training ground in the next couple of weeks, but if he does arrive, it will be on David Moyes's terms, NOT Chelsea's. Moyes is looking to build on the progress made by his side during his 2nd full campaign in charge, and he sees players like Broja as an important part of that vision for the future. The West Londoners might have had their debt written off, but they don't have their sugar daddy to go out and finance flights of fancy' anymore, they will now have to operate like a proper business and seek board approval for significant outlays, of which there need to be many!

Broja had been watched continuously by Moyes and Rob Newman last season and it was decided that they would sanction a move for the Slough born 20 year old Albanian, he scored a few goals on loan at Southampton and was looking to get game time when Chelsea decided to send Romelu Lukaku out on loan, leaving them extremely light in the striking department.

Broja has been compared with Erling Haaland, and his performances for Chelsea's under-23s side earned him his loan deal to the Saints last season, but it is highly doubtful if the 'Saints can come marching in' for him due to the finances involved, also he has attracted attention from other clubs. Gamers may participate in the auction if they play JokerCasino online come September. Broja is contracted at Chelsea who are ONLY interested in doing a loan deal, but the youngster could become disenfranchised and a further deal could be on the cards as he looks to gain first-team experience elsewhere.

As it is West Ham have done really well to attract Scamacca to East london, but if they could somehow find a way of 'buying' Broja it would be seen as a major coup, part of a controlled attempt at breaking into the top six of the Premier league on a regular basis.

With those thoughts in mind the list of 'crimes' below won't make such BAD reading. - Ed

Mido: 2010 (Goals: 0)

Benni McCarthy: 2010 (Goals: 0)

Frederic Piquionne: 2010 (Goals: 11)

Ilan: 2010 (Goals: 4)

Pablo Barrera: 2010 (Goals: 0)

Victor Obinna: 2010 (Goals: 8)

Demba Ba: 2010 (Goals: 7)

Robbie Keane: 2011 (Goals: 2)

Sam Baldock: 2011 (Goals: 5)

Brian Montenegro: 2011 (Goals: 0)

John Carew: 2011 (Goals: 2)

Nicky Maynard: 2012 (Goals: 4)

Joe Dixon: 2012 (Goals: 0)

Ricardo Vaz Te: 2012 (Goals: 19)

Andy Carroll: 2012 (Goals: 34)

Wellington Paulista: 2013 (Goals: 0)

Marouane Chamakh: 2013 (Goals: 0)

Sean Maguire: 2012 (Goals: 0)

Modibo Maiga: 2013 (Goals: 7)

Mladen Petric: 2013 (Goals: 0)

Carlton Cole: 2013 (Goals: 8)

Jaanai Gordon: 2014 (Goals: 0)

Marco Borriello: 2014 (Goals: 0)

Mauro Zarate: 2014 (Goals: 7)

Enner Valencia: 2014 (Goals: 10)

Diafra Sakho: 2014 (Goals: 24)

Nene: 2015 (Goals: 0)

Martin Samuelsen: 2015 (Goals: 0)

Nikica Jelavic: 2015 (Goals: 2)

Luka Belic: 2015 (Goals: 0)

Michail Antonio: 2015 (Goals: 60)

Emmanuel Emenike: 2016 (Goals: 2)

Sofiane Feghouli: 2016 (Goals: 4)

Toni Martinez: 2016 (Goals: 0)

Ashley Fletcher: 2016 (Goals: 1)

Simone Zaza: 2016 (Goals: 0)

Jonathan Calleri: 2016 (Goals: 1)

Andre Ayew: 2016 (Goals: 12)

Marko Arnautovic: 2017 (Goals: 22)

Javier Hernandez: 2017 (Goals: 17)

Jordan Hugill: 2018 (Goals:0)

Oladapo Afolayan: 2018 (Goals: 1)

Andriy Yarmolenko: 2018 (Goals: 10)

Xande Silva: 2018 (Goals: 0)

Lucas Perez: 2018 (Goals: 6)

Mesaque Dju: 2019 (Goals: 0)

Sebastien Haller: 2019 (Goals: 14)

Albian Ajeti: 2019 (Goals: 0)

Jarrod Bowen: 2020 (Goals: 26)

Gianluca Scamacca: 2022 (Goals: TBC)

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Will Scamacca be the new Ashton

Oldtimehammer's picture
Submitted by Oldtimehammer on Tue, 26/07/2022 - 08:40

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I have spent the last day or so looking at what appears to be our next signings videos and he is a very bigman indeed much like Dean Ashton and also like Dean you think because of there size they really are just a BIG man upfront to hit but they are clearly much more than that and i see a lot of similarities in how they play.

Both score different types of goals not just the header in the box holding the ball up and bringing others into play good movement for big men yes i do like what i see and this young man is clearly a Moyes type of player something Haller could never be as he was never a back to defender to receive a ball lay off and spin.

I am encouraged by what i have seen of this player so i cannot wait to see him in a West Ham shirt but i also hope he does not suffer the same fate as Ashton did such a shame he got injured the way he did.

Aguerd has ankle surgery

mcbikeman's picture
Submitted by mcbikeman on Mon, 25/07/2022 - 20:11

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Well its good to see our injury curse is alive and running and now they are talking about Oggy starting against Citeh...they have been quite rightly managing his recovery from such a major injury now they want to rush him back with barely any game time preseason i see problems afoot...guess we shall see with our last friendly this weekend to come.

Dwight Mc Who?

nevillenixon's picture
Submitted by nevillenixon on Mon, 25/07/2022 - 17:35

A cognitive Pyschocologist would have difficulty in understanding the wherewith alls and eccentricities of West Ham United's transfer activities if they were a person, one minute pleading poverty and the next minute embarking on wildly expensive extravagancies.

Of course Hammers fans don't need to go to Uni for four years and then spend a further four studying to know all about the Club's 'spend schitzhophrenia', you learn it as a nipper growing up, the smoke and mirrors are as clear as a cockney rythming slang booklet purchased at incoming airports by American tourists wanting to 'DO' Green street!

So on the one hand the club is breaking the bank that already had a hole in the wall in order to fund the arrival of 'Gian(t)luca Scaramanga' or Gianluca Scamacca to give him his correct 'Wiki', while simultaneously attempting to 'lure' Dwight Mc Neil from relegated Burnley.

Now it is one thing to 'cover' possible eventualities when it comes to signings, but it is another thing entirely to cover questionable 'elite' acquisitions that might require 'heart surgery' by standing by with some plasters from the £1 store! However this IS West Ham we are referring to, so lining up Dwight Mc Who? from Burnley to cover for the Italian hitman from near Milan seems perfectly in line with the club's LSD or Magic Mushroom induced Psychedelic transfer activities of the past and not too distant past in the case of Nikola Vlasic.

Yes there is a need for an ADDITIONAL striker as well as Scaramanga, maybe even two, BUT Mc Neil is NO better than several of the youth players on Hammers books, imagine how Thierry Nevers or Armstrong Okoflex would feel to see there progress through the ranks thwarted by someone, who has previously not covered themselves in much glory, arriving from another club and usurping them from the pecking order?

The Board and the manager and his various assistants have a chance to make a 'big' statement between now and the end of the transfer window, their actions will dictate whether it is their intention for the club to aim for mid table respectability and safety or attempt to truly mix it with the Big Boys - Ed

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Hammer65 wont be happy

mcbikeman's picture
Submitted by mcbikeman on Mon, 25/07/2022 - 07:56

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Forest chasing Cornet now......i like him as a player and 65 mentioned him more than once this summer and at £19million a no brainer surely he could be the answer on the left side we are looking for but it looks like that will be well i say will more like likely/probably/possibly/maybe/a chance/of it being Kostic a smaller fee than Cornet but he is 29 so another short term answer........and if we do not sign anyone this week well man the ramparts i predict a riot!

Luton game my thoughts

mcbikeman's picture
Submitted by mcbikeman on Sat, 23/07/2022 - 17:16

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Its another friendly and yes i know it is all about fitness and getting legs back but i have to admit there are a few worrying signs for me at the back in particular i thought Zouma was lazy at times plodding around is he carrying excess timber? Johnson this time playing centreback he also did not fill me with confidence....and christ the play from the back keeper to Zouma who got away with a few things today this simply has to stop we will give away so many goals if we do that during the season.

Soucek i can see why Moyes wanted shot of him he only scored again ffs...Rice really did not look interested Bowen looked busy if not doing a lot Coufal for me the best player for us today going forward.

Things to work on for sure and one of those has to be Antonios first touch it is woeful.....Benny boy quiet again Lanzini on for him but he was knocked off the ball to easy...yes it is a friendly but bloody hell we have one more game before the real deal and if Moyes and co are happy with what they are seeing then we are in trouble.

Gian(t)luca Scamacca Fe Fi Fo Fums To Irons

nevillenixon's picture
Submitted by nevillenixon on Sat, 23/07/2022 - 12:24

Whisper it quietly but it has only taken David Moyes and West Ham nearly two years to replace one 'towering' striker with another, 6'5" Gianluca Scamacca is scheduled in for a medical on Monday as the club loooks to finalise his transfer from Sassuolo to London.

Although his height would seem to be his greatest asset, Gian(t)luca is far more nimble on his feet the forward he replaced Sebastien Haller. Haller is currently undergoing emergency treatment for testicular cancer, the whole of the West Ham 'family' have been unanimous in sending the Frenchman their best wishes for a speedy recovery and hope that he will again be strutting his stuff in the not too distant future.

Sassuolo drove a hard bargain for the player who joined them from PSV Eindhoven for a nominal fee four years ago, the final fee agreed with West Ham being around the £30.5 Million mark give or two the odd couple of Million in add ons. At just 23 years old Giantluca has years ahead of him and when he does eventually get sold on it will be for a favourable profit given how sought after 'top' strikers are.

Personal terms have NOT been agreed yet, so there is still the possibility of old nemesis' Tottingham or newly minted New'caste'l sticking their respective oars in! Hopefully Moyes and Newman have anticipated a late 'showing of interest' more out of spite than need by both the London club and the stonechuckers.

If the deal goes through smoothly it does present David Moyes with a conundrum, he can't exactly leave a £30 Million plus signing on the bench can he? So what does he do with big Ant? He could move Mikey out on to the wing, a position that he is naturally suited to, but who makes way and will they be happy?

Part of managing a 'big club' is keeping big ego's happy and content, David Moyes has never been known to have a 'gentle bedside' manner, so it will be interesting to see how he copes with keeping a ship containing HIS signings happily afloat.

Even when Scamacca is confirmed as Moyes' fourth signing there is still an awful lot of transfer work to do if the team are to continue 'feasting' at or near the top of the table, dining with the best costs REAL money, not Love Island tokens picked up on the cheap!

A left back, an additional attacking midfielder and also a utility defensive player are an absolute necessity, that is apart from the gaps that have been left vacant by player departures which also need to be filled. The club simply CANNOT go into the new season with another 'bare bones' squad, it simply will NOT work again!

It is little short of miraculous how high the club has finished over the last couple of seasons, the luck WILL run out without serious investment both in the short AND long term. We are NOT referencing the Lingard will he or won't he deal when talking about the money for deals, the player either wants to stay in the North of England or he IS indeed being paid a king's ransom, either way he is gone now and highly unlikely EVER to wear the Claret & Blue again, unless he signs for Villa or Burnley in the future!

Moyes and Newman are going to have their work cut out, GSB and K might have to allow 'open surgery' with their cheque books if the 'patient' is to become hale and hearty! - Ed

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