Declan Rice appears to be making the same point as many fans about new signings being required but has put it a little more diplomatically than most.
Pre-season appears to have shown that the team is somewhat more lethargic than at the same time last year and clearly needing more arrivals, certainly on the left side,
The injury to Nayef Aguerd has helped nothing of course but our forums are making it overwhelmingly clear that the fans are desperate to see more players coming through the Rush Green entrance.
Declan – as skipper – has dropped a heavy hint to the manager and owners that he believes we need to do the same if we are to press forward as a club although that can hardly be described as rocket science.
Despite being careful with his words the message remains crystal clear from our crown jewel as he declares: “West Ham is a massive club and, if we want to compete with the best, we need to keep improving. There is no point in standing still and being stale.”
Well let’s hope the manager has got the message loud and clear. Broja not for sale, Klosic not interested, we need reinforcements now and the pre-season confirms it. Just stop hankering after players who are not available and get on with it please!
It does seem that it’s been a very slow window this summer, for many teams in the Premier League. I can’t believe that Newcastle, surely deemed one of our closest competitors this season, haven’t made many signings considering the financial muscle they have. Leicester, also, seem to have issues, as do Man Utd and Chelsea. Could it be that the fault doesn’t lay at the feet of our owners but at a market possibly coming to terms with the affect of Covid? I keep reading that French football is in financial meltdown and many of the bigger Italian clubs also don’t have the financial muscle they used to have. Outside of those clubs owned by multi-billionaires, it’s very reasonable to assume that the money just isn’t there for most clubs, ours included. There’s an argument that we didn’t spend much last summer or in January this year and so we should have more financial clout but perhaps we aren’t giving the impact of Covid as much credence as we should be. On top of that we have a global food crisis on the horizon and a massive rise in fuel due to the current War on our continent. Surely this has an impact.
I think it’s fair to expect that next summer we’ll have an extra £100m to spend when Dec leaves. I imagine, even with the Champions League football we are (n’t) going to qualify for next season, he will be gone. Maybe he should concentrate on playing better than the garbage that was served up yesterday rather than who we haven’t bought yet? Just a thought…
Good the more pressure on them the better, David Raum looks like going to RB Leipzig so another one list because we can’t get a deal done, Kostic I can’t see happening because he is clearly holding out for a better option and can wait a season where he will be on a free. There is clearly as always something wrong that we can’t get deals over the line, every season we have less than the one before, we need another 5 – 7 players to have a healthy squad and there isn’t any signing that we are close to getting done. All of our competitors bar Utd have got their business done. GSBK pull your fingers out and pay the market rate.
I don’t think you’ve been reading many other clubs forums Westhamfan, as there is not many fan bases that aren’t complaining they need more signings.
Truth is we are a Europa Conference team aiming for Champ league players. For most of these players we will be the fall back option when bigger clubs don’t come calling. Raum’s been linked to Champ league teams, does anyone honestly think he’s going to jump at the first WHU offer? Reality is that the transfer window is driven by player agents not managers.
Good post Sydneyc
Agree wih you 100%