West Ham open their series of pre-season matches against Fulham next Thursday evening and one question dominates above all other – will Andy Carroll, Diafra Sakho or both make an appearance?
The squad will be involved in a game against a Sturm Graz Developmnt team on Monday evening but the “real action ” gets underway against the Cottagers on Thursday in Sportzentrum Graz-Weinzodl, Austria on Thursday evening.
Both Carroll and Sakho – who missed so much of last season – are with the squad and reported to be training. In the absence of a new striker/s signing it will be more than encouraging to see one or both involved perhaps in a preliminary get fit match against Sturm Graz. Their absence would be very worrying.
The clock is ticking on both players with the first Premier League clash against Manchester United at Old Trafford just a month away.
Meanwhile, as we reported, last week Premier Sports HD has purchased the rights to five games involving the boys.
The matches will be shown on the Sky channels 428 and 462, Virging Media 551 as well as a streaming service called Premier Player.
The channel costs £9.99 per month on a rolling contract but can be cancelled at any time.
Full details at http://www.premiersports.com
July 17 v SK Sturm Graz Development team Bad Tatzmannsdorf, Austria
August 1: v Altona 93 (Hamburg, Germany)
If Carroll does play it really means very little.He isnt like most players who are out injured,come back and then have a full season with few other issues because his next silly injury is just around the corner.
Its time too burn all bridges with him.It gets my goat the way we persist with him,its ridiculous and though it wont be popular with all i cant wait to see the back of him.
The Clock should have stopped for Carroll at the end of Big Sam’s reign, remember AC was injured a lot! we played well without him, he came back, our game had to change again to accommodate him and we fell to pieces. Its been a matter of saving face which needs to come to an end, If we do bring in the signings we need.
I remember that so well – Sakho and Valencia were terrifying defences… and it went.
So, so ironic when he’s called “unplayable.”
Ironic indeed!!
I couldn’t agree more with both of you, there is no way either are going to be able to lead the line with any longevity and there is no place for them. Although I am trying to keep calm re our well documented striker hunt issues I am getting a little frustrated at the comments coming out of the club re how difficult it is; I don’t see Koeman complaining about it being difficult. Just get on and get it sorted, good strikers are game winners and command a much higher fee, sometimes even higher than they are actually worth and you need to pay it to get what you want. We need 2 strikers asap and the clock is ticking for Bilic and the club on this one. They cannot count on the fans good will this season if they fai to get this situation sorted.
Is it a millennium clock 🙂 or just a time warp 🙂
Everyone,s had it with Carroll . if sakho comes good in last chance saloon its good for everyone , club and supporters , if not just add a few sticks of cemtex and set the alarm 🙂
And prey they get a striker in or we will never have a balanced side just the same as the last season , a mishmash , a joke .
You can’t rely on either of them, which means that they are of no use to Bilic, he urgently needs new blood up front.
He must be as frustrated as the punters, as it stands we have no real attack – let’s hope things start to shape up soon it won’t be a day before time!
Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit.
IF CARROLL AND SAKHO BOTH COME BACK FROM INJURY IT WILL BE LIKE HAVING TWO NEW SIGNINGS!! WITH NO NEED TO SPEND!!
SURE I’VE HEARD THAT SOMEWHERE BEFORE.
WELL UNTIL SEASON TICKET RENEWAL TIME COMES AROUND. I CANT WAIT TO SEE OUR MARKET SIGNINGS OOOOOPPPSSS MARQUEE SIGNINGS.
Everyone who has been worrying that no strikers have been signed are told to calm down and stop moaning but with man u one !month away ! Surely we can getva bit worried now..there is no way at all we can rely on sak and Carroll …ground hog season could be on the way. ..hope I’m wrong
Another day another Poppodom and brittle back update 😩 Hugh you must be suffering with typers cramp by now writing about these two and their medical tales of woe? Maybe just easier in the future to write that there both a waste of space, money and a frigging liability 😆😆
Hugh does a sterling job coming up with articles all day every day, especially when you consider there’s not much to actually report on – I take my hat off to his creativity!
I have been a big supporter in the past but have reluctantly come round to join the views above. In my book there is nothing wrong with changing your mind if the facts are telling you to. Still think he could have been a great asset but it ain’t gonna happen..But he is not going to be easy to offload. Also, if we can’t get rid he may still be useful off the bench. It is just that it would be madness to build the side round him( or Sakho) & hope they will stay fit. So either we must get that new striker quick OR go for one of these fancy line ups with no main striker. We do have a few goal scoring midfielders but my tactical knowledge is not up to judging whether that will work. Personally I would prefer the newstriker but we are proving for the second year running that they don’t grow on trees!
Well you must all be accustomed to me giving Carroll my support and I see no reason to stop now . If he gets through this tour and a few games fit and ready , why should he be ignored or sidelined . Same goes for Sakho . If West Ham score does the cheering stop because Carroll or Sakho scored it ? .
Kevin, I admire your loyalty to AC but it is completely misplaced. What gives you any indication that he will do what he has never been able to do for us before?
History tells you he will be sidelined again.But if you are happy with the likes of Jelavic,Emineke and Calleri filling in for him lets stay as we are 😁
What ! , score goals , you mean ?. Check out the numbers of games / minutes played and goals scored . Then come back .
You aint never all there Kevin.
So, we getting Hart for a one season loan, Adrian leaves and then what? madness!
No Billy, Hart will be on loan this season with option to buy at the end of it.
I believe city are going to be paying some of his wages…. I can’t imagine we’re going to be able to afford all his £140k when the loan ends
I think Hart gives me a bit more confidence than our current two, but I have only really seen him a Man C. Wha was he like at Roma, with a defence abit mre like ours?
In a word , shyte 🙂
Hart was at Torino and when they played Roma he leaked 4 goals, with each one being low shots to his left hand side.
He also conceeded 5 against Napoli.
Hart’s positioning has always been an issue.
But I am worried we are about to spend £30m on Marko who Mou said out of Mario Betolli and Marko Mario was the good one.
He isn’t a prolific scorer 26 goals in prem over 4 years. Ayew had half a season and scored only 1 goals less and same assists.
At 28 and he will have wages as high as AC too most likely the speculation is his brother /Agent his pushing for move for money for himself and his brother.
And we just seem to want to break our spending record. That could get us Chicarito his wages for a year and a half. And He score evey other game.
What are we doing????? Also he is nice no reported attitude issues loved at every club he has played for.
Why why why Spend £30m on a 28 year old who is ok has some good moments but over all not at star and isn’t a CF can cover but Crouch at 36 was preferred over him and scored 10 goals with limited apps
We should look at Perez too for only £12m he is a good player more rounded. Can hold up play link up score and create. 7 goals and 8 assists in 21 apps but only 11 starts is not shabby.
Kevin we all agree he scores when he’s fit.BUT: he rarely is fit for any length of time. How can Slav possibly build a game plan when he can’t rely on his goal scorer to even be on the pitch in the majority of games? It has to end .We need another striker that will be available for more than a few games at a time, with extended absences in between.If we can off load him,ok, lets do so. if not buy his contract out. We need to move on. We cannot keep hanging on for him. It disrupts our whole season. Plans are made around him on the assumption he will finally be fit but it ain’t gonna appen. Enough is enough.
Kevin must live on some different planet to everyone else.Anyone we want to sign isnt good enough for him but the likes of sakho carroll randolph and adrian are superhuman in his book.
Get rid of all the dead wood, Carroll, Sakho, Font, Snodgrass, ect. get some good FIT, hard working team players!