Lukasz Fabianski and Declan Rice have proved a very big point over recent months!
Since ClaretandHugh introduced a feature allowing fans to give their ratings after games, the keeper and defensive midfielder have regularly been at the top.
They have appeared in the number one and two spots on more occasions than any other Hammer and this proves the supporters were correct in making them Hammer of the Year and runner up last season.
The same trend is emerging again this season and once against it was Lukasz and Dec who ran out top and second top in your ratings on Monday night’s game at Villa.
But there’s a bigger point hidden away in those results and Hammer of the Year outcomes which needs to be mentioned.
In days when the common wisdom among many fans that spending mega dough is the way forward these two guys prove exactly the opposite.
Fab has been the rock on which our current successes are based whilst no more needs to be said about Declan’s contribution. I’s not a happy accident – it’s down to great scouring and home development.
Tthe reality is that the Polish international cost just £7 million while Declan was a home grown product.
The seemingly obvious arguments don’t always apply. Add in Issa Diop at £22 million and you have three highly sought after players at a total cost of £29 millions.
COYI
I agree with everything you say about the contribution of these two. We would’ve been a lot worse off without them. But don’t agree that they disprove the argument that you need big spending on transfers & wages. If you want compete at the top level, & even just to be a stable PL side, will cost a lot of money -& you have to keep on spending! The fact that you might get the odd bargain helps, as does bringing through a few academy players. But in the end, on average, the sides at the top have the biggest wage bills & the sides that go down are the low spenders.
Yes, I agree 64. Every top level, mega-money player started life as a homegrown cheapy.
Successes like Fabianski are quite unusual and don’t crop up that often.
Agree with the comments above, Fab has been a superstar in goal, Rice and Diop have been very good also but without high quality in attack their contributions would have lacked the value its delivered. With Rice, Diop and Fab the perception is that they always play well, if we contrast that to say Anderson and Masuaku the perception among fans is they don’t or they make mistakes but the stats don’t back that up, we have seen Anderson duck 50/50’s, Masuaku lose men he’s marking etc but statistically and MP knows this better than most, they work harder on the field and with better effect than their much lauded colleagues. As for spending big, Rice is top drawer for his age, he has to continue to improve which hopefully he will because he is a gulf away from Fernadinho or Rodri at this point. Monday showed his limitations in vision and technical ability receiving and distributing the ball. With better players around him and in training we should expect that to improve. I thought it the player we needed was Wilshere not Fornals for Noble as we lacked composure between midfield and Haller, Wilshere has that in spades. MP knows best though I think he still believes Wilshere after so many injuries is not sharp enough yet.