The January Transfer Window 2020

[Faithless]

Like DL pointed out on another thread, if we get relegated then the value of the club and players drops. GSB gain nothing from relegation.

Which I completely agree with. That just makes this the most bafflingly transfer window under these jokers. I know how they operate but right now if they truly can't see that out squad lacks quality, energy, fitness, pace, leadership and athleticism (not more injury proneness) and requires immediate strengthening to avoid relegation then I'm totally at a loss as to what they're doing.

[bubbles1966]

Yes, but he will help Rice and help us retain possession.

Joe Allen may or may not be a reasonable addition, but he ain't turning this tanker around.

The point where micro surgery might have done the trick has been passed.

[wormley]

we will not get our West ham back until they do here's hoping its f ING soon

We lost 'our' West Ham when they sold the Boleyn. It's never coming back.

[Hammer1972]

then I'm totally at a loss as to what they're doing.

They are doing nothing. They are so inept that they thought bringing back Moyes would solve everything and they simply don't understand how their master plan isn't working...

[Faithless]

They are doing nothing. They are so inept that they thought bringing back Moyes would solve everything and they simply don't understand how their master plan isn't working...

Possibly.

For all their faults and ineptitude of which there are many, they're very good at enriching themselves, £40m now to guarantee £150m (think that's right) next year and keep them on the gravy train and inline for their repayments and maintain the potential resale value of the club is something even Sully Jr understands.

2 or 3 signings now and we might just make it across the line without that...well... we're ****ed

[Johnny Byrne's Boots]

....................................

GSB gain nothing from relegation.

The rent on the stadium reduces but the operating costs, born by E20 (or whatever they're called this week) stay largely the same. This will increase pressure on the public purse and make it more likely they'll want to offload it for whatever they can get.

Stratford Phoenix is rubbing its hands already. Loverly jubberly.

[bubbles1966]

In the first season of a relegation they'd flog almost every player they could. The hoped for exceptions would be Fredericks, Cresswell, Rice and Antonio.

Realistic fees on relegation....

Fabianski £5m
Masuaku £5m
Balbuena £5m
Ogbonna £6m
Diop £25m (they might try to retain).
Anderson £25m
Lanzini £15m
Fornals £15m
Yarmolenko £7m
Haller £25m
Ajeti £5m

Telly money covered, many debts covered, then spend about £30m on players like Andre Gray, Reece Burke, Sam Byram - borrow some from Arsenal, spurs, Chelsea.

Year two/three is when the crap hits the fan.

[Peaches]

I think the biggest thing we need in this or any transfer window is a proper director of football. I’d bring in an experienced football president / director for the Woodward/ Brady role and Joe Cole in as deputy. Every tine he speaks, he comes off as having an understanding of football, of the premier league, of West Ham and of his to organize a football club.

[ereford ammer]

I think the biggest thing we need in this or any transfer window is a proper director of football. I’d bring in an experienced football president / director for the Woodward/ Brady role and Joe Cole in as deputy. Every tine he speaks, he comes off as having an understanding of football, of the premier league, of West Ham and of his to organize a football club.

I can't agree more but I suppose Sully and Sons 'working tirelessly' is their idea of being professional. The Dildo Gang are so out of their depth.

[TheHandOfDog]

We have needed to sign people from Jan 1st, it's a week until the window closes. We are in free fall and clearly our squad isn't good enough. If we do not sign someone worth while we are actually going down. And who can you even bring in during this window that will hit the ground running? Man when I think about that it's clear we are ****ed.

[Ironing Board]

Joe Allen may or may not be a reasonable addition, but he ain't turning this tanker around.

The point where micro surgery might have done the trick has been passed.

The problem is we don’t have enough “old pros” who know how grind out crucial wins. People like Nolan and Parker were the sort of guys you could rely on, even when you are struggling.

Interestingly, West Brom have a strong British/English core of players and I think that helps them.

[keithwright1977]

The trouble we now have is if we get any players in they might struggle as fornals has and we definitely cannot afford to wait for 5 games for them to make an impact. We are in a dire situation, we have pulled through it before but only to end up in the same position, there is nothing to get excited about the Hammers anymore, it’s just draining

[HammerMan2004]

https://www.nottinghampost.com/sport/fo ... er-3778406

No bid at all for Matty Cash according to Moyes.

[Believer]

If we are buying anyone I'd buy for the championship. Absolutely pointless bringing in any big names who will only be here for their own benefit and knowing they'll leave when the inevitable happens.

Players from championship, SPL, even the first division. We need players that want to play for us. We also need to find a Scotty Parker or a Kevin Nolan - a player who will galvanise the team. We need a cohesive plan with our recruitment instead of names out a hat.

First thing I'd do this week is bring in an established DoF. Let him assess the squad and start getting players sold whilst appointing a scouting team.

This is a huge project that needs to be run by competent people. Unfortunately Sullivan won't address the issues. He will give Mckay cart blanche of the purse strings and so we will plod on.

[bubbles1966]

I think the biggest thing we need in this or any transfer window is a proper director of football. I’d bring in an experienced football president / director for the Woodward/ Brady role and Joe Cole in as deputy. Every tine he speaks, he comes off as having an understanding of football, of the premier league, of West Ham and of his to organize a football club.

What we need is a proper appreciation of what works, and who and what we are.

We are a middling English/British football club. We should not imagine ourselves as some european giant - even if we could be one day and we already have the money to compete.

The identity of the team and the club should be mostly British/Irish. I’d argue that the homegrown quota of 8 within the 25 man squad should be replaced by a non-homegrown quota for our club. 40% at most. That would focus recruitment from elsewhere on quality - instead of cheap filler dross. It would essentially curtail the likelihood of ‘Arry’s Foreign Legion, Nani and Zola’s Serie A rubbish and Pellegrini’s latin mishaps. It would also drive the need to develop and trust our own.

The manager always needs to be someone who is able to demonstrate a willingness to blend physique with technique. Any manager who drifts too far in the direction of either should be a no-go.

The manager should have a current record of relative success.

The club should not sign outfield players who are past their 30th birthday as a general rule.

No more than 1 in 10 outfield signings (permanent or loan) should be past their 30th birthday.

All contracts should be limited to the season end after the 30th birthday, with any renewal offered annually and for just one year at a time, unless in exceptional circumstances.

No player should be signed who does not have two successive injury free years immediately prior to signing.

The club should have a clear age structure for it’s goalkeeping group. A senior (32+), an intermediate (25-30) and a junior (18-24).

[bubbles1966]

The problem is we don’t have enough “old pros” who know how grind out crucial wins

If there is one thing we ain't short of, it's old pros.

[GH27]

[/quote]
What we need is a proper appreciation of what works, and who and what we are.
We are a middling English/British football club. We should not imagine ourselves as some european giant - even if we could be one day and we already have the money to compete.

The identity of the team and the club should be mostly British/Irish. I’d argue that the homegrown quota of 8 within the 25 man squad should be replaced by a non-homegrown quota for our club. 40% at most. That would focus recruitment from elsewhere on quality - instead of cheap filler dross. It would essentially curtail the likelihood of ‘Arry’s Foreign Legion, Nani and Zola’s Serie A rubbish and Pellegrini’s latin mishaps. It would also drive the need to develop and trust our own.

The manager always needs to be someone who is able to demonstrate a willingness to blend physique with technique. Any manager who drifts too far in the direction of either should be a no-go.

The manager should have a current record of relative success.

The club should not sign outfield players who are past their 30th birthday as a general rule.

No more than 1 in 10 outfield signings (permanent or loan) should be past their 30th birthday.

All contracts should be limited to the season end after the 30th birthday, with any renewal offered annually and for just one year at a time, unless in exceptional circumstances.

No player should be signed who does not have two successive injury free years immediately prior to signing.

The club should have a clear age structure for it’s goalkeeping group. A senior (32+), an intermediate (25-30) and a junior (18-24).
[/quote]

Excellent post.

[Cellar-door]

If there is one thing we ain't short of, it's old pros.

Agreed

Old pros are exactly what we have, and exactly what a PL side should have very few of, and those mostly on the bench. We're where we are because we leaned of old players consistently while the rest of the league was continually getting younger, faster and more skilled.

Liverpool have 3 field players 30 or older, they've made a COMBINED 17 starts
Man City have 3 field players 30 or older combined 47 starts (also it's Aguero, Silva and Fernandinho)
Leicester have 5 field player 30 or older combined 56 starts (46 of those from Evans and Vardy)
Chelsea have 3 field players 30 or older with 43 starts (41 from Willian and Azpilicueta)
Man United have 3 field players 30 or older combined 24 starts

WE HAVE: 7 players 30 or over with a combined 85 starts (none over 20 so nicely spread around)

[Sir_Trevor]

Old pros are exactly what we have, and exactly what a PL side should have very few of, and those mostly on the bench. We're where we are because we leaned of old players consistently while the rest of the league was continually getting younger, faster and more skilled.

WE HAVE: 7 players 30 or over with a combined 85 starts (none over 20 so nicely spread around)

Just watching the cup games today, the thing that is so noticeable is the speed and energy with which other teams move the ball and attack - I noticed how Leicester were absolutely electric straight out of the traps today and I just watched even Sheff U's 2nd goal which was so fluent in the build up.

But, worse still, even the lower division teams like Brentford and Hull were showing so much more energy and fluency than us. It's like we're playing a different sport altogether!

And then, when I think of that Wolves v Liverpool game on Thursday night, the stark contrast with what we see week in week out is just frightening.

But, the even more scary thing is that the problem for us runs through the whole team, from the defenders walking out through Noble in the middle slowing everything to walking pace and to Haller up front giving absolutely no movement or options to enable them to play the ball any quicker or earlier. I really can't see how we can begin to adress such an endemic problem.

That said, the one time we do come alive is when Antonio comes on and puts himself about with a bit of pace and power. How anyone connceted to our club cannot see the difference that a bit more like that could make is beyond me.

[Peaches]

I can see us getting out of this mess, but we require at least 3, probably 4 significant signings, and a fifth to be sure. If we can shift and underperformer or two we would need to sign 6 players. We are at least looking in the right direction with interest in Matty Cash and Tomas Soucek, Those two would be a start. We would still need a paced box to box midfielder like Kessie and at least one Forward like Bowen, Ollie Watkins or Piatek. The problem is Bowen, Watkins and Cash, while better than what we have and 22, 23 and 24 respectively, would require Sullivan paying what he considers over the odds, and players like Piatek and Kessie, while very available don’t want to sign for us even on loan. We need one significant signing on Monday, another on Tuesday and maybe that might convince one or two others to come on loan. It will come down to deadline day.
We also need to be brutal in removing players from the squad.... even with it being as threadbare as it is. Sanchez, Reid , Wilshere, are wasting squad places and the likes of Yarmolenko, Masuaku, Sanchez, Roberto (thankfully gone), and at the moment Lanzini are actually detracting from morale because either through lack of fitness, ability or form, they are breeding negativity.
MLS sides want Reid and Wilshere ( if they can pass fitness tests). We need to do with Sanchez what we did with Roberto, players from the U 18s would inspire more confidence. Lanzini, Balbuena, Masuaku and Yarmolenko are all expendable and to be honest better off elsewhere for all involved. We, should the right offer come in, let them go and bring in a more positive replacement. Zabaleta should only be available in case of emergency,

Ins:
Cash £17m
Bowen £17m
Omar Richards £6m
Soucek Loan
Kessie Loan
Piatek Loan


Outs :
Reid £4m to the MLS
Wilshere £5m to the MLS
Masuaku £8m to Napoli
Yarmolenko £9m (hopefully)
Sanchez Loan with 70% retained wages

Nets spend of £25m including loan fees.

With that I’d give us at least 75% chance of staying up. We would have doubled or even tripled the pace and power in the squad.

Unlikely, expensive, requiring Sullivan to go completely against his nature, but the absolute bare necessity to stay up, and the players signed permanently would be the kind we would want to keep and build around if we were relegated. However, not impossible and only 6 in and 5 out and only around £25m spent is a very small challenge to literally transform a squad, and it can be done in 6 days, when normally it takes multiple of that amount and literally years... or an eternity at West Ham given we only have one scout at present and, even at it’s peak, our scouting was a joke compared to average Championship clubs.


Fabianski

Cash, Diop Ogbonna Cresswell/Richards

Kessie. Rice. Soucek

Antonio Piatek Anderson



Subs

Randolph
Fredericks
Balbuena
Noble
Fornals
Bowen
Haller

With Martin, Zabaleta, Richards//Creswell, Lanzini, Snodgrass, Ajeti + the U23s for depth. We’d be a hell of a lot faster, more powerful younger and well balanced. The squad would have a few 30 somethings in Fabianski, Randolph, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Noble, Snodgrass, but two of them are keepers and another 2 not players to be counted on every week, and we have adequate younger replacements. We’d only have Antonio and Balbuena in their late 20s and a lot more players in the 23 and under category. The squad would have a better blend of youth and experience. While far from perfect, we’d have a squad composition that while perhaps not as good, is more similar to Leicester and Wolves whose models we should be trying to emulate.

In the summer we’d let Zabaleta retire, recall Diangana and Cullen, and get at least one upgrade at centre back, decide what to do with Lanzini and Hugill, and either make the loans permanent or find other alternatives.