Forum | General Discussion

Declan Rice is a thoroughly decent young footballer, he plays with the same ability if not better than many seasoned professionals, so his opinion matters, particularly as he is seen as the eventual successor to Mark Noble as club captain should the club manage to hold on to his services despite the constant rumours regarding clubs keen to acquire the England International. So on first reading the headline for his comments regarding Jack Wilshere and the ex-Arsenal players return to the first team, most long suffering West Ham fans would agree, sadly it is ridiculous to suggest that Jack will ever be fit for more than the briefest of windows!

On closer inspection it transpires that Declan actually meant that Wilshere could make a significant difference to the team, perhaps the poor lad has been playing to much FIFA? He very kindly said "I think one thing that’s good for us now is that we don’t have anyone injured, everyone is back available and fit. ‘One player I want to see back playing is Jack Wilshere. I think he’ll make a difference, the guy is ridiculous in training, the quality he’s got, I just want to see him play injury-free again. I know that’s what he wants and he’ll make such a difference to our side, .........as well as everyone else?

Well, Jack Wilshere does make a difference to the club, however that difference is that his £100,000 per week wages could and should have been used so much more effectively, he has made just eight appearances for West Ham this season and sixteen in total over his nearly two years at the club, by the end of his contract he will have received £15 Million! There is a distinct possibility that by his contract's end he will have ended up costing an eye watering £600,000 per game, and that figure could be even higher eventually, but you have to take your cap off to his agent, what a guy? Not only does he negotiate insanely brilliant deals for his client, he is also able to get 'pet' newspapers like the Daily Mail and it's subsidiaries to run ludicrously optimistic but totally unreal stories about his client's perpetual return to fitness which has had more return dates than a Status Quo farewell tour.

You never know, as they say "there is a bum for every seat", and if the subterfuge about Wilshere's fitness works, it may have been part of a very 'cunning plan' to offload the midfielder, maybe Newcastle might believe he can walk on water, after all they took Andy Carroll back didn't they? And sometimes 'ridiculous' can happen, it just depends on your interpretation of the word. - Ed

Italian media sources are linking Sami Khedira with a move to either Wolves or West Ham, apparently he could be tempted into a move to London in order to follow his girlfriend Melanie Leupolz, who recently signed for Chelsea women. In other words Khedira fancies a 'bit of' London life and would like a 'wealthy' benefactor for what would be the final deal of his career, sounds familiar?

For too many years West Ham United have been the final destination for on loan or free transfer players looking for one final payday, although the term 'free transfer' is of course an antonym, due to the fact that there is always an agent involved and as everyone knows agents don't work for free! Calcio Mercato claimed earlier this month that the Hammers and Wolves want to sign the German World Cup winner this summer, David Moyes will undoubtedly be keen to strengthen his central midfield options this summer, but why on earth would he want to add an injury prone 33 year old to an already ageing squad?

Mark Noble will be 33 years old soon, and is clearly showing signs of slowing down, but that is the reason Tomas Soucek has been brought in from Sparta, and whilst Noble may have regressed this season he still represents a far better option than a player who 'was' good in the 2014 Champions League final. Waste of space, Carlos Sanchez, another dubious signing, is guaranteed to leave the club when the season is ended, whichever way it does. David Moyes will be looking to bring the average age of the first team down significantly and Khedira, with his problems with injuries over the years, is the sort of stop gap signing West Ham need to avoid.

Khedira is clearly not the player he once was, and although he was a top class performer on his day, he has only managed to play in 12 Serie A matches for Juventus this season, the German has averaged 1.2 tackles, 0.4 interceptions and 0.9 clearances, he averages 25.5 passes per game with a passable completion rate of 88.2% (Who Scored). However, at 33 years old Khedira would find it difficult to make the transition from Serie A to the Premier League, and quite frankly Wolves are welcome to him. Juventus are thought to be keen to offload the World Cup winner, so he might be available for a bargain fee.

This is one 'bargain' that West Ham need to give a very wide berth, bounce Sanchez, Roberto and Wilshere, bring in young talent from the lower leagues or promote from within the club's excellent youth teams, the U-23's are doing spectacularly well, why not use some of the wealth of talent available? Sanctioning the bringing in of old has been's must cease, bringing in unjaded youth players must become the club's modus operandi if it is to survive and prosper.

Khedira might be worth the risk for someone, but definitely NOT for the Irons.

There has been much debate as to how this suspended Barclays Premier League season can be brought to a satisfactory conclusion, there are so many variables, the outcomes of which having possibly profound effects on various clubs, particularly those in the relegation and promotion battles. The Government have just extended the Country's lock down for a further three weeks, and based on information from other countries those three weeks will more than likely be extended by a further three weeks as it is believed the 'peak' of the Covid 19 Pandemic has yet to hit the UK.

If the anticipated lock down extends for six weeks in total, which is probably the least amount of time, then the 7th of June would be the earliest possible date to resume football. If games were sanctioned, they would obviously have to be played either behind closed doors or in grounds with limited attendances that would have to be heavily 'policed' in order to ensure social distancing. Whatever scenario finally unfolds there will be winners and losers, Lady Brady did herself and the club a great disservice by saying the season should be finished as it stands, this would suit West Ham because of the club being outside the relegation zone on goal difference. There is also the fact that five of games remaining are home fixtures which would benefit David Moyes' men despite the London Stadium not always being the most comfortable place for the home side to play football.

At the other end of the table Liverpool could miss out on the title they so richly deserve, and the other European spots, with their commensurate financial benefits are still up for grabs, which might explain why Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder hopes there will not be a deadline set for the end of the campaign as his club have an outside chance of breaking in to Europe.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I'm sure that we will adjust accordingly. I think for the integrity of the competition and competitions, especially the top end of English football and European football, they'll want to finish the season. I believe that there will be an ability next year to adjust, with international breaks, with moving a few games into midweek. We have that ability through organisation and planning to finish this season off, but only as everybody said, and I'll reiterate that, when it's safe to do so for everybody. And that obviously we have to take our lead off the government and what they suggest and want us to do."

Well, he would say that wouldn't he? Not only would the season being played to fruition help his European aspirations, but it could also mean West Ham being sucked deeper into the relegation mire. There is no love lost between West Ham and Sheffield United due to 'Tevezgate', so it takes little imagination to see why Wilder would like the additional joy of seeing the club that 'so wronged' the blades that they went running to mummy! They did alright though, they got what now would not have been attainable due to strings being pulled in high places and certain skeletons in cupboards.

In fact the last 'gift' Sheffield United 'donated' to West Ham was the injury 'given' to Felipe Anderson, which kept him out of action for five weeks, just when he was really needed, forcing David Moyes to play an out of form, bereft of confidence Manuel Lanzini instead! - Ed

So, having experienced the high income trophy winning football he and his greedy brother craved, ex-Hammer Marko Arnoutovic has now decided he doesn't like being where he is. The Corona pandemic has meant a total closure of football in China, and just prior to the close down, strict wage limits were introduced that meant Chinese clubs were no longer the goose that laid the Golden Egg.

Time has moved on since 'Arnie' upped sticks and left, his departure left the club in the lurch, not only that but because of he and his brother's insistence and recalcitrant actions that 'forced' his move through to Shanghai SIPG, West Ham United were unable to get 'top dollar' for the want away striker. Arnoutovic's actions consequently cost the club around £15 Million in transfer fees that could have been attained had he held his horses, but at the end of the day the club decided, quite rightly, that his presence in the dressing room was toxic and that despite the fiscal hit that it was better for him to be gone.

Having had his cake and eaten it, the 30 year old Austrian has become decidedly 'home' sick and has taken to social media stating how he would like to return to the London Stadium, and while 'HE' prospered under the tutelage of David Moyes, the benefits were mainly one way, and as soon as Arnoutovic started to receive rave reviews his brother began wrangling for a move and more money in a similar way that he did when he 'engineered' his move from Stoke City.

Quite frankly Arnoutovic needs West Ham much more than the club needs him, and the nature of his departure will live long in the memory of most Hammers' fans, the general feeling being 'thanks but no thanks', you made your bed, now lie in it, or go and make love elsewhere as the literal interpretation goes to a well known expression! - Ed