Forum | General Discussion

Even Doris the Tea Lady has come in for a battering because of West Ham's dreadful January transfer window, and she retired FIVE years ago! The club's lack of any successful transfer activity has made it a laughing stock as it approaches the 2nd part of the season, the "we tried but ultimately failed" message received is being treated with the absolute contempt it deserves.

Two elements DID actually hinder the club's transfer window, firstly other club's 'fear of trading with West Ham who they now see as serious rivals, not only Manchester United but also LIVERPOOL, who we have learned REFUSED outright to sanction ANY deals with the Irons for Nat Phillips OR Divock Origi.

The 2nd element is paradoxical in that Kurt Zouma's recovery from injury WAY ahead of schedule, negated the urgent need for a replacement, hence the cooling of interest in bringing Caleta-Car from Marseille during the January window. Then there is Mikey Antonio's new fitness and diet regime that has seen him somehow manage to avoid his perennial hamstring issues, so far. Three ultimately pointless games, played across the other side of the World for Jamaica in only SEVEN DAYS, will see just how well his new regime has helped on his eventual return!

However it is an absolutely outrageous risk going into the remainder of the season without sufficient backup for either player, Hammers seriously run the risk of becoming a busted flush if EITHER player picks up a long term injury. Hopefully David Moyes has been able to tear himself away from the Agent e-mails and video clips that blight the transfer window, in order to work with the payers he DOES have at his disposal, including as we have been banging on about, the Youth players who are itching to replace the likes of Yarmolenko, they are the future whereas he is the past and a very expensive one at that! - LN

The fall out from Hammers' less than impressive transfer window continues to rumble on, however it is what it was and now the club AND its fans have to move on. Before the Board return to the scene of the crime in Stratford, there is the highly anticipated FA Cup game away to Kidderminster Harriers to negotiate, a game which is being televised by the BBC in the hope of a giant killing, many journalists are already dusting down their giant killing phrases for the game, "you must be Kidding" or "Hammers Hopes Killed Off", you get the drift EVERYONE and his Aunt will be wanting the underdogs to win!

In a way the FA Cup tie 'buys' the Hammers hierarchy a few more days before having to face up to the fan discontent, caused by the club's January transfer window inactivity. It is impossible to gloss over the fact that there have been no new signings, but the choppy waters can be smoothed by a couple of tweaks to the squad.

Promoting Emmanuel Longelo to the 1st team as a cover for left back Aaron Cresswell is an absolute MUST, instead of relying on Authur Masuaku who is a total liability as a left back, but acceptable as a left winger.
 Next up David Moyes HAS TO include one of the forwards available to him from the Youth set up or from the U-23's, with Thierry Nevers being one definite option, ANYONE except for Andriy Yarmolenko!

Surely an intelligent man like David Moyes must know how negative the Ukrainian International's introduction as a substitute is, there are a LOT of fans who choose to leave the stadium once Moyes has brought the outrageously overpaid left footer on! Having Nevers, Perkins or Oko-Flex come on for the last 25 minutes would give the Stadium a lift, as opposed to the mass 'downer' effect that a Yarmolenko appearance engenders.

Use the force Moysie, fans will forgive and forget if "one of their own '' makes another appearance or debuts successfully, after all as the expression goes "If they are good enough, they are old enough". David Moyes has specifically mentioned that he will NOT bring players in who are not as good as those he has at his disposal, well you rejected the rest, now utilising what you already have will be the test! - LN

DIEGO COSTA

Panic not all ye of the Hammers faith, who needs to pay good money for players when there are freebies and kids available? Although the previous sentence was meant to be 'tongue in cheek', the reality is that freebies and kids are the ONLY way forward for West Ham until NEXT JUNE!

The recriminations have already begun, which in themselves ironically serve as a decoy to the actual matter in hand, which is where does the club go to from now? You can give the owners as many verbal kickings as you like, but it won't change diddly squat! The fact is Hammers have either got to promote from within, or delve into the dreaded 'unattached' market.

However before opting for a bit of metaphoric wrist slashing as a result of Hammers' disastrous transfer window, it is worth considering who IS actually available. There are plenty of out of contract players around, most are journeymen or players who couldn't cut it at their clubs hence their release, but there is ONE player who IS available, who DOES know the Premier League well and who COULD be brought in at a days notice, Diego Costa!

The former Atletico Madrid and Chelsea striker IS unattached and IS available on a free transfer, David Moyes was interested in signing the 33 year old back in January of last year. Costa, who bears more than a passing resemblance to Butch from the Sootie & Sweep puppet show for kids, has a fine record during his time in the game. He has scored 196 goals in 519 games games for club and country and has also won two Premier League titles and has two La Liga winner’s medals to his name.

As for the 'kids', Hammers are spoiled for choice with Aji Alese, 21, Jamal Baptiste, 18, Thierry Nevers 19, Armstrong Okoflex, 19 and Sonny Perkins, 17, all knocking at the manager's door for 1st team game time. It is worth remembering newly installed Everton manager, ex-Hammer Frank Lampard, has his most successful spell as a manager when he was at Chelsea during the time of their transfer embargo, when he was forced to use the youth players at his disposal.

It is NOT an ideal situation in ANY way! But the club has to get on with it now, using the 'young bloods' in ADDITION to the major players that have been retained, well at least for the next six months, could work. But it would also help no end if the club were to give 'Butch' a bash! Why not?- Ed

Divock Origi was a practical and attainable transfer target in the January window, when all the 'lunar' bids had been tried and failed why on earth did Hammers not 'lump on' Origi? He was available and accessable so what went wrong? Did the club REALLY think they could get the Darwin Nunez deal over the line from across the other side of the World, on deadline day, in the MIDDLE of the South American World Cup qualifiers?

We think NOT! Over the course of GSB's tenure and now the GKSB, we have bent over backwards in order to try and be positive, on the principal that positivity breeds positivity, but enough is enough! Thinly veiled promises of 'mystical' transfer activities won't wash anymore, it is plain to see that the current board have absolutely NO intention of spending ANY serious money until Daniel Kretinsky takes over as the full owner in March 2023. Gold & Sullivan must give 20 per cent of profits to the ground's landlord - the London Legacy Development Corporation - if they sell the club for more than £300 Million before that date, so March 2023 is the earliest they will depart.

Possibly in the longer term, Kretinsky will bring a level of joined up thinking and relative honesty that has been lacking ever since the beginning of the GSB era. If you were the 'Kretin in the Sky', why would you bankroll the team and let the people who are just about to sell up for an enormous profit take all the credit?

Kretinsky's main aim will be to shore up Declan Rice and others on decent long term contracts, irrespective of having to pay market rate, a concept completely off of Gold and Sullivan's radar! The ineptitude displayed during the window was a direct reflection of how endemic the scatter gun, smoke and mirrors approach to transfers has been at the club since the arrival of GSB.

GSB's departure will herald a new era of 'reality football', it might not always be pretty or4 desirable, but it will probably be sustainable, without all the bullshit! People say "there is no use crying over spilled milk", to which we say "yes there is, if you force yourself to learn from the experience and accept the mistakes you made".- ED