Unless Sam Allardyce and David Sullivan have something up their sleeves, this January will pass without a whimper and that has to be… a very good thing.
Frenetic January activity is not the name of the game at West Ham for once. We are sorted – and frankly it nice to have a peaceful midwinter rather than worrying about who may leave and whether anybody needs to be urgently replaced.
With Ricardo Vaz Te now part of our history and Mauro Zarate out on loan and Ravel Morrison set to make an unlikely move to Lazio I’d call that good business.
The wage ‘save’ when all three have departed will be in the region of £75k.
Darren Fletcher may of course arrive but whilst I have great admiration for his battle against serious illness I do wonder why we are entertaining guy who has played a handful of Premier League games for United and has been on the first team sidelines for a month.
At 30, he is also outside our age range and if we are to strengthen midifield as appears to be the desire its serious pace and energy we need.
Fletcher may show all of those qualities were he to make a loan move but I remain unconvinced he’s the answer to the lack of pace, energy and drive we are seeing from Mark Noble and Kevin Nolan.
In general terms January spending never a clever idea. Big and successful clubs don’t do it and when you look at our recent excursions into that market, we have spent an awaful lot of mopney on players who made n o impact whatsoever – last winter being a perfect example of the point.
Some may call this January very boring – personally I think its very satisfactory!
Hugh did I read correct you used the words pace,drive and energy plus Nolan in the same sentence,I do not think after BFS let his last words leave his mouth we have other options and won’t wait for ever that he wants Fletcher or that he is another selection of the board.like you I would avoid him there are other players out there that fit our requirements better,do you think a new African defender is a pipe dream as well or is Winston not going anywhere ?
Please don’t buy Fletcher, just play Diego Poyet. easy!
You choose to miss the ‘lack of’ in front of the pace,drive & energy did you bubs,lol 😉 Its a funny old game,you go to one forum & everyone is tweeting about what a good signing Fletcher would be,go to another & he is getting slaughtered.Wonder if people just read one or two first comments & go with the flow.
Fletcher is a decent player with an eye for a pass, I can only imagine based on his age / well being he is to be a bit part player to fill in for Noble or Song. I would like to see Poyet getting some more game time too. Plus if Reece Burke is so good why aren’t we looking to bring him on for some game time especially of we go 2-0 or more up.
Fletcher is an athletic player, but his age and his medical history would tend to put you off him.
There is a problem in midfield with the lack of pace and general ponderousness (is that a word?) – thinking of last week it was only when Downing was switched to the centre of midfield, with his running power and pace, that we came to grips with the game!
Nolan, definitely, and Noble to a lesser extent are under pressure to perform – I think Nolan’s First Team football is coming to an end – we need younger legs in midfield!
Noble? No pace or drive? Paired with that tosspot Nolan?
You have let yourself down here, Hugh … 😕
Or are you havin’ a larf? 😉
I don’t think u read it oroperly. Lack of energy and pace