By ClaretandHugh editor Hughie Southon
As I write there has been not a single new arrival at the club!
That could of course change before 11pm although I’m tempted not to stay up 🙂
We are now reading that Jesse Lingard is still an option and that the Hammers are making a late move to bring him in.
Our northern man Terry Robbins has written that Manchester United won’t allow him to join us as they continue to see us as top four rivals.
We at CandH are not naive enough to believe that couldn’t change in the last few hours but at the moment it’s a big no no
Many would welcome him but more would have hoped for an out and out striker and/or central defender.
Disappointing doesn’t start to cover our window situation and there will be many looking for and naming scapegoats from the board, Moyes and his recruitment geezer Rob Newman.
As written here the other day Moysie’s job is still only half done this season and it really isn’t about how you start but how you finish.
If it’s lower in the PL than last season this term will have been a failure after all the high hopes.
Given that he and Newman have had four months to sort things since September to bring in urgently needed replacements or cover players it really won’t be good enough if it doesn’t happen.
What’s Newman been doing – listening to what Moyes wants and finding the job is impossible as a result?
Here we are with a new investor and not a penny looks likely to have been spent, a new recruitment man who was Moysie’s chosen employee (perhaps because he would do what he was told) and no new players!
There will be those that will or will want to blame GSB but they can no longer do anything without Kretinsky’s approval and the manager actually giving them time to sort deals out so it’s all nonsense to be blaming them in the current situation.
Moyes failure to bring anyone in and living up to the not inappropriate “Dithering Dave” title could have other major effects and one is particularly frightening.
Moyes made it clear weeks ago he wanted to build a team around Declan in order to help ensure he stayed at the club. So what happened and how is Declan likely to respond to a missed opportunity of the manager beefing up a paper thin squad. I can’t blame him if he decides to move on as a result.
And should he decide to quit where will that leave Tomas Soucek whose representatives are currently discussing a new deal.
Then there’s the Jarrod Bowen Liverpool talk – where is he gonna be in 18 months time should the ghastly winter window business be followed by another in the summer where to honest, apart from Zouma, the rest of the dealings were pretty average.
I can’t see how we can hope to finish in the top six never mind top four – nor can I see us winning the Europa League and qualifying for the CL so why should top players stay?
Moyes has let it be known that none of the players he was offered were better than what he had but he got that all wrong too. He only need two or three who were better than Yarmolenko, Masuaku, and Fredericks.
It now looks more than likely David Moyes has let us down in this window. I hope come May I’ll be profusely apologising but I really don’t think that will be the case.
The repercussions of what’s happened here could be disastrous and I hope that once the window is closed everything I have written here can be discounted!
Maybe I’m the only fan who thinks our current squad was good enough for first half of the season and should be good enough for second half of the season. Would have liked to have seen a replacement for Ogbonna but never mind. Would have liked to see a back up striker for Antonio but near mind. The good news is there might now be opportunities for some of our promising U23 squad. I still agree with only buying players who are better than what we’ve already got. If we can’t get those players better to wait until the summer.
Totally agree with you, Clive. I also trust David Moyes and Rob Newman to have done everything possible to get players in. I haven’t been bowled over by any of the players that have actually been on the market this January.
I may be on my own here in thinking that Declan Rice will leave in summer 2022 or 2023 at the latest, regardless of which players Moyes added to the playing squad. Very few players stay at one club these days. Outstanding players, like Rice, want to play at the world’s biggest clubs. West Ham doesn’t fall into that category. Shoot me down, but i think there will be life after Rice. I trust Moyes to make sure that’s the case. David Moyes – not Rice, or Bowen or Antonio – is the most important, and most influential, person at the football club at the moment. Thankfully, he’s not going to go anywhere.
No you are not the only one. And I also think that, as an attacking midfielder, Masuaku is way better than Vlasic or Benrahma, the former being especially disappointing.
Fredericks is also a decent third option at the right back position. I would keep it until the end of the season.
Even Yarmolenko can be an option on the front end, especially with Antonio clearly out of form at the moment.
The only real reinforcement would be Lingard in place of Vlasic/Benrahma/Fornals, all of them not being good enough to be starters in a Top 10 team.
Moyes has this team overperforming, we should be happy about it, it won’t last forever.
Spot On Hugh about getting in players who are better than Yarmolenko,Masuaku and Fredericks.
Moyes is doing my head in with his dithering.It’s about two years now since we’ve been looking for another striker and all he says is i can’t find anyone who will play second fiddle to Antonio.
Not only Moyes but Newman as well what does he do all day?
If we get a couple(even one!) of good signings in i’ll gladly eat humble pie but i’m not holding my breath.
If we lose Dec & Bowen in the summer because of Moyes indecisive nature then surely Moyes must go too
Rob Newman must be wandering why he went to West Ham when nobody takes any interest in his recommendations
Moyes has done a great job in stabilising the club but maybe its time for divering Dave to move on before we take a massive step backwards
Sullivan probably to blame too. He ain’t escaping.
Tell me why – we covered that – where do you disagree or is it more a case that you don’t like him. Let me repeat – he can’t do as he did before as he is no longer controlling shareholder and has to answer to the others. This is a Moyes mess. No one else
Disagree. It’s both of them.
But no reason given or logic so we will ignore this stuff until there is because it’s obviously about personal dislike
I don’t know him personally so why would it be?
You seem awfully defensive about this for some reason. Doesn’t make a lot of sense really. Very irrational.
Not defesnive at all – just trying to get your reason – you dislike debate and explaining your position? If it doesn’t make sense it’s probably because you prefer Twotter soundbites and find rationale via articles which stretch to more than 30 words a little difficult perhaps
You’re free to ignore btw. You chose not to and replied.
Anyway, looking at twitter and the forums it’s evident that the majority share this viewpoint. So I feel comfortable with it. Feel free to disagree, it doesn’t bother me.
I was listening to you not Twotter – you still haven’t a clue on how to explain your position
If we are out of Europe by summer, and lose Dec and Bowen for big money, you can almost guarantee Kretinsky isn’t going to let Moyes spend it. Bottom line, if WHU out of Europe next season, Moyes is gone.
A complete contradiction to what we all usually say, but it’s clear Moyes has no idea how to negotiate a transfer window, he should have zero input in transfers from now on.
Can’t find someone to play second fiddle to Antonio?? You’re supposed to be finding someone BETTER than Antonio, let him play 2nd fiddle. I love him but he’s an injury prone 30 odd year old, we will need to replace in a season or two anyway.
Honestly, the spurs fans in my office are gonna have a laugh on me for the rest of the season, do GSBK not care about my work place mental health lol.
Normally I would have the Board very firmly in my sights. Now no, there is only one man to blame David Moyes. He obviously does not like Strikers, only ever having bought five. Did this stop him buying defenders ? Moyes had the final say. Why the heck didn’t have the guts to tell us, we were buying no one. I could have saved a few hours and a lot of torment. Just this once Hugh, I agree with you.
Divering Daves biggest ever signing………..Fellaini…..enough said !!!!!!!
can see Moyes either walking or sacked in the summer he as no plan b we see other teams bring on strikers that change the game we have Yarmolenko & Arthur might as well bring on Steptoe & Son the club is still a laughing stock can’t wait for the day GSB have gone plus Moyes boring football
It’s no longer run by GSB with Kretinsky on equal rights
I just see no strategy even if there is nobody available. He won’t give any game time to star U23 players like Ashby, Baptiste. Alese, Longelo and not even Johnson lately. He won’t play Okoflex but has been chasing a young Marseille player. Would rather see any of the above getting 10 mins rather than Yarmo and Masu. The market? Well Newman is there – Villa have signed a couple – are we awake?
Moyes is inept in the tender market , this is not good enough . If it impacts in Rice staying that is a failure by Moyes . What were he and Newman doing in this window absolutely agree with you Hugh.
Appalled by the lack of transfer activity. January 31st 2022- The day West Ham started to go backwards. And they will. Amateur to say the least Months to sort-leave till last minute and fail miserably. Dont car what Anyone says Moyes responsible. Not good enough. The day we saw Moyes lack of ambition.Other clubs must be laughing at West ham knowing the progress is over.We will be lucky to end in top 10. And what he has done for morale i dread to think.
Agree re comments on building team around Dec……Moysie isn’t brave enough in buying players. More worrying for me is when we lose Dec, is Moyes going to have the capability of spending it.
That said, he is still the manager for us. Building steadily is fine by me but need to see a summer of transfer business which improves the team AND strengthens the depth of the squad a little more than last summer.
Finishing 6th would be fantastic at the end of this season……how often have we had 2x successful seasons (by our standards). Finishing 8th….mmmmmm.
We’ll be OK this season. However, all the stops MUST be pulled out next summer