31 Comments

Irons and transfer market – it all looks odd!

BilicThe move for Andre Ayew is peculiar for me…to put it mildly.

Our dealings in the transfer market this summer  look  confusing and I’m not sure I can work out the thinking behind some of them.

But one thing needs to be made clear – all of the names being mentioned and hopefully brought to the club – are Slaven Bilic picks so we “keep the faith.”

However at a time when we are being told a 20 goal striker is our major priorty we have brought in two wingers – one on loan – when everybody agrees that Michail Antonio is the best wideman at the club.

However, it will come as no surprise to anybody if the former Nottingham Forest player remains at right back for the European match on Thurday night.

We are told here at ClaretandHugh that Slaven is still insisting behind the scenes this is a position he is going to fill with great distinction over the next few months – I don’t see it!

To exacerbate the issue we are now deeply involved in bringing in another part time winger – Ayew – whose best position is as an attacking midfieder where we already have Mark Noble, Cheik Kouyate and Pedro Obiang. At £20 million I really don’t get that at all.

Meanwhile the striker hunt seems to be on hold withe everyone waits on Carlos Bacca, we have bids in for various left backs, a position we shouldn’t have been in had we bought a decent back up a while back, and but for the manager’s odd faith in Antonio most would say we need a right back.

I believe Ayew is a decent player …but at £20 million? Who makes way for him should he be played either wide or through midfield – Feghouli, Tore, Noble, Kouyate?

With no proper right back, no left back or centre forward signed but wide men coming out of our ears, we have an  unbalanced look.

Hopefully there’s a plan in place for the remainder of the window we know nothing about because at the moment there’s a few worry lines and a bit of head scratching going on over here.

 

 

 

 

About Hugh5outhon1895

Hugh Southon is a lifelong Iron and the founding editor of ClaretandHugh. He is a national newspaper journalist of many years experience and was Bobby Moore's 'ghost' writer during the great man's lifetime. He describes ClaretandHugh as "the Hammers daily newspaper!" Follow on Twitter @hughsouthon

31 comments on “Irons and transfer market – it all looks odd!

  1. I have no worry lines at all.Until the transfer window closes we dont know who we will sign.Its all conjecture,itks,sources & bull****.

  2. Great article, sums up my frustration, could not agree more.

    • If this is frustration then bring it on. Frustration is not having a pot to p*** in, selling all your best players, sponsor goes bust, borrow ST money from future seasons and in a relegation scrap far too often, always looking over your shoulder. Some people have short memories.

  3. i am hoping to god that we don’t sign ayew for 20m. 1. he doesn’t lead the line and has been playing wide or as a 2nd striker last season. 2. he will not score 20 goals 3. I would rather keep sakho and wait till someone comes available who is worth spending 20m. 4. he won’t be good enough to lead the line and we will end up with another winger which we don’t need, antonio will score more goals than ayew.

  4. Oh & btw Ayew woukd be a direct replacement for Valencia.We do need someone to replace him you know & he is a massive upgrade on Enner.He has nothing to do with Noble.Since when has Noble & Obiang been attacking midfielders???
    We have signed Feghouli,Tore,good signings.Is the idea not to have competition or cover for places or do we only want a first team of premier standard but league one standard cover.Look at the spuds,they have four good fullbacks,trippier,walker,rose,davies.Do you think their fans complain that they have too many.No because they know they have great depth in those positions.Isnt that what you want???

  5. I am not too worried either, I think he might well play Callieri and Ayew up top, the big tests of this transfer market will come when offers come in for Payet which they will. If we sign a left back and another forward or two that would be great and if we could get Peyrera from Juventus that would also be huge. Our business so far has been really good, I do agree that we shouldn’t have been in this position regarding a left back but the forward issue still has 30 days to go, the chairmen can’t do anything about selling clubs or players that want champions league, it’s normal that a lot of deals don’t get done until the last week or so of the transfer window because clubs all over the place want to maximise profits and get deals in place for replacements before releasing players.

    • Yes No32,the window is only a warm glow atm.It gets red hot in the last week,i will judge business when that shuts.For now I think we have done some shrewd,clever business.But if others see it differently no problem,thats their view on proceedings.
      Right I’m off to try & catch a six lol

  6. I’m so happy I’m just off to watch the mighty Middlesex at Lords,you lot are going to send me in to an early grave lol

    • Good luck Stan, if you are heading to Lords and supporting Middlesex are you also one of the Hammers living on the West side ? I was brought up in Essex and the East end but live West now so travel from Richmond right across to Stratford on match days.

  7. Simple: Get Ayew in the bag. Then a couple more wide men… maybe 3, and we’re done! Poss make Antonio 3rd goalie (as well as his other duties). Roll on Chelsea on Sat….
    Or am I trying to out-Slav Slav, in whom, we trust, yeah?

  8. I think Slavs looking at him to play up top,that’s where he performed best for Swansea last year.But obviously I think we will add to our striker options. COYI

  9. I get the feeling Antonio would actually be unreal up top. Hes got pace and knows where the goal is and strong enough to shrug off defenders. In fact hed ve great anywhere other than RB. Its unfair hes getting a coating by the fans every week and being called a weak link when hes really one of our best and strongest players.

  10. Sully must be thinking why t f did I open my trap ???.
    Don’t forget he also said he would replace like for like ? Right , ayew and sakho are not like for like , it must be Valencia for ayew , at present sakho must stay ! Regardless of so called crimes against humanity ! The priority is 2 full backs and a top c/h IMO , the lad guyre is a plus , and a great d/m/f add to the squad , if we can get him !
    Years ago m/f players coming up through the ranks were played at full backs or c/h which helped in their development and understanding about defencive duty before playing in their preferred positions , maybe Slav has that in mind ? Just a thought ?
    Ashley Cole used to be a striker and scored goals for fun for tower hamlets !!
    Best england full back in due cades ??

  11. Raheem Stirling , anyone !! Managed properly he could turn out to be a solid signing .

  12. Another pointless whingeing article. This summer we have seen the mighty Jordan Ibe go for £15m, Sadio ‘ 11 goals in a season’ Mane go for £34m and Georgio Winjaldium gor for nearly £25m. How can anyone possibly say Ayew is not worth £20m as he scored/assisted in total more than those three combined! While Everton have failed to buy anyone, Southampton have once again sold half their team, with Swansea looking to go the same way and Spurs only having bought one player so far – the transfer window is far form the disaster C&H in particular is tryng to make out.

  13. Anyone who thinks Ayew is not a good signing obviouslt did not see him at Upton Park last season, simply the best CF I saw and he absolutely destroyed us !

  14. I have to agree with Nestie & you Mavilla on Ayew & the transfer action so far & that’s the key point SO FAR.Lets wait to see what’s happened by the end of this window before having nervous breakdowns lol
    Where I do disagree Nestie is with you saying this site in particular is moaning about this transfer window.**** a duck have you not read fans on other blogs.According to them we have done only sh1t business lol

  15. If I had to rate WH transfer window, I would give it 7. If we buy Ayew and sell Valencia it would be 8, if Bacca arrives 9, Bacca + Calleri 10, Bacca + Calleri and Carroll jogs on 11… lol 😀

    • Lmao Matte.I heard a rumour Carroll is off to Hollywood to be Ironmans stunt double because his body is so tough lol John Favreau the director saw him play last season & said he looks unbreakable lol

      • Lmao Ant… Super Andy will go to the Olympics, speciality 100 meters with crutches… lol 🙂

    • lol Matte, what if we sign Peyrera and Gomez ?

  16. It seems to me a couple of days wait will be enough to see some clarity

  17. Antonio,Payet,Lanzini,Feggolui,Tore Callum Samulsun are attacking midfielders wingers,
    Noble ,Obiang,Kouyate,Novedt Poyet,Oxford are defensive midfielders
    In my opinion,
    Ayew is a winger stroke inside forward same as Valencia or Moses,
    AC and Sak are our only CF or target man,
    Calleri,Gomez, are similar players,but what team play with 2 of those at any time,
    Ayew would play alongside a forward like Calleri giving width and speed
    He had a great relationship with Payet at his previous club and that would work for us,
    What I don’t understand as Slav likes the Noble Kouyate double act and we can’t have as last week proved,
    We need Payet or Lanzini to create for us as well as the speed of Tore Feggolui and Antonio out wide,
    We don’t need any more Midfielders with so much cover in depth and quality,
    2 defenders right and left
    3 forwards to replace Enner,Sak and Emineke
    If AC stays ( or is fit )
    Calleri seems like 1
    Ayew could be another
    Then we need another target man like Gomez or Bony
    Job done and no money spent ( or much )
    That leave room for Samulsun Callum Martinez and Fletcher to play in some games,
    If Poyet and Obiang don’t cut the mustard let them leave and bring in 1 more great signing as a holding midfielder and use Oxford there

  18. I make you about right there bubs with the forward line.If we get Ayew across the line then that part of the team will suddenly look good IMO.Ayew,Carroll,Fletcher,Calleri,possibly young Martinez + 1… Bacca? Gomez?.It could be a strong bunch of forwards.Mid looking good,defence needs a rb to go with Byram + Nord covers that position.Lb,Cresswell + back up.I can see it all being in place by the windows end.

  19. Bang on the money there Bubs.
    Antoni’s not a RB (and I can’t see why Slav’s persevering with the experiment), so an RB and LB are deffos.
    However, wouldn’t take either Gomez or Bony, and would sooner have a punt on Berahino. Straight swap with Sak + £5mill should do it.
    If Slav fancies a challenge, try getting the best out of this fella!
    Oh, and I’m not anti-Slav in any way, I just think he’s got this one wrong imho.

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