Now, more than last week, after ‘that’ dreadful Brentford performance, West Ham need to tear up their midfield and start again. The good news is that there are reinforcements coming over the hill, cavalry-like, in June anyway. One simple addition to the squad can make a huge difference to the way the Hammers perform next season. Pace, mobility, skill – all went AWOL on Saturday and yet -fear not, Hammers fans, the remedy is at hand.
Forget Soler, Alvarez, Soucek, Rodriguez.
Consider instead – Potts, Earthy, Banzuzi, Orford, Irving and (sigh)Ward-Prowse: 5 of those will be at the club in the summer anyway. ONE new signing revolutionises the middle of the pitch. Who would you rather pay good money to watch? By no means perfect, but with limited funds, £15 million will get the Ezechiel Banzuzi deal done – remember the standard.co.uk claimed £12.7million was all that was required to prise the then 19 year old from OH Leuvun:
” Banzuzi, who has been capped by the Netherlands at youth level, has been tipped for a bright future. West Ham want to bring him in this month and have been in regular dialogue with Leuven. Banzuzi is into the final 18 months of his contract in Belgian, with Leuven willing to let him go for the right price.”
One signing, early in in the Summer, of an attacking midfielder whose club is resigned to losing him already, can transform West Ham’s midfield into an exciting, pacy, edgy department with, yes, many players learning on the job. I ask again, which would you rather pay money to see next season? The reason the atmosphere is so bad and Hammers fans are so depressed is that the football is utter dross, epitomised by the cart-horse quartet of now. Time to bring in some creativity, youth, pace, fire and passion for the shirt.
Alvarez or Soucek – take your pick, I don’t want to argue the case for either – will fund the Banzuzi acquisition and some.
And which ‘midfield variant’ will turn out the better performances? Time to wave goodbye to a terrible midfield that has now failed under three successive head coaches. Of course that still means the prospect of thirteen more games to endure and nine or ten points to pick up somehow to safeguard Premier League football this season. But that’s why Potter is paid the big bucks.
Just rip it up and start again come 1 June.
When are you going to stop having a dig at J.W.P. even. a small one . it shows you up to be ,at least petty , if not down right. CHILDISH.
You know what, I would rather have those 5 of ours than you mention than Soler, Rodriguez, Soucek and Alvarez. And then sign the other, but we cannot be certain he can cut it can we? Before getting Rodriguez and Soler we thought they’d be amazing.
Irving and Guilherme did well against Chelsea. After that first half they deserve more time on the pitch.
I completely agree with you on Guilherme but I remain sceptical on Rodriguez.
I’m not sure why Guilherme is being hated on so much because the better part of the time he has actually had on the pitch he has showed real promise and unless he gets actual game time how can anyone judge him to be a bad signing?
Let’s face it can we lose any worse than we have been when we haven’t used him so throw him out there and let him prove he can or can’t cut the PL before throwing a potential star out on a 7 figure loss
Ward Prowse is carried in a team for his dead ball deliveries. He’s not quick, defensive or creative going forward. To accommodate him it means the rest doing more. Really can’t see Irving as the level required either. Yes play the academy players – but maybe not all at once and they need quality experienced players around them.
JWP looked lively by comparison to the first half trio against Brentford . Potts ,Earthy and Orford with JWP experience is all Westham can afford considering they need to sign a striker for 50 million . Paqueta $0 , Alvares $ 35 million ? , Kudus 40 million ? ,Emerson 10 million , Soucek 10 million ? and then expired contracts and loans means that half the team for 25-26 season will need to be academy players because nobody on a free who’s any good will come to a relegation threatened team with no money . Potter will need to be magic to get Westham anywhere .
Not a bad shout from a financial perspective Martin and we certainly still need that box to box midfielder that Dec played so well with his ability to carry the ball and provide power and pace. Banzuzi is 6 feet 3 inches and labelled as an attacking midfielder but is powerful box to box talent. Much more the type of player that Potter prefers.
Richard Rios was rumoured to be attracting interest at €15 million but no bid was made, and I would love to see Banzuzi partner with Rios to transform our midfield. Be interesting to see Orford with these 2 as he plays a similar role, and can’t wait to see Potts as an DM and Earthy return from loans, as they are certainly worth the admission fee. With JWP to provide experience our midfield would be transformed.
Continual mention of a player already at club is Luis Guilherme.
Is he potentially capable of becoming an exciting, skilful player?
Potter obviously thinks so as he decided not to let him go in recent transfer period.
It’s already been highlighted from informative sources that his best position is mid attack.
Just like academy players he needs more on field time to develop.
Time he joins our raft of incoming academy players at no cost.
Rios was linked to numerous clubs Spurs being most likely (if correct).
Free agents, KWP and Lamprey, are also in spotlight. Lamprey being younger and known to Potter from Brighton.
Completely agree, Guilherme looks quality in the very brief cameo appearances he’s been given, and 3 minutes on Saturday was ridiculous. How can he possibly show what he can do in that sort of time?
Rios would be a great signing, and Spurs, Everton and Forest were all interested as well as us, but it was reported that his release clause is £83 million which rules us out. He recently signed a new contract which runs until 2028.
Need at least 2 athletes for central midfield as its a squad game nowadays, injuries happen and players need to be rotated such is the physical requirements of a Premiership match. Some games away from home we might need 2 players with “legs” depending on the opposition.
Agree that this area is the priority assuming Ferguson stays fit and Brighton do a reasonable deal.
Martin Treasure you have articulated the readings of my mind. Those midfield movers, could really be the shakers. I hope they are given the chance with some Soucek or so experience around them.
If this Banzuzi fella is such a prospect and available at such a low price, how come other teams aren’t interested?
Then you woke up Martin!
might not be such a pipe dream, Richard- just one signing and one sale – so a profit generated – will appeal to DS : all the rest are contracted West Ham players.
To be honest we shouldn’t have to sell anyone to make a single £15m signing.