Summer 2012 Transfer and Rumours Thread

[Cuenca 'ammer]

Saw this in a pub yesterday and it made me laugh.

"I had a wet dream about you last night."
"Did you ?"
"Yes I dreamed you got run over by a bus and I pissed myself laughing."

[Eric]

I think our priority has to be a balanced squad this summer - I still fundamentally believe the failure to have a balanced squad was the main reason for our last two relegations and not the manager.

I expect us to line up 4-2-3-1 and think we should fill out the squad accordingly. ...........................

Therefore required - two centre backs, physical striker, right back, left back, defensive/ball pressuring mid, right 'winger'

So basically, a new team then !!!!

[hammerdivone]

Who was it said we were deluded? Pfffttt!!!

[Tyneside]

For what it's worth, I'd really like Elia at Newcastle. As Harry would say, he's a triffic player. He's a bit of a livewire though and he won't always make the right decisions.

It's a shame Maynard didn't make more of an impression for you, I was always impressed by him too.

[Aztec Hammer]

Bradley Palmer just tweeted with his breaking news that we are looking at Guti...

That confirms it then

[Islington_Iron]

----------------Henderson
New RB---Tomks---Reid---Taylor
-------------------Diame
-----------Nolan---------Noble
---Elia-----------------------------Vaz Te
--------------------Cole

Bench: Jussi, Guti, Yakubu, Collison, Richardson, New CB, Maynard

Getting ahead of myself of course, but my word, what a team!

i think that's the one but i would rather have someone like James Collins instead of Reid. Let's not be forgetting Morrison who maybe could do a job if we don't get Elia

[The Gibbins]

It's a shame Maynard didn't make more of an impression for you, I was always impressed by him too.

To be fair hes been played out wide and quite clearly cant play there. Hes looked ok at times but he looks more of a poacher to me with better movement in a central position. Whether he will make the step up is an interesting one.

Cole and Vaz Te were in great form too second half of the season so he could never get a run in the side. Im still just as mystified about how good a player he is, as i was when we signed him in jan..

[RyanWHUFC]

i think that's the one but i would rather have someone like James Collins instead of Reid. Let's not be forgetting Morrison who maybe could do a job if we don't get Elia

I think if we don't get Elia there I'd go with a midfielder in a wide position and have one winger one side and a midfielder the other - Collison preferably.

[indiehammer]

Bradley Palmer just tweeted with his breaking news that we are looking at Guti...

That confirms it then

He's not the only one, 36 mins ago ...

Ian Abrahams‏@Moose_talkSPORT

Been told Guti will be coming on trial to West Ham

The guy is such a melon. Who has he been told by? Because we've all been told by Guti himself that he wont be trialling with any club.

[HamburgHammer]

So, IF Guti doesn't want to come on trial, how will Big Sam play this ? Will he decline outright and pull out of any deal ?
Has his scouting network maybe told him that Guti is still up for it, that he doesn't need a trial and deserves at least a one year contract ?

Do we consider Guti arrogant ? I suppose if you have achieved what he has, he is maybe right when he expects to be given a contract without having to go on trial. After all, he isn't exactly an unknown commodity, and scouts should know what he's capable of - after all until late last year he was still playing for Besiktas...

Even if he only plays as a super sub - him creating 10 goals for his teammates could be enough of a return to make this a good deal.

[The Gibbins]

I think it will be tough for Guti to get a deal anywhere without a trial. Its not about his quality as anyone will know how good he is... But hes not played competitively since November so teams will want to know his level of fitness before giving him a contract.

And so they should!
I cant see him expecting a deal without some sort of trial.

[ryanrc]

Elia...he won't always make the right decisions.

That's good news, he might come to us then!

[Islington_Iron]

I think if we don't get Elia there I'd go with a midfielder in a wide position and have one winger one side and a midfielder the other - Collison preferably.

Yeah would be good if hes over his injuries. Maybe Gary O'Neil will play a big part next year, was a bit of an unsung hero when he came back from injury and his good form was at the same time as our best run of the season.

[Johnny Byrne's Boots]

The passes Guti finds in the compilation video are superb, but quite a few of the finishes were rather special as well. Do we have the firepower to convert them?

[RyanWHUFC]

Yeah would be good if hes over his injuries. Maybe Gary O'Neil will play a big part next year, was a bit of an unsung hero when he came back from injury and his good form was at the same time as our best run of the season.

Definitely mate, and yep I think Gary O'neil was very important for us in the last part of the season, the bloke runs his b*llocks off and closes down well. Either him or Collison on a wing if we don't bring in Elia will do for me, or put O'neil with Noble/Diame in midfield.

[EastleighHammer16]

The thing i worry about is Guti is on another level to our forward players, in the youtube vid he is playing with the likes of ronaldo zidane benzema etc. we have carlton cole, I love Coley, but he isn't quite at the same level as benzema and co. yet.

[RyanWHUFC]

The thing i worry about is Guti is on another level to our forward players, in the youtube vid he is playing with the likes of ronaldo zidane benzema etc. we have carlton cole, I love Coley, but he isn't quite at the same level as benzema and co. yet.

If it was the case that Guti was to come, then Baldock should be kept, I noticed too often last season in the games he was involved in where he'd make a clever run behind, or get into a good space only for the ball not to be threaded through to him. Like I said if Guti comes Baldock should be kept IMO as if Guti has still got the vision to pick out a pass Baldock is the man who'll get on the end of it.

[HammersBiggestFan27]

Guti's 36, maybe he could teach our youngsters, but he isn't going to be fit enough to play every week.

Or is this the masterstroke of Big Sam, that brings the class back to West Ham?

[ChipperBo]

Yeah would be good if hes over his injuries. Maybe Gary O'Neil will play a big part next year, was a bit of an unsung hero when he came back from injury and his good form was at the same time as our best run of the season.

It's worth noting that after O'Neil got hurt against Aston Villa in 2011 (game was tied 1-1 at the time and we lost 1-2) we only got one point (from 6 games) the rest of the season. Not sure he should be a starter this season but I think he is a bit underrated on here. Important defensive player.

[indiehammer]

So, IF Guti doesn't want to come on trial, how will Big Sam play this ? Will he decline outright and pull out of any deal ?
Has his scouting network maybe told him that Guti is still up for it, that he doesn't need a trial and deserves at least a one year contract ?

I think the whole trial thing has been completely made up. The only thing that was quoted in the Sun article was that we are in negotiations with Guti, the trial thing was merely something the journo has presumably heard from someone else and not Guti's English representative.

If Sam did want Guti to come on trial, surely this would have been mentioned in preliminary discussions with the player?