Rather than focusing solely on West Ham’s disastrous Niclas Fullkrug recruitment as the latest in a sorry story of failed striker signings, The Guardian (Friday25th) labels The Hammers’ overall situation at present as ‘ridiculous’ and calls into question the wisdom of most of Tim Steidten’s recruitment, from Lopetegui downward.
In a scathing article, journalist Jacob Steinberg does not hold back and fires salvo after salvo in delivering withering criticism of the debacle unfolding at London Stadium.
After dealing with the striker woes, Steinberg turns to highlighting the woeful midfield: “…It is a ridiculous situation, rivalled only by the state of a cumbersome midfield. Is it news to West Ham that the Premier League is the most intense competition in the world? There were obvious shortcomings last season, with Tomas Soucek increasingly leaden, James Ward-Prowse (a Moyes pick) lacking dynamism and Edson Álvarez a yellow-card magnet after his arrival from Ajax, but nothing was done about it.”
“Guido Rodríguez, a free transfer from Real Betis, had to be taken off during the first half of last month’s 3-0 defeat by Chelsea and was overwhelmed alongside Soucek during last Saturday’s humiliation at Tottenham.”
“Lopetegui’s request for Rodríguez should have gone unheeded. There is plenty of blame to go around. The manager also pushed for Carlos Soler, who was in Paris Saint-Germain’s reserves before arriving on loan, but it is yet to become evident why the Spaniard has been deemed a better fit than Ward-Prowse, who did at least offer goals and dangerous set-pieces before heading to Nottingham Forest.”
A pretty withering attack on the Steidten oversight of West Ham’s revamp. Steinberg doesn’t hold back with pointing the finger of blame:
“Steidten won his battle with Moyes. He has been backed and given power. Excuses run thin. After overseeing a spend of more than £100m, Steidten cannot have any complaints if questions are not only being asked about Lopetegui’s job security.”
Sadly, it is, indeed, a ridiculous situation. It would, however, feel less of a circus with a couple of wins and a few steps up the Premier League. Manchester United are in town on Sunday and they are one of the few teams who are in even greater disarray than West Ham. So, we can but hope.
The article is spot on and it’s about time golden boy Steidten came in for some criticism. Ditching JWP for Soler and Rodriguez is madness!
As a 68 years old dyed in the wool e13 hammer I tried to have the hump and have a dig at Steinberg. But he’s 100% correct on all counts. His paper might be lefty woke shirt rag but his article is spot on
good for you mate. you put aside your political prejudices, which no one cares about
Half of the new signings are just too slow for the premier league, and will never be fit for purpose.
I don’t know about everyone else, but can you understand a word that loopy says, as I can’t.
The biggest mistake, in my opinion, was not signing Duran, which leaves us with a joke of a forward line.
So we spend £150m and still have the oldest squad in the league. Where is the investment for the future. We have a midfield that is immobile and can’t compete. The sooner Freddie Potts is brought back from Portsmouth we will at least have someone who will try. We have a team where half the players don’t seem interested. As a fan since 1963 I have seen all the highs and lows and can forgive being thrashed 4-1 if at least the players are committed and try their best but there is a batch of the current squad who just seem indifferent.
In many ways it is still too early to condemn the hierarchy and/or players…….but as the weeks pass by the pressure builds.
The above comment that Moyse is too blame is typical anti Moyse crap that bores me too death. Style of football, yep became turgid. Left us with an aged squad. Yep. Left us financially in a great position compared to the majority of clubs. Definitely. Left us with a core of players who a new team could be built around. Absolutely. His departure, which was at the right time for everyone, left the club a massive opportunity.
The question is whether we have taken it?
I’m not convinced by our ‘new’ style of play. Basically similar to the Moyse style, just further up the pitch and a bit more possession. But still a porous defence and a ponderous, pedestrian pace of attack.
Pace, pace, pace. Have we improved this area. Jimmy has. Obi Wan as well. Tobido, Kilman doubtful. Rodriguez, Soler and Fullkrug. Nope.
Guilhame …..who knows. And it is with Guilhame that our problems start. No fault of the young lad at all……but our pop star Sporting director Steidten set the scene in spending c£25m on a player who seems to be someway short of first team quality. This meant we couldn’t afford Duran, as if we forked out the extra few million for him meant we couldn’t then afford Obi Wan (on basis all info available indicates we spent out under ffp rules). Which would have meant no right back and no cover for Emerson either.
Rodriguez, given age and clear lack of pace is a one season buy, Soler is beyond our affordability so again likely a one season player, Tobido will eat into next season’s transfer budget and Fullkrug will be 32. We have recruited a bunch of talented players but are they suitable for the EPL? Pace, energy, longevity?
Now this is a deliberately glass half full response and in many ways I remain positive that the results will start coming. But if they don’t, JLo is not the only one who needs to have his performance reviewed………and I haven’t even mentioned Mavropanos, who Steidten, identified and bought…….a player who has great attitude but who has a mistake in him every game.
The summer started so well .Belatedly we got rid of Moyes… Recent past history meant the job was attractive and most managers would jump at it …. Sullivan or Streiden decided to pick a sullen out of work guy with zero Prem track record.
Then the supermarket sweep commenced. Old men off loaded by their clubs brought in on big wages and Duran deemed too expensive !
Now we have Moyesball mark 2 (and still no centre forward)and no passion for our club..
A total failure by all involved which has resulted in our best players clamouring to leave the sinking ship
The players that were brought in to the club during the summer most are quality signings they don’t become bad players over night so the problem has to be JL he seems like he doesn’t know how to talk to the players and is constantly putting their backs up moyes did need to go but he knew how to talk to the players apart from that the tactics are more or less the same not very inspiring in fact I would say we are very much worse than last season if we carry on like this the only thing we will win is relegation Sullivan needs to act now before it’s too late
Always a Moyes knock somewhere….
100% the catalyst of our current situation!
Totally agree and you can add Sullivan as well as he has made some questionable decisions and always much too late.