With the private jet carrying Jean-Clair Todibo reportedly having landed in the UK, it may well be time to start getting excited about the mouth-watering potential of West Ham’s defensive line-up for next season.
Make no mistake about it: last season, the Hammers’ defence was so poor that they broke the club’s Premier League record for goals conceded. West Ham suffered humiliating defeats at the hands of far too many teams during the last campaign, and it was clear that the defence required major surgery.
Nearly £80 million had been spent on Kurt Zouma, Nayef Aguerd, and Dinos Mavropanos over recent seasons, so the club really shouldn’t have found itself in a situation needing a central defensive rebuild.
In many respects, spending money hasn’t been the problem at West Ham recently, but the way it has been wasted has necessitated yet another rebuild.
Therefore, it was ambitious to try and target players as well-established and hard to acquire as Max Kilman and Jean-Clair Todibo. From the very beginning of the transfer window, it was clear that Tim Steidten and Julen Lopetegui’s preferred option was to pair the Wolves and Nice central defenders at the heart of the Hammers’ defence.
However, wanting is one thing, and doing is quite another. For West Ham to identify and execute the signings of their two main transfer targets is nothing short of miraculous. Of course, it remains to be seen how the dream partnership will operate on the pitch, but in terms of transfer strategy, the recruitment has been absolutely faultless.
To be fair, if we had these 2 last season they would’ve struggled. Doesn’t matter how good a defender you are, when you’re defending with your back against the wall for 75 minutes you will make mistakes and plenty of them. This is why I think Aguerd should stay. He will show himself to be a valuable member of the squad. Buzzing with this!!
Mate I could agree more about Aguerd
Couldn’t
Disagree regarding Aguerd. Whilst he may play some pretty balls, he is an absolute liability and makes way too many mistakes.
If we can recoup our money on him, then get rid.
that’s a tad unfair considering he ripped it up at the last world cup and was instrumental in getting Morocco to the semis. he was injured for that game. they lost. Moyes had the wrong player for that horrible system he played. i can recall a number of goal saving tackles, blocks and track-backs where he outpaced the striker and prevented goals last season. everybody only remembering his mistakes. in that case, sell the whole squad. good ball player and excellent diagonal long balls, which Lopetegui likes. reckon he will be a different player this season. hope so, anyway. selective memories some people
So Aguerd is a good player as long as he doesn’t have to defend.
Expensive player just for the odd diagonal pass.
His positioning was atrocious on corners. The number of times he jumped for a ball and it went over his head suggests he can’t do the basics right and he was not strong enough in the tackle.
This whole thing about the system being wrong for him is utter rubbish. Centre halves should always be able to defend corners.
Agreed, don’t see the sense on getting rid of Aguerd unless it’s good money. Classy player on his day. J-Lo might get a tune out of him. I think Dinos is more limited.
Completely agree,we were set up to concede goals. Areola and Fabianski were in the top 5 keepers with most saves for the last two seasons which says all you need to know
Aguerd is a very good player but not strong enough for the Prem. He simply gets muscled off challenges far too easily. Would also say our summer transfer windows have generally been successful. It’s the winter window that lets us down. We have not been able or willing to fill the gaps. We get Tobido over the line and another full back and we go into the new season in a great place.
Last season Moyes defensive ser up meant teams could continually come at us with no fear of forwards pushing back.
C/bks sorted just need to get a r/bk (or 2 depending on Coufal) and left back.
Martinez (21) or Chalobah (24) both play r/bk and c/bk. Chalobah having premier league experience and homegrown may be better.
Hermoso (l/bk & c/bk)_Freebie or Celo Henrique (l/bk, l/mid, l/wing).
Aguerd was unfortunate last year having next to no assistance from Zoom(a).
Alternative position for him would be left back which would be less physical and cancel out buying a left back.